© freeedomania
Being a Montrealer myself, it’s kind of hard to explain the things I have known ever since I was born, and taken for granted ever since I was old enough to live by myself (in my case, 16 years old). But I figured that considering just how popular Montreal is on the expat list, and how great a city it is, I could share my tips and insight on what it’s like to live in Montreal, and what you should know before moving there. So without further do, here’s all you need to know when going to Montreal as an expat.
1… It’s an amazing place to be, geographically.
While Canada isn’t known for its short travel distances, Montreal, on the other hand, is. A mere 8 hour-drive away from New York City, Boston and Toronto, 2 hours away from Ottawa, the capital, and a 3 hour-drive from the magical city of Quebec. Plus, there are tons of things to do in the countryside nearby, whether you opt for the English-looking villages of the Eastern Townships or the remote cabins of the Laurentians Mountains up north. There’s something for everyone!
2… The costs of living are more than fair.
Montreal is actually a pretty cheap city to live in, whether you opt to rent or buy. For a central apartment, you can expect to pay between $600 and $800 for a two-bedroom, or $250,000 for a quality one-bedroom condo – which, when compared to Vancouver or Toronto, is extremely cheap! Electricity costs are also pretty low, thanks to our powerful hydroelectricity installations in the Bay James up north. This especially comes in handy when winter decides to send -35 degree weather our way…
3… Moving day is July 1st.
That’s the national rule of thumb. Strolling through the streets of Montreal on that particular day is a unique sight! There are moving trucks everywhere, tons of pots&pans, couches, ovens, mattresses, all over the sidewalks! Some apartments will be available throughout the year, but more often than not, it’s a case of sublet or end of lease. This July 1st tradition goes back a long way, and was meant to facilitate the children’s life by not switching schools in the middle of the year.
By the way, when looking for an apartment in Montreal, here’s a few facts you should know:
- There ARE apartments available for rent year-round. But there is much less availability for April or January than for July, that is a given.
- If your goal is indeed to rent something for July, you better get on it quick – ads start coming out in early March, and they go fast!
- Apartments are referred to by number of rooms in total, not just bedrooms. Instead of looking for a ‘two-bedroom’, you’ll look for a 4 1/2 (the half being the bathroom). This means you’ll get two bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen. A 3 1/2 for example, will only have one bedroom, a kitchen, and a living room. And so on.
- Most rental apartments in the city are over a 100 years old. Some are refurbished. Some are not. Expect all kinds of things when planning a visit!
- Agencies are not very common in Montreal when it comes to renting. Most locals find their apartment on Kijiji, lesPAC or even Craigslist, and the local newspaper ads (think the Globe and Mail and La Presse).
- On the other hand, if you’re looking to buy a property, agencies are not only common but recommended. You can get all the listings, regardless of the agency, on the MLS website. Don’t hesitate to negotiate the commission sale once you’ve found your agent.
4… Learning French will never be easier.
Montreal is a wonderfully bilingual city (some might argue that it’s a bit too anglophone, but that’s a whole other debate). Most people speak both French and English fluently, and will be happy to assist you in both languages. While there is a law that protects French and makes sure that French is predominant on everything (bill 101), English is never very far, making it easy to understand for all non-French speakers. Montreal IS the perfect place to learn French!
5… Taxes are high, but benefits are high.
Canada is only ranked average among the OECD countries, but I do feel like we pay a hell of a lot of taxes. We pay taxes on both the provincial and federal sides, as well as having quite onerous sales tax (about 14% at the moment). So yes, a lot of money goes out our pocket before it even made its way there. But, on the other hand, we don’t have to pay a cent for a lot of things. As I always said, there might be downsides to living in Quebec, but not having to worry about paying for basic rights like health care and education, makes up for everything else.
In Quebec, public education is free from kinder garden until college, public health care is free of charge, woman can get up to 52 weeks of maternity leave paid at an average of 70% of their annual salary, and so much more. Remember though that those benefits are mostly provincial and exclusive to the province of Quebec – it might be different in Ontario and BC.
