TL;DRMontreal is 28% cheaper on rent ($1,309/mo vs $1,821/mo). Perth is safer — homicide rate 0.8 vs 2.3 per 100k. Both countries will let you complain about the government in public — and mean it.

Montreal edges ahead 78 to 69. Perth isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you.

How the livability score breaks down

Montreal

Perth

16.3/25

💰 Affordability

11.3/25

12.7/15

🔒 Violent Crime

14.2/15

6.7/10

🛡️ Perceived Safety

5.8/10

8.4/15

⚡ Internet

5.3/15

13/15

🗳️ Democracy

13.3/15

10/10

🗣️ English

10/10

☀️ Climate

8.2/10

7.6/10

📊 Stability

6.8/10

9/10

🚗 Road Safety

9.1/10

8/10

🕊️ Geopolitical Safety

5.9/10

Verdict delivered. Your move.

The winner's file

🇨🇦 Montreal

Full profile. Verify before you pack.

Due diligence

🇦🇺 Perth

Every verdict deserves an appeal.

Plot twist

Toronto vs Montreal

Someone else's dilemma, equally unsolvable.

Household

Montreal

Metric

Perth

$616/mo

🛒

Living costs (no rent)

lower is better

$611/mo

✓$4,288

🧳

Cost to land

lower is better

$11,432

83 / 100

🛡️

Settler safety

higher is better

86 / 100

2.3 / 100k

🔒

Homicides

lower is better

0.8 / 100k✓

4.7 / 100k

🚗

Road deaths

lower is better

4.5 / 100k

✓67 / 100

🚨

Safety Index

higher is better

58 / 100

77°F

☀️

Summer high

personal taste

84°F

14°F

❄️

Winter low

personal taste

48°F

112 Mbps

⚡

Internet speed

higher is better

—

11 μg/m³

🌬️

Air quality (PM2.5)

lower is better

5.3 μg/m³✓

85 / 100

🏥

Healthcare

higher is better

86 / 100

8.7 / 10

🗳️

Democracy

higher is better

8.8 / 10

8.5 / 9

🤝

Migrant acceptance

higher is better

8.3 / 9

78 / 100

🏳️‍🌈

Rainbow Index

higher is better

78 / 100

100/100

🗣️

Street English

higher is better

100/100

$65k

💼

GDP per capita (PPP)

higher is better

$72k✓

✓2.4% · Boringly steady

📈

Inflation

lower is better

3.2% · Boringly steady

92/100 — Reliable

⚡

Grid reliability

higher is better

—

97/100

🗽

Freedom House

higher is better

95/100

A median Software Engineer in Montreal takes home $4,922/mo under Standard employee. In Perth: $6,333/mo under Standard employee.

$1,411/mo more in Perth

Each city pays its own median — Software Engineer gross via Levels.fyi / Eurostat. Moving changes your salary too; that's the point.

$98k

💰

Gross income

$107k

−$35k

🏛️

Income tax

Standard employee

−$27k

−$3k

🛡️

Social contributions

−$4k

$59k/yr

$5k/mo

💵

Take-home pay

$76k/yr✓

$6k/mo

−$37k

🏠

Cost of living

−$45k

$22k/yr

🐖

Annual savings

$31k/yr✓

Swap the local medians for your actual number

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · Gallup · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated April 2026

💰

Cost of Living

Montreal

$512/mo cheaper on rent alone

🔒

Safety

Perth

0.8 homicides per 100k

☀️

Weather

—

77°F vs 84°F summers

Sun

How much sky you actually get

47% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

Sky clear

avg daytime

78% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

8.7h

Shortest day

Dec

14.2h

15.7h

Longest day

Jun

10.1h

Sun clocks out early in Montreal's winter. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

declining ↓

Democracy trend

stable →

improving ↑

Inflation trend

improving ↑

aigamingaerospacepharma

Industries

—

hub

Startup ecosystem

—

Easy

🇺🇸 Your visa

—

Moderate

EU visa

—

Complex

RU visa

—

Moderate

UA visa

—

✅ Partner can work immediately

Spouse works

—

Recognized (1+ yr)

common-law partner / conjoint de fait

Partner pathway

—

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request

Abortion access

On request

—

Gestational limit

24 wk

No legal gestational limit. Fully decriminalized since 1988.

Legal in all states/territories; gestational limits vary by state (16-24 weeks on request).

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Legal

Marriage

Legal

Joint adoption

Adoption

Joint adoption

Yes

Job protection

Yes

Hate crime law

Yes

Montreal vs Perth — Common Questions

Is Montreal cheaper than Perth?▾

Montreal is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1309/month there vs $1821/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Montreal or Perth?▾

Perth is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Montreal has a rate of 2.27 per 100,000 and Perth has 0.83 per 100,000.

Should I move to Montreal or Perth?▾

Montreal edges ahead 78 to 69. Perth isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Montreal or Perth?▾

Montreal: Canada Express Entry (complex process, Permanent residence). Perth: no specific remote work visa. See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Montreal or Perth?▾

Perth is warmer in summer (84°F vs 77°F). Montreal has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

What's the cost of rent in Montreal vs Perth?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1309/month in Montreal, $1821/month in Perth (Numbeo). That's 28% cheaper rent in Montreal.