Vous avez un projet d’expatriation à Montréal, la plus grande ville francophone d’Amérique ? 🗺️ Vous vous demandez quel est le coût de la vie dans cette métropole dynamique ? Parfait, vous êtes au bon endroit !
Et si on vous disait que Montréal est LE choix parfait pour allier opportunités professionnelles et qualité de vie ? La ville est reconnue comme un hub technologique majeur, notamment dans les secteurs des technologies de l’information (TI) et de la communication. L’essor du numérique est si important que de nombreuses entreprises montréalaises sont en pénurie de talents informatiques : développeurs, ingénieurs logiciels, experts en IA… Une aubaine pour décrocher votre futur job (ou comme on dit ici, « ta future job ») ! 😉
💡 Pourquoi choisir Montréal au Canada ? Non seulement la ville regorge d’opportunités, mais son coût de la vie est plus abordable que celui de nombreuses grandes villes nord-américaines. Lisez la suite pour découvrir toutes les astuces pour bien préparer votre budget et réussir votre installation.
Example of a cost of living analysis in Montreal
Moving to Montreal to seize a professional opportunity is great, but increasing your purchasing power is even better! That's because the average salary for a developer with five years' experience is around $85,000 CA gross per year. The same applies to more junior profiles: salaries are undeniably more attractive in Montreal than in France for Tech profiles.
Let's take a look at how much it can cost to live in Montreal as a newcomer (you will find at the end of this article an example of a concrete budget for daily life as an expatriate in Montreal).
Summary:
Housing
Leisure activities
The charges
Have a drink
Telephone and internet
Transportation
The races
Medical care
Le logement : Impact du coût de la vie à Montréal
Bien que le prix d’un logement varie beaucoup en fonction de son quartier et de sa surface d’habitation, Montréal reste une ville aux prix relativement bas par rapport au reste des grandes villes du pays. En s’installant en dehors du centre-ville, tu pourras trouver aisément un appartement ou un condo décent pour un loyer variant entre 1500 $ et 1800 $ par mois (pour un 3 ½, donc un T2 en France, une seule chambre fermée). Les loyers au centre-ville seront entre 1800 $-2000 $. Il te faudra ajouter environ 30 $ par mois pour la couverture minimale ton assurance habitation.
ℹ️ Note that there is no habitation tax for tenants in Montreal.
If you want to get an idea of what's available, don't hesitate to take a look at Canada's leading classifieds site: Kijiji as well as Centris Facebook's Marketplace platform is also widely used in Montreal. You'll also find a number of offers for roommates. As of March 2023, the average cost of home ownership in Montreal was approximately $535,000 . Here's a few tips for finding your future apartment in Montreal and choosing your future neighborhood.
Les charges à prévoir dans le son calcul du coût de la vie
Water is free in Quebec! For electricity, count on average $50 for a 3 ½. It all depends of course on your electricity consumption and the insulation of your apartment... In winter, the bill may increase a little 😉
ℹ️ Please note that for some apartments, electricity is included in the rent.
Telephone and internet
Unfortunately, cell phone packages are more expensive in Quebec than in France. The same applies to Internet and cable TV packages.
A word of advice: plan on spending around $60 a month for WiFi and a decent bit-rate. This amount can sometimes be included in the rent, depending on the landlord!
Concernant la téléphonie cellulaire, les prix sont très variés. Tu peux trouver des forfaits aux alentours de 40 $ pour un téléphone intelligent chez Fizz avec appels illimités et de la data.
The Maplrs' trick:
Koodomobile ou Fizz proposent des prix très avantageux (parfois même à moins de 40 $) pour un forfait mobile avec plus de 20G0 de data!
The races
Le coût moyen mensuel de l’alimentation pour une personne est estimé entre 450 $ à 650 $.
And don't forget to allow yourself a period of adjustment. If you're looking for brands you're used to buying in Europe, don't forget that these are exported products, and therefore more expensive than North American brands.
To find products at unbeatable prices, don't hesitate to shop far from the city center. Local markets and grocery stores offer products at very attractive prices. Would you like to save money while fighting food waste? Many Montreal merchants use applications such as FoodHero or Too Good to Go to sell their unsold products at reduced prices.
Enough to lower the cost of your average basket!
When it comes to buying your own clothes, you'll find what you're looking for in outlets selling brand-name items on sale, and in Montreal's many thrift stores.
The Maplrs' trick:
For your shopping, check out Costco for discounts on bulk purchases!
Leisure activities
Living in Montreal also means being able to enjoy many activities! In summer as well as in winter, the city often offers free activities for children and adults. Here are a few examples of prices for the most "classic" activities:
The cinema
Count $14. 50 for a regular ticket. On Tuesday evenings, at some of the city's Cineplex theaters, it's half price at $7.25.
The restaurant
Pour un repas de deux services (entrée avec plat ou plat avec dessert, sans alcool) dans un restaurant “à la carte” tu peux compter environ 80 $ par personne. Il ne faudra pas oublier d’y ajouter les taxes (15 %) et le pourboire (au Québec, la norme est de 15 %). Pour un restaurant gastronomique avec un repas de trois services, la facture tournera davantage aux alentours de 100 $.
