Best Areas and Apartments Near McGill University in Montreal

McGill University sits on the slope of Mount Royal, right at the edge of downtown Montreal. That location shapes student life here. You can walk to class, take the metro to almost any part of the city and be on a mountain trail in ten minutes.

It also means apartments near McGill University are some of the most requested rentals in Montréal.

This guide looks at the neighbourhoods students actually live in, what rent near McGill University costs, how lease terms work in Quebec and how to find a place without too much stress. It is written for McGill students, international students arriving in Canada for the first time, and faculty or visiting researchers who need housing for a semester or a full academic year.

Where McGill Is and How Students Get to Campus

The downtown campus stretches from Rue Sherbrooke Ouest up toward Avenue des Pins, with the Roddick Gates as the main entrance on Sherbrooke. Most classes, libraries and student services are here.

Getting to campus is simple from most central areas:

• McGill metro station on the green line is a few minutes' walk from the lower campus;

• Peel and Place-des-Arts stations are also close;

• buses run along Sherbrooke, Avenue du Parc and Avenue des Pins;

• many students walk or cycle for most of the year.

McGill also has the Macdonald campus in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, at the western tip of the island. Students who study there usually live nearby rather than commute from downtown, so this guide focuses on the downtown campus. If your program splits time between the downtown and Macdonald campuses, check the travel time from your actual address before signing anything.

Residence or McGill Off Campus Housing?

University residence is mostly reserved for first-year students. After the first year, most students move into McGill off campus housing, usually a shared apartment with roommates or a small studio.

McGill partners with Places4Students for off-campus housing resources, so the university's own listing service is a good starting point. It lets you browse rentals posted for students and filter by type, price and distance.

There are also purpose-built student buildings. UTILE Saint-Laurent, for example, houses 269 students. Its apartments are designed for student life and work for solo or shared living. Every unit includes a stove and refrigerator, residents share common areas, and all apartments are rented with 12-month leases. Buildings like this fill up early, so apply well ahead of your move-in date.

For many people, though, the real choice is between neighbourhoods.

Best Neighbourhoods Near McGill University

There is no single best area. The right place depends on your budget, how much you want to walk and what kind of daily life you want around you.

Milton-Parc (the McGill Ghetto)

The McGill Ghetto, officially Milton-Parc, is the classic student hub near McGill University. It sits just east of campus, between University Street, Avenue du Parc, Sherbrooke and Avenue des Pins.

Most buildings are old greystone walk-ups and row houses. Apartments are often divided into several rooms, which is why so many students share a place here.

What you get:

• a walk of five to ten minutes to most buildings on campus;

• a street full of students, cafés and small shops;

• Jeanne-Mance Park and the mountain right next door;

• older buildings, so heating, insulation and noise vary a lot.

McGill Ghetto apartments are in high demand every spring. If you are interested in Milton-Parc apartments for rent, start looking early and expect to compete with other students.

Best for: undergrads who want to live with friends and be surrounded by student life.

Golden Square Mile and Downtown

West and south of campus, the Golden Square Mile mixes historic mansions, mid-rise apartment buildings and newer towers. Rue Sherbrooke Ouest runs through it, with museums, boutiques and hotels nearby.

Golden Square Mile apartments are usually in larger buildings with elevators, laundry and sometimes a gym or concierge. Many are bright, modern and close to the metro. They also cost more.

Downtown, toward Sainte-Catherine and the Peel area, you will find studios and one-bedroom units in high-rises. Living here puts the campus, the Underground City, grocery stores and the metro within a short walk.

Best for: graduate students, faculty and anyone who wants a convenient location and building amenities.

Shaughnessy Village

Shaughnessy Village sits at the western end of downtown, around Guy-Concordia and Atwater. It is close to Concordia University, so the student population is large and mixed.

The area offers a lot of studios and small apartments, plus a good choice of affordable restaurants and grocery stores. McGill is about a 15 to 25 minute walk or a short metro ride on the green line.

Shaughnessy Village apartments are often a little cheaper than units right next to campus, with more availability.

Best for: students who want to stay central and keep the budget under control.

Plateau Mont-Royal

The Plateau Mont-Royal starts just northeast of Milton-Parc. It is known for colourful walk-ups with outdoor staircases, busy streets like Saint-Laurent and Saint-Denis, and a lot of cafés, bars and shops.

From the lower Plateau, around Prince-Arthur or Milton, you can walk to class. Further north and east, students usually take the bus along Avenue du Parc or the orange line, then walk.

Apartments here tend to be larger than downtown units, which makes the Plateau popular for a 2 bedroom or 3 bedroom shared with roommates.

Best for: students who want neighbourhood character and do not mind a slightly longer commute.

Quartier Latin and Berri-UQAM

East of downtown, the Quartier Latin is built around UQAM and the Berri-UQAM metro station. It is livelier and often less expensive than the streets around McGill.

From Berri-UQAM, McGill station is three stops on the green line. Door to door, the trip to campus is often 15 to 20 minutes.

Shared apartments, private rooms and furnished studios are common here, and many students from McGill, UQAM and Concordia live side by side.

Best for: students who want a central address at a lower price.

Côte-des-Neiges

Côte-des-Neiges is on the other side of Mount Royal, near Université de Montréal. It has a large stock of rentals, many of them in bigger apartment buildings, and rents are usually lower than downtown.

The trip to McGill takes longer. Depending on your address, plan on a bus over the mountain or a metro ride with a transfer. In winter, that extra time adds up.

Best for: students on a tight budget who are comfortable with a daily commute.

