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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,084 per month in Montreal vs $2,098 in Hasselt, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,161 per month in Montreal vs $3,078 in Hasselt, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,239 per month in Montreal vs $4,058 in Hasselt, rent included.

Montreal is about 1% cheaper than Hasselt, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Montreal and Hasselt sit above the global median – Montreal by 55%, Hasselt by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 CA$22.29

$22.77 €19.75

-29.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 CA$102

$92.7 €80.4

-20.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.31

$12.54 €10.88

-12.52%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.29

$3.97 €3.44

-4.53%

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

$2.16 CA$3.01

$3.32 €2.88

-34.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$3.18 €2.76

-52.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 CA$8.24

$5.10 €4.42

15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 CA$9.52

$4.76 €4.13

43.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$1.31 €1.14

76.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 CA$4.72

$2.86 €2.48

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.35

$2.63 €2.28

45.63%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.75

$3.62 €3.14

-6.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.11 CA$22.49

$17.77 €15.41

-9.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 CA$16.45

$10.08 €8.75

16.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 CA$21.39

$21.68 €18.80

-29.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.10

$2.24 €1.94

63.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$2.24 €1.95

-28.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.67

$2.29 €1.99

77.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.14

$2.35 €2.04

87.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$2.37 €2.05

13.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.72

$1.67 €1.45

59.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.20

$0.89 €0.77

157.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.48

$0.88 €0.76

101.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.07 CA$18.24

$12.82 €11.12

1.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 CA$14.93

$9.19 €7.97

16.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 CA$4.37

$1.77 €1.54

76.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 CA$4.82

$1.95 €1.69

76.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$2.84 €2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$34.04 €29.52

113.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.91

$5.71 €4.95

-38.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$2.46 €2.13

-41.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.29 CA$46.46

$36.90 €32.00

-9.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.92 €1.67

-35.94%

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

$25.4K CA$35.4K

$35.7K €30.9K

-28.89%

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

$21.5K CA$29.9K

$32.5K €28.2K

-34.00%

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

$73.9 CA$103

$207 €180

-64.30%

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

$36.87 CA$51.5

$20.85 €18.09

76.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.97 CA$60.0

$51.5 €44.66

-16.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.82 CA$59.8

$28.22 €24.48

51.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 CA$23.53

$9.50 €8.24

77.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 CA$15.62

$14.93 €12.94

-25.05%

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

$608 CA$849

$652 €566

-6.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 CA$8,128

$13.7K €11.8K

-57.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 CA$85.3

$110 €95.1

-44.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.96 CA$62.8

$48.33 €41.91

-6.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$142

$115 €100.0

-11.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$170

$136 €118

-10.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 CA$1,673

$985 €855

21.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 CA$1,315

$840 €728

12.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 CA$2,912

$1,462 €1,268

42.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 CA$2,176

$1,231 €1,068

26.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,093 CA$7,108

$4,693 €4,070

8.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,280

$2,474 €2,145

52.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,880 CA$4,020

$3,179 €2,757

-9.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

3.27

53.21%

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

Last update for Montreal: June 7, 2026

Last update for Hasselt: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,198 in Montreal versus $985 in Hasselt. 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 10% 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 $73.0 in Montreal versus $93.0 in Hasselt. Groceries tell a different story – $393 in Montreal vs $337 in Hasselt – 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

Montreal vs Hasselt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,084 in Montreal, $2,098 in Hasselt – roughly 1% apart. Hasselt costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,126 per month in Montreal and $3,147 in Hasselt. 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 $608 per month in Montreal and $652 in Hasselt. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% 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 $2,084, than in Hasselt at $2,098. 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 $2,084 in Montreal to $2,098 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.