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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,124 per month in Hasselt vs $2,055 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,109 per month in Hasselt vs $3,123 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,094 per month in Hasselt vs $4,191 in Montreal, rent included.

Hasselt costs about 3% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hasselt and Montreal sit above the global median – Hasselt by 59%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.98 €20.20

$15.99 CA$22.54

43.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €81.5

$74.4 CA$105

24.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.96 €11.39

$10.94 CA$15.41

18.46%

Cappuccino

$3.87 €3.40

$3.84 CA$5.42

0.78%

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

$3.36 €2.95

$2.08 CA$2.94

61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 €2.66

$1.50 CA$2.11

102.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.15 €4.53

$6.23 CA$8.77

-17.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 €4.00

$6.54 CA$9.22

-30.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.16

$2.36 CA$3.33

-44.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 €2.41

$3.25 CA$4.58

-15.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 €2.32

$3.83 CA$5.40

-31.07%

Eggs

$3.69 €3.24

$3.45 CA$4.86

6.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 €15.55

$16.11 CA$22.70

9.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 €8.84

$11.91 CA$16.78

-15.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.40 €19.70

$15.44 CA$21.76

45.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 €2.08

$3.68 CA$5.18

-35.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.07

$1.62 CA$2.29

45.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 €1.97

$4.13 CA$5.82

-45.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 €2.05

$4.46 CA$6.28

-47.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 €1.97

$2.69 CA$3.80

-16.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.46

$2.55 CA$3.60

-34.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 €0.85

$2.27 CA$3.20

-57.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.76

$1.74 CA$2.45

-50.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.79 €11.24

$13.32 CA$18.77

-3.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.38 €8.24

$10.59 CA$14.92

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 €1.54

$3.02 CA$4.26

-42.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.78

$3.51 CA$4.95

-42.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 €2.50

$2.81 CA$3.96

1.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.06 €29.94

$73.6 CA$104

-53.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 €5.10

$3.49 CA$4.91

66.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 €2.20

$1.40 CA$1.98

79.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.71 €33.15

$33.86 CA$47.72

11.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.67

$1.22 CA$1.72

55.74%

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

$35.4K €31.2K

$25.4K CA$35.8K

39.34%

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

$33.0K €29.0K

$21.4K CA$30.2K

54.13%

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

$201 €177

$75.0 CA$106

168.40%

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

$20.83 €18.31

$35.87 CA$50.5

-41.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 €45.54

$43.06 CA$60.7

20.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.25 €24.84

$42.58 CA$60.0

-33.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.28 €8.16

$17.21 CA$24.25

-46.08%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 €13.45

$11.01 CA$15.51

38.96%

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

$660 €581

$621 CA$876

6.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K €11.9K

$5,904 CA$8,320

128.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €97.5

$62.4 CA$87.9

77.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.12 €42.30

$45.39 CA$64.0

6.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €102

$104 CA$147

11.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €117

$120 CA$169

11.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 €858

$1,209 CA$1,703

-19.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 €743

$955 CA$1,346

-11.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,447 €1,272

$2,103 CA$2,963

-31.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 €1,060

$1,596 CA$2,250

-24.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,730 €4,159

$5,209 CA$7,341

-9.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,433 €2,139

$3,729 CA$5,255

-34.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,104 €2,729

$2,950 CA$4,158

5.21%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $975 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 5% 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 $93.0 in Hasselt versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $339 in Hasselt vs $393 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: $2,124 in Hasselt, $2,055 in Montreal – roughly 3% apart. Hasselt costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,186 per month in Hasselt and $3,083 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 $660 per month in Hasselt and $621 in Montreal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% 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 $2,055, than in Hasselt at $2,124. 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 $2,055 in Montreal to $2,124 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.