Throughout all of my travels, I sometimes find myself wondering what it would be like to live in some of the cities I visit. While it’s usually pretty easy to decide if a place is somewhere I appreciate for vacation but couldn’t get used to actually calling home, it’s a completely different thing to be able to see myself living there permanently. Montreal is one of the latter.

First and foremost, if you’re younger, in the age range of 18-35, Montreal could become a veritable mecca for you because it’s designed with the young in mind. From the plethora of universities in the area to the focus on the arts and culture, it’s definitely a place where someone can make their mark as they strike out on their own.

Here are a few of the pros and cons of living in Montreal:

Pro: Cost of Living

Compared to Ontario and other surrounding provinces, Montreal has a fantastic cost of living that makes it an affordable choice for many if you’re creative. Especially if you consider that walking is the best form of transport, it’s easy to see that living in Montreal can be an economical choice.

If you’re looking to settle in for a while and will be buying property, there’s a big surge in new condos in downtown Montreal. Most of these projects are geared towards introducing modern architecture into the culturally and historically rich area.

Con: Potential Language Barriers

The main (and preferred) language spoken in Montreal is french. Unless you’re already bilingual or are a native french speaker, be prepared for a steep learning curve—especially if you’ll be looking for work once you arrive. That being said, you could choose to look at this as a fantastic learning opportunity that would be quite cheap—nothing like being thrown into the fire to learn a new language quickly!

Pro: Easy Transportation Options

As I mentioned above, the preferred method of transport in Montreal is your feet. The city is also incredibly bike-friendly, with dedicated bike lanes and a genuine respect for cyclists. The city also boasts a modern, reliable public transit system that would make most big cities in the states look as if they’re light years behind.

If you do choose to drive, keep in mind that traffic and parking can be a nightmare!

Pro: Culture Abounds

With over a hundred different festivals being held each year and dozens of new museums cropping up all over the city, Montreal has no shortage of cultural offerings to keep you entertained and quite busy. In general, the people of Montreal work to live their lives which makes for a very integrated, balanced lifestyle. It also doesn’t hurt that a lot of the streets are made from cobble stone and boutiques abound. Despite being located in Canada, it can be hard to not think you may be somewhere in Europe.

Have you ever visited or lived in Montreal? What would you add to this list?