6… The cultural scene is to die for.
That’s one of the most popular reasons why people come to Montreal, either to live or to visit. We have Arcade Fire. Leonard Cohen. The Stills. One half of Tegan and Sara. And SO much more! With over a hundred festivals every year, and a dozen of amazing museums spread throughout the city, the cultural life in Montreal is absolutely vibrant, and has nothing to envy of mega cities like New York or London.
7… Traffic is bad… really bad.
That’s the problem with islands. There are only so many ways in and out! 15 bridges and a tunnel, in all directions, and yet there are huge traffic jams every rush hour. My advice? Don’t bother living in the suburbs – to me it’s not even worth it. Living on the island is the best way to avoid traffic, since you can go just about anywhere with public transit. It’ll save you loads of time, and white hair!
8… And so is parking.
Montreal is filled with charming, quaint, tree-lined streets, which make for great-looking neighborhoods. But these streets are also very narrow, and can only fit a few cars. Finding a parking after 7PM anywhere on the island will be a challenge, that is for sure! There are two types of parking spaces: public, and vignettes. Both will be a piece of work, because there are only a handful of them (again with the cute narrow streets). My recommendation? Ditch the car, and opt for Communauto when you need to get out of the island. Best of both worlds!
Moving to Montreal can be scary – moving anywhere abroad is, really! But if you’re seriously considering it, I can only encourage you that way, and say that Montreal, all in all, is one of the best places in the world. I love Montreal dearly and no matter how many cities I visit… I always come back home.
*This post was brought to you by a third party.
Have you considering moving to Montreal in the past? Is this something you would do in the future? Do you have additional tips to add?
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I love that they have an actual moving day. You definitely have to be prepared for it. Thanks for advice when looking for places to rent! I would certainly keep those in mind. The shots you took alone are convincing enough to move there.
Yeah better be prepared – otherwise you’ll be doomed! You need to book everything months in advance!
Where are you moving from?
I’m a Montrealer. These are just tips for people looking to move to Montreal, from an insider ;)
Wow. Informative post! If I ever find myself moving to Montreal (you never know!) I’ll be coming to this page :)
You better :) Nothing like a true Montrealer to help you with that should you ever move to Montreal!
Don’t bother living in the suburbs … J’approuve ! C’est you tout le temps, l’argent et le stress qu’on sauve lorsqu’on réduit nos déplacements ! Oui, les appartements sont plus vieux, oui la cour est moins grande mais c’est agréable d’être chez soi en moins d’une demie-heure !
Pour les stationnements, c’est encore possible d’en acheter avec son condo ou encore de louer une place… c’est cher par contre.
Finalement, au plan de la langue, on n’a pas besoin de chercher très loin pour rencontrer des gens qui parlent l’espagnol, l’arabe, le mandarin ou l’allemand ! Les nombreux quartiers de Montréal forment un microcosme multiculturel très varié : Petite Italie, Quartier chinois, Quartier grec, la présence de la communauté haïtienne dans Saint-Michel, celle de la communauté juive dans Outremont et j’en passe !
Super article !
Pour les stationnements, à moins de cracher un 20,000$ de plus pour l’avoir inclus avec le condo, c’est en effet très difficile à trouver. Vive Communauto!
La cosmopolité de Montréal est l’une de ses plus belles valeurs – oui, il y a la dualité anglo-franco, mais il y a tous les autres langages aussi, qui enrichissent incroyablement le tissu de la ville! :)
There’s actually an official move-in day? I LOVE that! And I wouldn’t mind paying high Canadian taxes if it came with the social benefits… just sayin’. :)
Yup, 90% of people who will move during the year will do it on July 1st. Absolute mess on that day though :)
Montreal is a great place to call home, and yes, believe it or not, you can get by on limited French.
Our city is a great place for students, singles, and families too. Welcome, bienvenue.
Yes, ideal for students – 4 universities and more! English AND French :)
Very informative guide – I’d never have guessed the way the room “count” works there! Also, the July 1st move date is kind of nice in that you’re likely to find an apartment available when your lease is up, but I do have one question: how hard is it to find a moving company and what do they do during the rest of the year?!?!
