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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,085 in Montreal versus $2,350 in Hearst.

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

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

Living in Montreal costs roughly 11% less than in Hearst, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$17.14 CA$24.12

-3.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$69.8 CA$98.2

6.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$11.08 CA$15.59

-1.26%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.70 CA$5.21

3.78%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$1.98 CA$2.78

8.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.71 CA$2.41

-15.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$5.64 CA$7.94

8.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$5.77 CA$8.12

16.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$2.10 CA$2.95

11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$2.71 CA$3.82

23.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$3.61 CA$5.08

3.60%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$3.41 CA$4.80

-0.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$10.96 CA$15.42

48.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$11.67 CA$16.42

1.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$14.81 CA$20.84

5.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$4.07 CA$5.73

-9.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.41 CA$1.98

20.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.64 CA$5.12

12.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$3.69 CA$5.20

19.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$2.38 CA$3.36

17.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$2.47 CA$3.48

6.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$2.55 CA$3.59

-10.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$1.70 CA$2.40

4.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$14.16 CA$19.92

-6.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$13.64 CA$19.19

-21.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$2.89 CA$4.06

3.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$3.02 CA$4.25

13.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$2.35 CA$3.31

19.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$63.3 CA$89.1

15.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$3.20 CA$4.50

10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.50 CA$2.11

-3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$25.44 CA$35.79

34.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.13 CA$1.59

7.96%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$25.1K CA$35.4K

0.47%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$20.9K CA$29.4K

5.87%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$145 CA$204

-47.17%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$44.42 CA$62.5

-19.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$63.4 CA$89.2

-32.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$42.74 CA$60.1

1.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$14.87 CA$20.93

13.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$11.47 CA$16.13

-3.31%

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

$625 CA$879

$747 CA$1,050

-16.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$11.9K CA$16.7K

-50.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$55.4 CA$77.9

14.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$38.83 CA$54.6

14.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$85.7 CA$121

20.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$108 CA$151

9.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$1,314 CA$1,849

-8.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$1,191 CA$1,676

-18.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$2,019 CA$2,841

0.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$1,824 CA$2,567

-13.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

$4,587 CA$6,454

10.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

$3,157 CA$4,442

19.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$3,161 CA$4,448

-8.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.46

-22.45%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Hearst: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,207 in Montreal and $1,314 in Hearst. 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: $74.0 in Montreal vs $70.0 in Hearst for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $364 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

Montreal vs Hearst: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and Hearst differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,085 vs $2,350 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Hearst. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,207 in Montreal versus $1,314 in Hearst. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $625 in Montreal versus $747 in Hearst. 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, Montreal and Hearst 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.