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: $2,350 in Hearst versus $2,085 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,368 in Hearst versus $3,174 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Hearst versus $4,262 in Montreal.

Living in Hearst is roughly 13% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hearst 76% above, Montreal 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.14 CA$24.12

$16.52 CA$23.24

3.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 CA$98.2

$74.0 CA$104

-5.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.08 CA$15.59

$10.94 CA$15.40

1.28%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.21

$3.84 CA$5.41

-3.65%

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

$1.98 CA$2.78

$2.14 CA$3.01

-7.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.41

$1.45 CA$2.04

17.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 CA$7.94

$6.13 CA$8.63

-7.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 CA$8.12

$6.73 CA$9.47

-14.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$2.35 CA$3.31

-10.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$3.34 CA$4.69

-18.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.08

$3.74 CA$5.27

-3.48%

Eggs

$3.41 CA$4.80

$3.39 CA$4.77

0.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 CA$15.42

$16.30 CA$22.93

-32.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 CA$16.42

$11.81 CA$16.62

-1.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.81 CA$20.84

$15.64 CA$22.01

-5.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.73

$3.69 CA$5.20

10.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.98

$1.70 CA$2.39

-17.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.12

$4.11 CA$5.79

-11.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$4.41 CA$6.20

-16.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.36

$2.79 CA$3.93

-14.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.64 CA$3.72

-6.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CA$3.59

$2.29 CA$3.22

11.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.40

$1.78 CA$2.51

-4.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.16 CA$19.92

$13.17 CA$18.53

7.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 CA$19.19

$10.64 CA$14.97

28.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.06

$2.99 CA$4.20

-3.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.25

$3.44 CA$4.83

-12.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$2.81 CA$3.95

-16.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 CA$89.1

$72.8 CA$102

-13.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$3.52 CA$4.95

-9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.11

$1.45 CA$2.05

3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.44 CA$35.79

$34.29 CA$48.26

-25.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.59

$1.22 CA$1.72

-7.38%

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

$25.1K CA$35.4K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-0.47%

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

$20.9K CA$29.4K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-5.55%

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

$145 CA$204

$76.5 CA$108

89.28%

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

$44.42 CA$62.5

$35.60 CA$50.1

24.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 CA$89.2

$42.96 CA$60.5

47.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.74 CA$60.1

$43.39 CA$61.1

-1.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.87 CA$20.93

$16.83 CA$23.68

-11.65%

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 CA$16.13

$11.09 CA$15.60

3.43%

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

$747 CA$1,050

$625 CA$879

19.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.7K

$5,896 CA$8,296

101.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$77.9

$63.1 CA$88.8

-12.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 CA$54.6

$44.50 CA$62.6

-12.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 CA$121

$103 CA$145

-16.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$118 CA$166

-9.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 CA$1,849

$1,207 CA$1,699

8.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 CA$1,676

$965 CA$1,358

23.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,019 CA$2,841

$2,031 CA$2,858

-0.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 CA$2,567

$1,577 CA$2,219

15.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,587 CA$6,454

$5,085 CA$7,155

-9.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 CA$4,442

$3,783 CA$5,324

-16.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,161 CA$4,448

$2,890 CA$4,066

9.40%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,314 in Hearst and $1,207 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hearst pays 9% 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: $70.0 in Hearst vs $74.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $395 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 13% in total monthly costs ($2,350 vs $2,085 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Hearst, 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: $1,314 in Hearst versus $1,207 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $747 in Hearst versus $625 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Hearst pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,085 in Montreal versus $2,350 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 13% less than in Hearst. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.