Best Places to Live in Montreal

So, if you’ve been around for a minute, you’ll know that at the end of 2020, I relocated to Montreal to finally reunite with my boyfriend after months of ongoing border closures. Moving to Montreal was a big undertaking during a pandemic for numerous reasons and I’ll spare you those details, as it’s been documented here, here and here. I’ve previously written about everything you should keep in mind when apartment hunting and today I’d like to outline all the best places to live in Montreal.

***If you want a recap of my time in La Belle Province check out: my thoughts on my first Québec winter, why March is the worst month and a lengthy reflection after coming back to the PNW (where I currently type this) after 6 months.

Okay, now let’s get into the best places to live in Montreal!

First of all, just know, that anytime you see a “best places to live in Montreal” list, it’s TOTALLY subjective. You need to think about your needs, lifestyle and what you want out of your experience in the city. Again, I outline this in my previous “moving to Montreal” post, so check that out and then come back here!

In this post, I’m going to give a breakdown of the major neighborhoods and suburbs, BUT this is not an exhaustive list, just the main ones that would be of interest to a newcomer moving to Montreal.

I would like to acknowledge and honor the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabeg peoples, the traditional Indigenous owners and stewards of the unceded land we now know today as Montreal and the surrounding area.

**Language is important when choosing your “best places to live in Montreal”

As previously mentioned, Montreal is much, much more bilingual than the rest of Québec, HOWEVER not every neighborhood is the same! Some are more French (typically to the east) and others more English (typically to the west) and as a large, international city, other languages are prevalent as well. This isn’t necessarily a make-or-break fact, but keep in mind if you only speak one language and would prefer to be somewhere where that’s the norm.

Breakdown of neighborhoods:

Ville Marie

*Blue marker on map below

Fun fact, this was the city’s original name when the French initially settled (ahem – stole) the area. The modern day neighborhood makes up most of downtown/CBD, commercial streets and the islands (remember the city is an island/islands) between Montreal Island and the South Shore – Saint Helen’s Island and Île Notre Dame.

Best for: Those working downtown that want a short commute or anyone looking for a big city life vibe. Important to note that the half to the west is mostly skyscrapers and can empty out at the end of the work day while the east neighborhood is more cozy! There’s also numerous metro stops spread throughout, so no matter where you need to get to, it’s never a hassle in Ville Marie, making it easily one of the best places to live in Montreal.

Old Montreal/Vieux Montréal

*Green marker on map above

While Ville Marie is the OG name of the city, Vieux Montréal is just what it sounds like, the site of the old, original city, dating back to the 17th century. Think of it as a mini version of Québec City, which also means it’s very touristy. The path and banks of the Fleuve teem with people in the summer months. The streets are mostly pedestrian-friendly and picturesque, making it a nice place to live.

Best for: This neighborhood more suited for young professionals rather than students or families. The orange line metro runs through and it’s a short walk to downtown if you need to commute.

Griffintown

*Purple marker on map above

An up-and-coming neighborhood, Griffintown is a mix of older, affordable accommodation near the beautiful Lachine Canal and pricey, high-rise condo buildings (complete with rooftop pools and skybridges) nearer to downtown. There are lots of good international restaurants and places to eat. A couple of metro stops, but a bike is recommended!

Best for: Those wanting to be near the Canal. It’s a beautiful part of the city, perfect for drinks and a picnic on a hot day. However, there aren’t a lot of public restrooms – so be prepared to play host/bathroom for friends if you choose to live here.

Lachine

*Yellow marker on map above

Between Dorvall and LaSalle, right at the beautiful Lachine canal. It’s quiet without too many amenities (bars, restaurants, cafes) and bisected by a highway and not much public transport nearby. However, it’s affordable and near the water.

Best for: Families with a car, those wanting a quiet (except for the autoroute) part of the city.

Plateau-Mont-Royal (one of the best places in Montreal for students!)

*Purple marker on map above

This is where I spent my last two months in the area, and where my boyfriend still lives. So, I like to think I have a handle on it! Although I may be a bit biased, it would definitely make my shortlist for “best places to live in Montreal”.

Historically home to the largest number of artists in Canada than any other city per capita, there are numerous murals around the neighborhood. Every summer the city commissions artists to put new ones up during the festival – definitely check out!

This neighborhood is centrally located near McGill University, Mont Royal and two of the main streets in the city; Rue St-Denis and Boulevard St-Laurent. Shops, cafes, restaurants and bars line the streets and every August, St-Laurent is closed to cars and made pedestrian-only with every shop and restaurant spilling out onto the street. There’s plenty of parks and it’s become very popular as one of “the places” to live in the city in recent years. Thus, rent has increased but still quite affordable. It’s well connected to downtown and the rest of the city.