It’s not that hard to find a moving company – all you have to do is book them months in advance, and be willing to pay much more than the rest of the year. The companies hire extra men for these dates, but are low-staffed during the rest of the year because there is much less demand. People sometime move on other days than July 1st, but the big big rush is on that day.
Thanks a lot for the tips, I’m hoping to visit this great city sometime soon…
My pleasure :) Montreal is an amazing place to live in!
Allo Marie,
Votre site est tres interessant. Nous vivons en Ontario, nous pensons demenager dans a peu pres 2 ans vers Montreal, vu que mes enfants auront au mons 13 and 14 ans et qu’ils devont integrer une ecole de langue francaise j’imagine que ca sera un petit peu plus complique deja de trouver une maison ds un quartier residentiel et une bonne ecole. Votre site s’adresse plutot au couple sans enfants ou aux celibataires, ou du moins c”est l’impression que j’ai eu en le lisant.Est ce que vous pourriez suggerer des noms de quartiers residentiels avec une bonne ecole ? Merci j’apprecie votre aide d”avance. Dani
Very helpful! Actually my wife is Canadian and we are thinking of moving up north from Boston at some point. I didn’t know rent was 600-800 a month – that is fantastic for a city like Montreal. Great city! Thanks!
Of course, the nicest neighborhoods will have higher rents (think 1200), but most of the area between Laurier and Fleury metros will be in the 600-800 fork. Which is pretty cheap for a great city like Montreal!
Where is the ‘Fleury’ metro Station? I can’t find it on the Metro map. Thanks!
There is no Fleury metro station. You have to get off at Sauvé, and then there is Fleury Street.
Good luck with your move and your French!
Hi! That was a very well written piece, and I am more excited about my move to Montreal, coming up in three months or so. One question about the “moving day” concept through: Since I will be moving in somewhere sometime in December, is that a major disadvantage? How long are typical lease contracts?
Thanks so much! There is so much information online from expats and others, sometimes it is hard to sort everything out!
You’ll definitely have some availability, just a lot less than for July. Have a look at the websites I mentioned in the post and see what the market is like at the moment, since it’s likely to be quite similar for December.
A typical lease is for a year. It’s automatically renewed unless you ask your landlord not to.
Let me know if you have more questions :)
Hey, yeah it’s a nice city culturally, but she needs to tell you the whole story…the rent is low for a reason…cos the unemployment rate is ridiculously high, particularly if you are not fluent in BOTH English AND French. So unless you are perfectly bilingual (which is an oxymoron if you are an Anglophone by birth) and/or already retired, PLEASE do not even consider MOVING to Quebec. Besides, Montreal is somewhat different from other American cities when it comes to city maintenance, driving etiquette and cleanliness standards…so you have been warned. Overall, Montreal a perfect place for Latin Americans, Eastern Europeans, people of Jewish and Mediterranean background, Afro-Carribeans and other mixed-race folks, but, let’s be honest, it is somewhat a mismatch for White Anglo-Saxons.
To your comment about how a city you view in a negative light is fit for a certain “group” of people. FUCK YOU! From an african american.
I am preparing to move to Montreal this December to start a new (tech) company and am very excited about it. Been looking for some insight on the move and interested in hearing more. Will be working and living in the Old Town area.
Great article and thanks a bunch.
Best, Louis
Hello thanks for all this great information about Montreal. I am very excited and planning to move to Montreal this summer 2013. With out this information life would have been very difficult for me, so grateful wow. @ Louis Ross, did you move to Montreal. Very interested in this Tech company you started, how is it going? I would like some info from you if you are willing.
Sincerely, excited to move to MONTREAL!!
Bonjour! Thanks for this great advice! I will be moving to Montreal in August of 2013 with my partner who is starting school at McGill. I need to learn French to be licensed in my profession (social work). I’m practicing with a computer program right now but it’s reassuring to hear you say Montreal is a great place to learn French, because there’s nothing like being around native speakers!
