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: $2,065 in Montreal versus $2,366 in Hearst.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,180 in Montreal versus $3,408 in Hearst.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,296 in Montreal versus $4,450 in Hearst.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 13% less than in Hearst, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 53% above, Hearst 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.08 CA$22.03

$16.96 CA$23.23

-5.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$101

$69.2 CA$94.8

6.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 CA$14.95

$11.01 CA$15.08

-0.91%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.81 CA$5.22

-3.67%

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

$2.06 CA$2.83

$2.04 CA$2.79

0.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.64 CA$2.25

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 CA$8.50

$5.56 CA$7.61

11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.82

$5.99 CA$8.21

7.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$2.18 CA$2.98

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.42

$2.64 CA$3.62

22.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$3.56 CA$4.87

7.87%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.54

$3.52 CA$4.82

-5.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 CA$22.40

$11.34 CA$15.53

44.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.92 CA$16.33

$11.68 CA$16.00

2.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.10 CA$20.69

$14.63 CA$20.04

3.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.04

$4.01 CA$5.49

-8.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.40 CA$1.92

20.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.64

$3.71 CA$5.08

11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.77 CA$5.17

13.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.82

$2.41 CA$3.31

15.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.70

$2.53 CA$3.47

6.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.58 CA$3.54

-15.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$1.70 CA$2.33

4.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.22 CA$18.12

$13.85 CA$18.97

-4.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.12

$14.63 CA$20.04

-24.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.95 CA$4.05

0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.71

$3.03 CA$4.15

13.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.84

$2.30 CA$3.15

21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 CA$98.9

$63.0 CA$86.3

14.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.25 CA$4.46

12.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$1.50 CA$2.05

-6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.07 CA$46.68

$25.90 CA$35.48

31.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.66

$1.17 CA$1.61

3.42%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$24.8K CA$34.0K

2.00%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$20.3K CA$27.8K

7.89%

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

$74.4 CA$102

$142 CA$195

-47.78%

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

$36.64 CA$50.2

$44.44 CA$60.9

-17.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.41 CA$59.5

$63.7 CA$87.2

-31.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.20 CA$59.2

$42.17 CA$57.8

2.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 CA$23.54

$14.93 CA$20.45

15.07%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.06

$11.55 CA$15.82

-4.85%

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

$614 CA$842

$745 CA$1,020

-17.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,855 CA$8,022

$11.6K CA$15.9K

-49.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.8

$53.5 CA$73.3

17.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 CA$60.6

$38.97 CA$53.4

13.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$142

$87.3 CA$120

18.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$167

$109 CA$149

11.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,631

$1,339 CA$1,834

-11.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 CA$1,296

$1,196 CA$1,638

-20.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 CA$2,791

$2,024 CA$2,773

0.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 CA$2,120

$1,816 CA$2,488

-14.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,398 CA$7,395

$4,297 CA$5,887

25.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,014 CA$5,499

$3,214 CA$4,403

24.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,013 CA$4,128

$3,300 CA$4,521

-8.69%

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for Hearst: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,190 in Montreal and $1,339 in Hearst. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hearst pays 10% 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 in Montreal vs $69 in Hearst for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $368 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 15% in total monthly costs ($2,065 vs $2,366 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Hearst earns 10% less. 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: $1,190 in Montreal versus $1,339 in Hearst. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Montreal versus $745 in Hearst. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Hearst pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,065 in Montreal versus $2,366 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 15% less than in Hearst. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.