Cost of Living Comparison Between Hasselt and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Hasselt and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,105 per month in Hasselt vs $2,080 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,106 per month in Hasselt vs $3,136 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,108 per month in Hasselt vs $4,193 in Montreal, rent included.

Hasselt costs about 1% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hasselt and Montreal sit above the global median – Hasselt by 57%, Montreal by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.77 €19.42

$16.16 CA$22.14

40.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.9 €80.1

$74.3 CA$102

26.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 €10.74

$10.94 CA$14.98

15.08%

Cappuccino

$3.84 €3.28

$3.68 CA$5.05

4.35%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 €2.87

$2.07 CA$2.84

62.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 €2.71

$1.49 CA$2.05

113.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 €4.35

$5.98 CA$8.20

-14.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.93

$6.76 CA$9.27

-31.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.13

$2.32 CA$3.18

-42.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 €2.35

$3.21 CA$4.40

-14.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 €2.34

$3.74 CA$5.13

-26.74%

Eggs

$3.60 €3.07

$3.27 CA$4.48

10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.95 €15.31

$16.08 CA$22.02

11.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.96 €8.50

$11.56 CA$15.84

-13.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.43 €19.13

$15.66 CA$21.45

43.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 €1.99

$3.67 CA$5.03

-36.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.00

$1.70 CA$2.33

38.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$4.06 CA$5.56

-43.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 €2.00

$4.25 CA$5.82

-44.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$2.74 CA$3.76

-16.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 €1.40

$2.66 CA$3.65

-38.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 €0.77

$2.16 CA$2.96

-58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.76

$1.72 CA$2.35

-48.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.50 €10.66

$13.21 CA$18.10

-5.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.16 €7.82

$11.08 CA$15.19

-17.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.52

$2.97 CA$4.07

-40.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.66

$3.58 CA$4.91

-45.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.40

$2.84 CA$3.89

-1.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.33 €28.43

$74.8 CA$103

-55.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 €4.97

$3.62 CA$4.96

61.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 €2.08

$1.44 CA$1.98

69.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.32 €31.83

$34.03 CA$46.62

9.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.58

$1.18 CA$1.61

56.78%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.2K €30.9K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

44.05%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.8K €28.0K

$21.5K CA$29.4K

52.83%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$204 €174

$75.5 CA$103

170.61%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.10 €18.00

$35.70 CA$48.91

-40.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 €43.61

$43.01 CA$58.9

18.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.49 €24.30

$42.58 CA$58.3

-33.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.33 €7.95

$17.17 CA$23.53

-45.66%

Cinema Ticket

$14.97 €12.77

$11.07 CA$15.16

35.23%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$638 €544

$616 CA$844

3.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K €11.5K

$5,799 CA$7,945

132.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €94.6

$62.3 CA$85.3

78.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.17 €41.09

$43.77 CA$60.0

10.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €97.4

$102 CA$140

11.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €114

$121 CA$166

10.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 €839

$1,209 CA$1,657

-18.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$848 €723

$970 CA$1,329

-12.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,502 €1,281

$2,085 CA$2,856

-27.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,051

$1,596 CA$2,186

-22.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,876 €4,159

$5,442 CA$7,456

-10.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,526 €2,155

$4,046 CA$5,543

-37.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,202 €2,732

$2,990 CA$4,096

7.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

5.01

-34.73%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Hasselt: April 22, 2026

Last update for Montreal: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $983 in Hasselt versus $1,209 in Montreal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Hasselt, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94 in Hasselt versus $74 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $339 in Hasselt vs $389 in Montreal – so Hasselt wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Hasselt vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,105 in Hasselt, $2,080 in Montreal – roughly 1% apart. Hasselt costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,158 per month in Hasselt and $3,120 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $638 per month in Hasselt and $616 in Montreal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Hasselt – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,080, than in Hasselt at $2,105. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hasselt it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,080 in Montreal to $2,105 in Hasselt. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hasselt makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.