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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A family of three spends $4,193 per month in Montreal vs $4,108 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 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.16 CA$22.14

$22.77 €19.42

-29.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 CA$102

$93.9 €80.1

-20.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$14.98

$12.59 €10.74

-13.11%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.05

$3.84 €3.28

-4.17%

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

$2.07 CA$2.84

$3.36 €2.87

-38.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.05

$3.18 €2.71

-53.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CA$8.20

$5.10 €4.35

17.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 CA$9.27

$4.61 €3.93

46.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.18

$1.33 €1.13

74.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.40

$2.76 €2.35

16.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$2.74 €2.34

36.50%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.48

$3.60 €3.07

-9.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.08 CA$22.02

$17.95 €15.31

-10.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$15.84

$9.96 €8.50

16.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.45

$22.43 €19.13

-30.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$2.33 €1.99

57.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.33

$2.35 €2.00

-27.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.56

$2.28 €1.94

78.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.82

$2.35 €2.00

80.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.28 €1.94

20.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.65

$1.64 €1.40

62.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 CA$2.96

$0.90 €0.77

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.35

$0.89 €0.76

93.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.21 CA$18.10

$12.50 €10.66

5.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.08 CA$15.19

$9.16 €7.82

20.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$1.78 €1.52

66.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 CA$4.91

$1.95 €1.66

83.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 CA$3.89

$2.81 €2.40

1.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 CA$103

$33.33 €28.43

124.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 CA$4.96

$5.83 €4.97

-37.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$1.98

$2.44 €2.08

-40.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.03 CA$46.62

$37.32 €31.83

-8.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.61

$1.85 €1.58

-36.22%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$36.2K €30.9K

-30.58%

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

$21.5K CA$29.4K

$32.8K €28.0K

-34.57%

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

$75.5 CA$103

$204 €174

-63.05%

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

$35.70 CA$48.91

$21.10 €18.00

69.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.01 CA$58.9

$51.1 €43.61

-15.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.58 CA$58.3

$28.49 €24.30

49.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.17 CA$23.53

$9.33 €7.95

84.03%

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 CA$15.16

$14.97 €12.77

-26.05%

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

$616 CA$844

$638 €544

-3.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,799 CA$7,945

$13.5K €11.5K

-56.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 CA$85.3

$111 €94.6

-43.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.77 CA$60.0

$48.17 €41.09

-9.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$140

$114 €97.4

-10.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$166

$134 €114

-9.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 CA$1,657

$983 €839

22.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 CA$1,329

$848 €723

14.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 CA$2,856

$1,502 €1,281

38.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 CA$2,186

$1,232 €1,051

29.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,442 CA$7,456

$4,876 €4,159

11.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,046 CA$5,543

$2,526 €2,155

60.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,990 CA$4,096

$3,202 €2,732

-6.64%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Hasselt: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,209 in Montreal versus $983 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 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 $74 in Montreal versus $94 in Hasselt. Groceries tell a different story – $389 in Montreal vs $339 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: $2,080 in Montreal, $2,105 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 $3,120 per month in Montreal and $3,158 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 $616 per month in Montreal and $638 in Hasselt. 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.