You’ll find it easier to learn French in Montreal than anywhere else in the world, because everyone speaks so good English!
*speaks English so good ! :)
correction ;)
Hello! I am moving to Montreal August 2013 and am wondering if anyone knows how I can find a job with minimal french? I am thinking of find a nanny job!
Leah
If you stick to the west side of the island it should make your life easier (starting from Westmount to Lachine)
Bonjour,
Are you serious about the move-in day? July 1st? So, if I wanted to show up on April 10th, I would get turned away? I want to drive my car there, too. Are hotels and vacation rentals cheap? Why is Canada so different from the U.S.?
Moving day is a very real thing. If you show up in April, you will find apartments for let, of course. But slightly less than you normally would for July.
Hotels are cheaper than in the US, and car rentals are about the same.
Also, better keep in mind that Canada is NOT the US. IF you intend to move here, don’t go about comparing everything to the US. You won’t make any friends by doing that ;-)
Hello I just moved to Montreal from Toronto (following my boyfriend’s lead last spring) … great tips on your blog. Living in Vieux Montreal so gorgeous! I’ve heard about “move day”. ha
Looking into French classes for pleasure and work. Looking for a 1-month immersion kinda thing to start. Any suggestions on where to learn français … other than McGill/UofMontreal or the Berlitz route? My boyfriend is a francophone so doesn’t really know where to go. Also, I prefer not to be in a class with 18 year olds …. love 18 year olds but in early 30′s so the headache after the night of drinking hurts more than it used too. :) Thx.
Glad I could help! You are very lucky to live in Old Montreal, such a lovely neighborhood. I’m afraid I have the same problem as your boyfriend – French being my first language too I don’t know any good French classes. Sorry :-(
No problem. I registered for a class at ILSC in Old Montreal … apparently I’m the only Canadian. haha Start tomorrow and super excited!! Thanks for the response! :) Loving the neighbourhood btw!!
Hi! Thank you for this post! We will be moving to Montreal within the year from Chile, and I wanted to know if you could tell us what kind of fees we should expect to pay when renting an apartment. Do you have to pay monthly maintance fees? Do you typically pay for all the utlities seperatly, or are some included like hot water, electricty or the heat? any help is greatly appreciated!
Typically you will have to pay all the utilities separately. Some larger buildings will have heating or hot water included, both for smaller buildings everything is in supplement (but the rent is therefore cheaper). There typically isn’t any monthly maintenance fees (if there are, it’s included in the rent). Rule of thumb is that your rent only covers rent, and everything else is a supplement.
The French don’t show no respect for the English with thier stupid language police checking stores to make sure nothing is English EVEN IN RESTRANTS! it’s crazy I’ve been living in Montreal all mylife & it’s only getting harder 2 live. You need to speak French if not good luck on finding a job & what not…I’m planing on moving 2 toronto in the next year or so..
i love the fact that there is an official move in day! Makes it easier than to hassle the move in date. It sounds like its easier to remember. My only issue is learning French. I am a hearing impaired/hard of hearing female. When I do make that jump to move, what is an easy way for someone like myself to learn the language easier? Also what about finding jobs in Montreal? Is it easier than the states or harder?
Hello,
I am planning to go to Montreal, but if I go I would like to stay there for working. Do you think I should get a job first and then go; or I can find it there?
I speak english, spanish and chinese; unfortunately no french. But I’m a fast language learner.
What will it be your advice to me?
Thanks!
You should definitely learn French at some point if you want to thrive in Montreal. I don’t think it will be possible for you to find a job before moving here, it’s just not the way things are done around here most of the time. It always depends on your background, though. I would recommend coming here first, get a feel of the city and see from there.
It may be tough to find a job in Montreal without speaking french. If you need to make some money while in school learning French you can try and find a temporary or freelance job. You never know it may lead to a more permanent position. Perhaps you can translate or have another skill. You can go on http://www.workhoppers.com to post your profile and find flexible jobs for free. Good luck and Welcome to Montreal! It is a fantastic city!