Quick Comparison

Travel times are approximate and depend on the exact address.

Rent Near McGill University: What to Budget

Rent near McGill University covers a wide range. Listings for apartments around campus typically go from about $725 to more than $4,500 per month, depending on size, building and location.

Here is a general picture based on current asking prices:

Prices change from month to month, so use these numbers to plan your budget, not as a quote.

A few things are worth knowing.

A studio near McGill University can cost more than a one-bedroom a few metro stops away. You pay for the walk to class.

Large listing platforms can show thousands of rentals around McGill, more than 3,000 in some searches. The number that actually fits your dates, budget and preferences is much smaller. A filtered search near campus may show only around 60 units at a given time.

Check what the rent includes. Ask specifically about:

• heating;

• electricity and hot water;

• internet;

• laundry;

• furniture and appliances.

Electricity costs are usually low in Quebec, but if heating is electric and not included, winter bills can still change your monthly budget. Ask the landlord or previous tenant what they used to pay.

Lease Terms and the Rental Process in Quebec

Renting in Quebec works a little differently from the rest of Canada. Knowing the rules early saves a lot of worry.

July 1 is moving day. Most residential leases in Quebec traditionally start on July 1 and run for 12 months. That is why the market around McGill gets very busy in spring and early summer.

Leases are usually 12 months. If you only need a place for the fall semester or an exchange term, look for sublets, lease transfers or furnished rentals with flexible terms.

There is no security deposit. Landlords in Quebec cannot legally demand security deposits. A landlord can ask you to pay the first month's rent in advance, but not a damage deposit, key deposit or several months up front. If someone insists, treat it as a warning sign.

The TAL protects tenants. The Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL) governs tenant rights in Quebec, including rent increases, repairs and lease disputes. It is worth reading its basic guides before signing.

What landlords usually ask for:

• photo ID;

• proof of enrolment at McGill;

• proof of income or funds;

• references from a previous landlord, if you have one;

• a guarantor, especially for international students without a Canadian credit history.

Your GPA will not come up. Proof that you can pay will.

How to Find Apartments Near McGill University

The best way to find a good place is to start early and search in several places at once.

Start about two months before your move-in date. For a July 1 lease, that means looking in April and May. For a September start, begin in June or July. Earlier is better if you want McGill Ghetto apartments or a studio close to campus.

Use several sources:

• McGill's off-campus housing listings through Places4Students;

• major rental platforms;

• Facebook groups, which are useful for finding shared apartments or sublets from other students;

• student association boards and word of mouth from friends.

Visit before you pay. If you cannot visit in person, ask for a live video tour. Ask for recent photos and a full address, and do not send money for a place you have not seen.

During the visit, check:

• how bright the apartment is during the day;

• heating and windows, especially in older buildings;

• noise from the street and neighbours;

• laundry, storage and building amenities;

• the real walking time to campus or the metro;

• who pays for heating and electricity.

If you plan to share, agree with your roommates on rent, bills and house rules before signing. It is much easier to sort this out at the start than in the middle of the semester.

Furnished Apartments Near McGill: When They Make Sense

Furnished apartments near McGill are a practical option in several situations:

• you are an international student arriving in Montreal without furniture;

• you are on exchange for one or two semesters;

• you arrived in August and do not want to wait for the July 1 cycle;

• you are faculty or a visiting researcher on a short contract;

• you want time to explore different neighbourhoods before committing to a 12-month lease.

A furnished rental lets you move in with a suitcase and start your semester right away. You do not have to spend your first weeks buying a bed, setting up internet or opening utility accounts.

How Montreal Aparthotel Can Help

Montreal Aparthotel offers furnished, all-inclusive apartments and rooms in Montréal, QC, for stays from one month and up. Many of our guests are international students and newcomers who need a place that is ready to live in.

Our student-friendly options include a furnished room for students near UQAM, McGill and Concordia, a furnished studio near Berri-UQAM metro and a 2 bedroom apartment for two students near Berri-UQAM, three metro stops from McGill station. If you are working with a tighter budget, we also have private rooms and apartments near Longueuil metro, a direct yellow line ride to Berri-UQAM.

Our units usually include:

• furniture and a full kitchen;

• high-speed internet;

• air conditioning;

• a washer and dryer in the unit;

• utilities, including heating.

Stays start at 31 days and can be extended. That makes it easy to cover a semester, wait for a long-term lease to start or simply learn the city before choosing an address.

Browse our student apartments to see photos, prices and availability. If you have questions, send us a message or contact our team. We are available seven days a week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do McGill students live?

Most upper-year students live off campus in Milton-Parc (the McGill Ghetto), the Plateau Mont-Royal, downtown and Shaughnessy Village. Students on a tighter budget often choose the Quartier Latin or Côte-des-Neiges and take the metro or bus.

How much is rent near McGill University?

A room in a shared apartment usually costs $750 to $1,200 per month. One-bedroom apartments start at about $1,420, and two-bedroom units start at about $2,335. Prices depend on location, building and what is included.

When should I start looking for McGill student housing?

Start about two months before your move-in date. Since most leases in Quebec start on July 1, the busiest period is April to June.

Can a landlord in Quebec ask for a security deposit?

No. Landlords in Quebec cannot legally demand a security deposit. They can only ask for the first month's rent in advance.

Are there furnished apartments near McGill for one semester?

Yes. Furnished rentals and sublets are the most common options for one semester. Montreal Aparthotel offers furnished units from 31 days, which works well for exchange students and visiting faculty.