☝️ Tip from the Maplr team: don't hesitate to try a "bring your own wine" restaurant, a popular formula in Quebec, to save money on your drinks!
Concernant les »fastfood », ce sera entre 15 $ et 20 $ en moyenne pour un repas type « trio » ou une bonne poutine !
The gym
A gym membership costs around $50/month, depending on the type of membership. It's also worth noting that in Montreal, some apartments have a gym right in the building, and it's free for tenants to use!
Have a drink
A beer in a pub
Montreal is renowned for its many microbreweries and pubs. The price of a beer will vary according to its origin and size (a glass v.s. a pint). It's also cheaper during the famous "happy hour " for your 5@7 with colleagues. Prices range from $6 to $10 (without tip).
A drink with friends
You're invited to a colleague's home for a dinner ? As a good guest, don't forget to stop by the SAQ (Société des Alcools du Québec) to buy a nice bottle of wine! It will cost you between $14 and $18. More of a beer fan? You'll be looking at $18 for a six-pack.
A coffee in a restaurant
A coffee in a restaurant or neighborhood café will cost you between $3 and $6 depending on whether you're more of a "filter" or cappuccino type (it's cheaper at Tim Hortons 😉 ).
Transportation
À Montréal, un abonnement mensuel aux transports en commun (carte OPUS) est de 110 $. Ce montant te permet d’utiliser le métro ainsi que l’autobus de façon illimitée. Un passage unique est 3,75 $. Pour plus d’informations, tu peux consulter le site de la STM (société de transport de Montréal) pour la grille complète des tarifs.
Other alternatives are also available! You can rent a car from Communauto if you want to explore Montreal's surroundings, or take advantage of the many bike paths via the Bixi program.
Medical care
In Quebec, the equivalent of Social Security is the Quebec Health Insurance Plan (RAMQ). Depending on your work permit, you may be eligible for RAMQ and basic medical expenses will be covered. Please note thats in France, some medical care is not covered by the RAMQ (dental care, eye care, etc.), but rather by your group insurance, the equivalent of the mutual insurance company in France.
The vast majority of Quebec employers offer group insurance (mutual insurance). If this is not the case, you can always subscribe to a basic private insurance.
About the health care system in Canadahere is a complete article to help you see more clearly !
Cost of living in Montreal: example of monthly budget for an expatriate
Below is an example of a budget for an expatriate in Montreal:
|
|
| Apartment 3 ½ in downtown | 1 900$ |
| Electricity | 60 $ |
| Home insurance | 30 $ |
| Internet | 60 $ |
| Telephone | 60 $ |
| TOTAL | 2110 $ |
|
|
| Opus Card | 110 $ |
| Races | 450 $ |
| 5 pints per week | 160 $ |
| 1 "traditional" restaurant per month | 90 $ |
| 1 Fast food per week | 48 $ |
| 1 Restaurant with friends | 100 $ |
| 2 Evenings with friends | 32 $ |
| 2 cinemas per month | 29 $ |
|
Sports hall
|
50 $ |
|
Some coffee (and donuts 😉 at Tim Hortons)
|
30 $ |
| TOTAL EXCL. | 1099 $ |
| TOTAL with taxes (approx. 15%) | 1263, 85 $ |
Monthly total (recurring expenses and daily living)
3374 $CA
A very attractive cost of living in Montreal
With this example, an approximate monthly budget is $3088. A developer with 5 years' experience will earn a gross salary of approximately $85,000 annually, a gross income of about $7,083 per month. Once taxes have been deducted at source, the net monthly income is therefore approximately $4,781.
That's why the cost of living in Montreal is so attractive! We'll tell you all about it in this article.
Here's also an interesting site for examples of other expenses in Montreal.
Check out our other blog posts to help you prepare for your move to Montreal!
What is the salary of a computer developer in Montreal, Quebec, Canada?
When it comes to the cost of living, it's interesting to compare it to the salary you could expect. Discover our complete study on salaries for computer developers in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Want to try your hand at an adventure in Montreal?
Chez Maplr, nous sommes là pour toi à chaque étape de ton projet d’immigration et de carrière en TI au Canada, et c’est entièrement gratuit ! 🎉
Que tu sois au tout début de tes démarches, que tu possèdes déjà ton CSQ ou même ta résidence permanente, notre mission est de t’aider à trouver l’emploi idéal en TI à Montréal et de t’accompagner dans toutes les phases de ton installation.
✨ Pourquoi choisir Maplr ?
Notre équipe te guide pas à pas, en te fournissant toutes les informations et conseils nécessaires pour que ton arrivée à Montréal soit une réussite. De la recherche d’emploi à l’intégration sur place, nous sommes à tes côtés pour que tu démarres ta nouvelle vie en toute sérénité.
🌟 Rejoins notre communauté maintenant et fais partie d’un réseau unique qui valorise le partage, l’entraide et l’innovation. Ensemble, faisons de ton projet une belle réussite ! 💪
Our team is here to guide you and give you all the information you need to start your new life in Montreal with peace of mind! Join our community now.
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