Best for: All types wanting a variety of lifestyles, students looking for affordable housing, young couples, 20 somethings, etc.

McGill Ghetto (another best places to live in Montreal choice for students!)

*Orange marker on map above

Between the Plateau and of course, McGill, is the McGill Ghetto, neighborhood of choice for students. The small area is one of the best connected in the city. 15 minutes in any direction can land you in a cafe on St-Laurent, in a bar downtown, on top of Mont Royal or where you should be as a student – in class.

Best for: Students wanting an ideal location. Thus, competition for a room between September and May is rough. However, if you’re looking for a short-term stay for the summer (perhaps while you find a more permanent Montreal apartment), this could be a good option as many students sublet their rooms/places for cheap when school isn’t in session.

The Village

*Magenta marker on map above

Also known as the Gay Village, it was originally a working-class neighborhood that has gentrified. It became increasingly LGTBQ+ friendly and is now home to many popular Gay and Lesbian bars. Like the Plateau, each summer the main street in this neighborhood, St-Catherine, is closed to cars and the businesses spill out. This is a very lively part of the city normally. Although I have to say when I visited in the spring, (Covid restrictions still in place), it seemed quite dead and a bit depressing. My boyfriend was quite confused as he hadn’t been in a number of years and was shocked by what the pandemic had done to the area. There was also a fair amount of construction, which didn’t help, although keep in mind that is typically Montreal.

Best for: Anyone wanting an open and friendly community who doesn’t mind a lot of activity day and night.

Outremont (best places to live in Montreal for a relaxing and high quality of life!)

*Blue marker on map above

On the north side of Mont Royal is this community of historically French and Hasidic Jewish immigrants. There are numerous quality cafes, shops, parks and restaurants, providing a high quality of life. It’s a great choice for anyone who doesn’t love being in the heart of the city or constantly going out. You’ll feel removed from hustle and bustle, as downtown and skyscrapers are hidden by the mountain. Yet it’s still well connected by public transport.

Best for: Young professionals, couples or families wanting a nice quality of life away from the noise of the rowdy youths. Note that if you’re looking to buy it can be pricey, but rents remain reasonable.

Mercier—Hochelaga-Maisonneuve

*Purple marker on map above

Out near the Olympic stadium, this historically Francophone neighborhood is home to lovely staples like the Jardin Botanique (Botanical Gardens), Maisonneuve Market and the Biodôme. It’s a young neighborhood that has recently become more and more popular. Thus there’s leading a very mixed population of French Quebecois, old Jewish immigrants and newer immigrants from around the world.

Best for: Anyone wanting a good balance of quality of life/cost of living and doesn’t mind French being dominant.

Rosemont—La-Petite-Patrie

*Rose marker on map above

This borough, in the center-east island between Maisonneuve park and Mile End is mostly Francophone. It’s also more spread out than other neighborhoods. Rather than one centralized community, it’s a series of tiny villages with a large amount of parks in between, making it great for those wanting an outdoors lifestyle while still having city amenities. Very well connected by both the Orange and Blue metro lines.

Best for: French speakers, those who love the outdoors but need to be in the city.

Ahuntsic and Cartierville (one of the best places to live in Montreal for peace and quiet!)

*Dark Green on map above

One of the first areas (after Ville Marie and Old Port) to be inhabited by Europeans, this is a very old and historic part of the city. It’s technically two neighborhoods, Ahuntsic and Cartierville, that line the riverbank with lovely (and expensive) properties. It’s also one of the most peaceful areas in the city.

Best for: Families with children.

Little Italy

*Yellow marker on map above

What would an East Coast city (whether American/Canadian, Francophone or Anglophone) be without a little neighborhood reminiscent of Italy? Montreal’s version is a great spot for foodies of all types (not just Italian cuisine enthusiasts!). It’s a friendly area and home to the famous Jean-Talon market as a centerpiece (less crowded and more affordable than Atwater). It also has some of the most affordable rent in the city.

Best for: Those wanting to stretch their dollar more and newcomers looking to live sans roommates.

Saint Leonard

*Purple marker on map above

You could say this is quickly becoming “true” Little Italy as the actual one gentrifies with increasing popularity, but no matter how you define it, you can’t deny it’s truly Italian-Canadian. With the linguistic makeup (French school, Italian home, English social life) and institutions. There are many parks throughout the area and iconic wide, brick semi-detached homes.

Best for: Those wanting connection to their Italian heritage and a European neighborhood. Or those in search of a friendly community with high quality of life.

Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

*Blue marker on map above

More commonly referred to as NDG, this area just west of downtown is good value for location. Like most of the city, it has become gentrified in recent years but still remains distinct with tree lined streets and brick homes reminiscent of Brooklyn. To the west is more English and to the east is more French, typical for the city. There are plenty of good cafes, restaurants and shops for everyone.

Best for: Those wanting a good quality of life near the city center and don’t mind paying a bit extra.

Côte-des-Neiges ( one of best places in Montreal for non FR/EN-speakers)

*Orange marker on map above

This borough, located on the western end of Mont Royal is one of the most multicultural in the city. It’s worth noting that neither French nor English is a clear dominant language, a rarity for Montreal. It’s near the French-language Université de Montréal, with Francophone students making up a large portion of the population. The borough is large and dense, so rent prices vary.

Best for: Anyone really, particularly those for whom neither French nor English is a first language.

Saint Henri

*Rose marker on map above

This historically working-class neighborhood used to be known as the complete opposite of it’s wealthy, English and snobby neighbor, Westmount. However, as with all major cities, gentrification has taken hold and changed that significantly. The main highlight is the aforementioned Atwater Market, a must for any visit. The proximity to the Canal makes it popular as well as its proximity to downtown.

Best for: Those wanting to be near the Canal who don’t want the exclusiveness of Griffintown/Westmount.

Verdun (recently becoming one of the best places to live in Montreal!)

*Blue marker on map above

This up-and-coming area is home to some great new restaurants and bars in the city. With the increase in businesses and gentrification, this previously less-desirable neighborhood is now a great affordable option in the city. It’s particularly good if you want more space while still remaining in Montreal city limits. There’s also a sizable majority of residents for whom neither French nor English is a first language, with another large portion being French speakers, this previously Anglophone-dominant area is now quite multilingual, making it a great option for everyone! It’s also conveniently located on the green Metro line!

Best for: Those wanting cheap housing in a nice area, those wanting suburban living in an urban setting.

Westmount

*Purple marker on map above

Historically, upper class, English and snobby, not much has changed! Haha just kidding…sort of. But yeah, this is definitely one of the nicer areas of Montreal, where mansions are more common than apartments and single families or couples more than roommates. Near to Mont Royal you definitely get an exclusive vibe, but as you head towards St-Catherine it feels a bit more down to earth with nice cafes and shops and prestigious private schools.

Best for: Anglophones, families with kids in search of good schools, those with means.

Pointe-Saint-Charles (one of the best places to live in Montreal for green space!)

*Yellow marker on map above

Ideally located between Le Fleuve (St Lawrence River) and the Lachine Canal, Pointe-Saint-Charles is close to the city center, while still maintaining plenty of space and green areas for a high quality of life. And thus, it’s one of the most popular neighborhoods in Montreal, for good reason! Lots of new housing and repurposing old buildings still hasn’t kept up with demand, so be prepared to work for it if you want to live here!

Best for: Those wanting green space, near the water and downtown.

Suburbs to consider when moving to Montreal

West Island

*Dark green marker on map below

This suburb is just what it sounds, the west half of Montreal Island! While the middle to east of the island makes up the city center, once you head west and hit Dorval, pretty much everything west is suburbs. It’s also home to the neighborhoods with the highest concentration of English speakers than anywhere in the entire province of Québec. Don’t worry though, there’s plenty of French areas and most residents are bilingual!

Please note that the metro line does not reach West Island, so if you need to commute, you’ll need a car. However, driving into the city isn’t too bad as the 20 and 40 highways both stretch out here.

Neighborhoods: Kirkland, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Pointe-Claire, St-Anne-de-Bellevue, & Pierrefonds

South Shore

*Yellow marker on map above

The South Shore refers to all the suburbs located on you guessed it – the south shore of the St Lawrence. People come out here in search of affordable space close to the city. We spent our first 2 months here and it’s also where my boyfriend and most of his friends are from. It is decently connected by public transport, mostly buses with the only metro station in Longueuil. You may find it easier to have a car (especially in winter!).

Neighborhoods: Longueuil, Brossard, St-Hubert Saint-Lambert

Laval

*Blue marker on map above

This is the opposite of the South Shore, situated north of the island. Technically a city in its own right, Laval is still part of the Greater Montreal Area and is home to many of the city’s immigrants. You could commute into the city from here, but with a large local economy in its own right, you won’t need to. Also worth noting the median income is higher than Montreals, so definitely not an area for students or those with strapped budgets.

I hope this guide has helped you narrow down where you’d like to live in Montreal. There is no shortage of amazing options and no matter where you end up, I’m sure you’ll fall in love with the city!

Have you ever been to Montreal? What was your favorite area? Comment below!