Cost of Living Comparison Between Hearst and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Hearst and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,348 in Hearst versus $2,063 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,364 in Hearst versus $3,159 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,380 in Hearst versus $4,255 in Montreal.

Living in Hearst is roughly 14% more expensive than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hearst 75% above, Montreal 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.91 CA$23.52

$15.92 CA$22.14

6.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 CA$96.2

$73.1 CA$102

-5.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 CA$15.50

$11.15 CA$15.50

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.31

$3.80 CA$5.29

0.53%

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

$2.07 CA$2.88

$2.18 CA$3.03

-5.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.30

$1.46 CA$2.03

13.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.43 CA$7.55

$6.12 CA$8.51

-11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 CA$8.36

$6.78 CA$9.42

-11.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CA$3.00

$2.33 CA$3.24

-7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$3.39 CA$4.72

-19.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.73 CA$5.19

-2.68%

Eggs

$3.41 CA$4.74

$3.38 CA$4.70

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$16.25 CA$22.60

-32.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.50 CA$15.99

$11.54 CA$16.05

-0.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.90 CA$20.73

$15.24 CA$21.19

-2.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.69

$3.74 CA$5.20

9.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.70 CA$2.37

-15.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.07

$4.11 CA$5.71

-11.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$4.35 CA$6.05

-14.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$2.71 CA$3.76

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.54

$2.62 CA$3.64

-3.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.68

$2.25 CA$3.13

17.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.45

$1.73 CA$2.40

1.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.03 CA$19.52

$13.31 CA$18.51

5.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 CA$17.34

$10.78 CA$15.00

15.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.01 CA$4.19

-1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.18

$3.46 CA$4.82

-13.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 CA$3.21

$2.74 CA$3.81

-15.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.2 CA$86.5

$72.7 CA$101

-14.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$3.63 CA$5.05

-10.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.46 CA$2.03

2.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.03 CA$36.20

$33.44 CA$46.50

-22.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.62

$1.21 CA$1.69

-3.31%

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

$25.0K CA$34.8K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

1.44%

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

$20.5K CA$28.5K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

-5.37%

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

$143 CA$198

$76.0 CA$106

87.73%

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

$44.04 CA$61.3

$35.72 CA$49.68

23.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.7 CA$88.6

$42.86 CA$59.6

48.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.31 CA$57.4

$42.92 CA$59.7

-3.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 CA$20.62

$17.23 CA$23.97

-13.99%

Cinema Ticket

$11.45 CA$15.93

$11.09 CA$15.42

3.25%

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

$734 CA$1,021

$620 CA$862

18.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.6K

$5,834 CA$8,114

104.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 CA$75.1

$62.7 CA$87.1

-13.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.98 CA$55.6

$44.41 CA$61.8

-9.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 CA$119

$101 CA$140

-14.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$152

$119 CA$166

-8.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,792

$1,211 CA$1,684

6.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 CA$1,610

$960 CA$1,334

20.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 CA$2,770

$2,035 CA$2,831

-2.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 CA$2,482

$1,589 CA$2,210

12.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,349 CA$6,048

$5,181 CA$7,205

-16.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,475 CA$4,832

$3,934 CA$5,470

-11.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,189 CA$4,435

$2,960 CA$4,116

7.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.01

28.94%

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

Last update for Hearst: June 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,289 in Hearst and $1,211 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hearst pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Hearst vs $73.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $392 per month, with Hearst cheaper across the board.

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

Hearst vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hearst and Montreal differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,348 vs $2,063 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Hearst pays 8% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,289 in Hearst versus $1,211 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $734 in Hearst versus $620 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Hearst pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,348 in Hearst, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Hearst. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Hearst and Montreal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Montreal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Hearst. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.