Everything you need to know about living, working or studying in Montreal

Buying furniture and accessories in Montreal

It’s easy to find second-hand furniture in Montreal; it is not uncommon to find furniture in good condition at garage sales or even left on the sidewalk…

Warning! If you collect second-hand furniture (especially sofas or any furniture with textiles), you need to watch out for bed bugs. It’s a problem present in many Canadian cities, including Montreal. Certain residential regulations (which will be given to you with your lease or sublet lease) prohibit you from bringing used furniture into the apartment to avoid this issue.

There are many second-hand sales outlets (often for charity, but not always): Ecodépot, Saint-Michel Flea Market, Comptoir Emmaüs, Renaissance, Village des Valeurs, etc. Garage sales are also popular.

You can find used furniture and household appliances on the usual classified ads sites:

• Craigslist Montreal
• Kijiji Montreal

If you prefer new furniture, there’s an Ikea in Montreal (not easily accessible without a car). There are also clearance centres where you can find new items at lower prices, or you could try thrifting at Village des Valeurs (Value Village) for everything from furniture and household appliances to clothing.

Dollarama is a popular chain in Canada where you can find everything for a small amount of dollars: kitchen, bathroom or cleaning equipment, etc. It’s not necessarily of high quality… but it can help you get set up.

Food in Montreal

Montreal is a cosmopolitan city where you can find cuisine from traditional Quebec to the rest of the world!

There are many supermarket brands (Metro, IGA, Costco, Loblaws, Maxi, etc.). The price of the same product can double depending on the store, so you’ll want to shop around at multiple types of store to get the best deals.

Buying fresh produce (fruits and vegetables, meats, cheeses, etc.) in supermarkets is not the best, either in terms of quality or price. Instead, try markets like Jean Talon or Atwater. Second Life or Lufa aim to reduce food waste by selling sustainable and organic baskets. Some stores like Adonis offer special prices and discounts on a regular basis.

Cheese addicts will find many cheese shops in Montreal, but expect to pay a high price for quality produce.

It’s relatively easy to find halal or kosher products in Montreal. Most shops and restaurants also offer vegan options. If you have an intolerance, it’s usually easy to get gluten-free or dairy-free products in all major supermarkets and most restaurants.

The price of organic food (both “dry” and fresh products) is high and they are rarely sold in bulk. Most neighbourhoods have independent or franchised organic or health grocery stores.

In Montreal, if you hear the word “convenience store,” that refers to small stores found on every street corner providing basic essentials, drinks, snacks, etc.

Buying alcohol in Montreal

You’ll find a small selection of wines and beers in supermarkets and various grocery stores, but to have a wider choice and access to liquors, you’ll have to go to the Société des Alcools du Québec (SAQ), which is a state-owned company.

Alcohol is expensive in Montreal.

Don’t be surprised if you dine at a restaurant with a “Bring Your Own Wine” sign: licences to sell alcohol are expensive, so it’s common in Montreal for restaurants to allow you to bring your own bottle instead.

Buying clothes in Montreal

Although winter in Montreal is long, it can be a bearable cold—most of the time, the air is dry and you can layer clothing sufficiently without needing to purchase anything specific.

There are many specialised stores, such as sports stores (La Cordée, Décathlon, Sports Experts, etc.) or classic clothing stores, where you can buy parkas and winter coats.

Classified ads for second-hand clothing are numerous on Kijiji and Facebook marketplace. If you look off-season, you might be able to grab a bargain on your winter wear.

Montrealers happily wear colour and are more daring with their fashion choices. There are many large shopping centres in Montreal, where you’ll find a mix of well-known American and European brands.

Once again, the second-hand market is large in the city. Montrealers like to buy clothes in thrift stores, at charity sales or garage sales. This is a good economical and ecological option.