Moving to Montreal Area
I’m likely moving to the Montreal area in early spring 2027 for a job opportunity. Specifically the job is in St-Laurent. I’d be moving myself, my wife and our 1 year old son from Winnipeg along with my wife’s service dog.
I will only be living in the area for about 6 months so I’m wondering where is a place that is relatively safe and affordable to rent somewhere near St-Laurent. So far I’ve gathered Montreal, St-Laurent itself and Laval are all within a decent drive and from what I understand, Laval is the most affordable of the 3.
We have a vehicle so driving to work every day is not a big deal, I’d just like to keep the drive within a reasonable time so I can be home after work to spend some time before my kiddo goes to sleep.
Is Laval a safe area to live? Is there another place I haven’t mentioned already that would be safer/more affordable?
We would like to rent a single family home if possible but could absolutely make an apartment or attached housing work for the short term. I know it will likely not be as cheap as Winnipeg but I’d like to keep costs down if possible.
For reference we currently pay $1450/mo for a 700sq Ft home with an unfinished basement in a less than desirable neighbourhood in Winnipeg. The house is just over 100 years old so we’re not picky about it being fancy. I will be making just under $60k salary with some extra relocation funds from my employer as well coming in every paycheck.
Are there any other things I should know about moving to the Montreal/St-Laurent area? Are utilities like water and heating expensive?
Any help is greatly appreciated and I’m excited to explore a new city, I’ve never been to Montreal before.