Life in Montreal
European flair, North American attitude
As Canada's official best student city, Montreal brings a creative, high-energy vibe with cosmopolitan roots.
- Four major universities
- 320,000 students (Tourism Montreal, 2026)
- Canada's cultural capital and second largest city
- Population of 2,172,259 people (Ville de Montreal, 2025)
- One of the safest cities in the world (Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection, 2025)
On this page
Culture
Unique in North America, Montreal's culture combines community and arts with a French and English twist.
- World-class arts scene and festival calendar with 100+ festivals per year, including Osheaga, Just For Laughs, Montreal International Jazz Festival and more
- Rich cultural diversity in every neighbourhood, from cuisine to cinema and beyond
- Experience Montreal’s legendary sports scene: the Canadiens, Victoire, Alouettes, Roses and the iconic Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada.
© Eva Blue - Tourisme Montréal
Language
In Montreal, you can study in English and live in French – and many other languages too!
- One of the largest Francophone cities in the world: Montreal is the perfect place to learn or perfect your French
- 58.5% of the population is bilingual English and French (Statistics Canada, 2021)
- One third of Montrealers were born abroad (Tourisme Montreal, 2026)
Industry
Launch your career in a city with flourishing artistic, financial, engineering and tech industries.
- Booming tech hotspot with special recognition for AI, software development and IT
- One of the world's most important aerospace hubs
- As a UNESCO City of Design, Montreal has a dense network of creative professionals, including video game design, visual effects and animation
Cost of living
Montreal offers big fun for few funds.
- Enjoy a high quality of life in North America's second most affordable major city (Remitly, 2025)
- Lower transit, grocery, and housing costs than Toronto, Vancouver, New York and Boston
Getting around
As the most bicycle-friendly and sustainable city in North America (Copenhagenize, 2025 and Global Destination Sustainability Index, 2025), Montreal is an urbanist dream.
- Move easily with four metro lines, 2,000 buses and over 1,000 km of bike paths
- Explore the city with Bixi, Montreal's bikeshare service (with a discount for Concordia students!)
- Many major streets close to cars and become pedestrian during Summer.
Weather
Summer is gorgeous, and winter is breathtaking – each season changes Montreal's distinct character!
- Fall — crisp walks on Mount Royal under golden foliage with an average daily temperature between 3°C to 16°C
- Winter — fluffy snow and icy wonderland with an average daily temperature between –1°C to -9°C
- Spring — blooming flowers and bike rides along the canal with an average daily temperature between 7°C to 19°C
- Summer — warm park hangs and festival dancing with an average daily temperature between 24°C to 26°C
© Eva Blue - Tourisme Montréal
Want to know what else Montreal has in store?
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Wondering what it's really like to study in Montreal at Concordia? Ask our students what's been on your mind!
