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: $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,322 in Hearst.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,112 in Montreal versus $3,303 in Hearst.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,167 in Montreal versus $4,283 in Hearst.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 50% above, Hearst 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.70

$19.51 CA$26.99

-8.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$61.7 CA$85.4

17.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$12.04 CA$16.66

-9.30%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.49

$3.44 CA$4.76

15.41%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$2.12 CA$2.93

-2.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.88 CA$2.60

-17.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.88

$5.13 CA$7.09

24.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.09

$5.91 CA$8.18

23.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$2.13 CA$2.95

12.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$2.63 CA$3.63

22.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$2.91 CA$4.03

5.50%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$3.40 CA$4.71

8.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.78

$9.92 CA$13.73

36.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.09

$11.76 CA$16.27

-1.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.33

$14.64 CA$20.26

-4.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$3.95 CA$5.46

-6.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.18 CA$1.64

32.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$3.72 CA$5.15

-8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$3.87 CA$5.36

-21.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$2.56 CA$3.55

-22.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.08 CA$2.87

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$2.59 CA$3.58

-1.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.67 CA$2.31

-16.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.90

$14.63 CA$20.24

-21.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$11.82 CA$16.36

-7.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$2.52 CA$3.49

-10.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$3.56 CA$4.93

-15.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$2.28 CA$3.15

17.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$63.1 CA$87.3

19.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

$2.90 CA$4.01

15.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.41 CA$1.95

6.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.63

$24.90 CA$34.45

35.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.06 CA$1.47

21.70%

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

$28.3K CA$39.1K

$29.0K CA$40.1K

-2.37%

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

$19.9K CA$27.5K

0.32%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$141 CA$195

-43.00%

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

$34.23 CA$47.37

$34.52 CA$47.77

-0.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.3

$56.8 CA$78.6

-27.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.46

$41.21 CA$57.0

-29.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.52

$18.68 CA$25.85

6.48%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.20

$11.18 CA$15.48

4.74%

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

$564 CA$781

$876 CA$1,212

-35.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

$13.5K CA$18.6K

25.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.3

$53.3 CA$73.7

11.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.3

$38.44 CA$53.2

9.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$86.1 CA$119

24.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$104 CA$143

6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,776

$1,303 CA$1,803

-1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,370

$1,325 CA$1,833

-25.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,127

$2,284 CA$3,160

-1.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,307

$1,688 CA$2,336

-1.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,316

$4,566 CA$6,319

15.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,276

$3,638 CA$5,034

4.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,177

$3,221 CA$4,457

-6.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.68

-5.77%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Hearst: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Montreal and $1,303 in Hearst. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hearst pays 7% 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: $72.0 in Montreal vs $62.0 in Hearst for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $352 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 ($2,056 vs $2,322 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 7% 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: $1,284 in Montreal versus $1,303 in Hearst. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $564 in Montreal versus $876 in Hearst. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Hearst pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,322 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.