McGill’s first-year residences cost $15,980 to $21,895 for 2026-27 in the main halls, with a mandatory $6,150 meal plan counted in those totals, and upper-year rooms are billed monthly from $620 to $1,655. Concordia’s own residences run from $690 to $1,666 a month. This guide sets out the prices I could verify, the lease and deposit rules, and the points where McGill’s own pages disagree.
Details come from McGill Student Housing’s first-year comparison chart and upper-year fee page, checked on 20 October 2026. All amounts are in Canadian dollars. Confirm them for your intake before you pay.
Cost at a glance: what to add up
Before you compare the prices on this page, check what each figure actually covers:
- Rent period: per week, month or semester, and per person or per room.
- What is included: utilities, internet, contents insurance and any meal plan.
- One-off costs: deposit, application or booking fee, and any first-month payment.
- Getting to campus: travel passes, or the extra cost of living further out.
- Currency: prices here are in the local currency. Convert them at your bank’s current rate and add the transfer fee. Rates change daily, so we do not publish rupee figures.
Anything we could not confirm from an official source is flagged on this page as “could not verify”, so read those notes before you rely on a figure.
First-year residences, 2026-27 totals
| Residence | Type | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas Hall (quiet) | Traditional | $19,360 to $21,557 |
| Gardner Hall | Traditional | $16,783 to $18,938 |
| McConnell Hall | Traditional | $15,980 to $18,938 |
| Molson Hall | Traditional | $16,783 to $18,938 |
| Royal Victoria College | Traditional | $16,868 to $20,670 |
| University Hall (quiet) | Traditional | $18,727 |
| Carrefour Sherbrooke | Modern | $17,628 to $20,248 |
| La Citadelle | Modern | $19,698 to $21,642 |
| New Residence Hall | Modern | $19,994 to $21,895 |
The All You Care to Eat meal plan is mandatory and costs $6,150. Rent includes electricity, hot water, heating, internet and laundry. Each residence also charges a one-time oneCard Flex payment of $500, or $600 for the shared and apartment options and $400 for Laird Hall.
The chart also lists budget and shared options marked with an asterisk: Laird Hall on the Macdonald campus ($5,674 to $6,773), Solin Hall ($13,120 to $16,255) and five small shared houses on University Street and Avenue des Pins ($6,381 to $9,297). The asterisk says the cost excludes the meal plan, while the table header says totals include it. McGill’s page does not resolve this, so confirm with McGill Housing which figure applies before you compare them with the other halls.
Upper-year monthly rents, 2026-27
| Residence | Room types | Monthly rent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Victoria College Tower | Small double to single with full bathroom | $1,415 to $1,655 | Mandatory $6,150 meal plan, 8.45-month lease |
| Solin Hall | Single rooms in 2, 3 or 4-bedroom apartments, and studios | $1,135 to $1,420 | No meal plan listed |
| Laird Hall (Macdonald campus) | Double and single rooms | $620 to $750 | Budget option, no meal plan listed |
| 3575 University (Greenbriar) | Studios and one-bedrooms | $1,155 to $1,395 | The page shows a 2025-26 lease period, so confirm the 2026-27 dates |
The page also lists Ecole (3559 University) at $1,080 to $1,250 a month, by special request only.
Lease terms to know
- Length: 8.45 months, from 20 August 2026 to 2 May 2027 for most residences.
- Legal basis: accepting a room commits you to a lease under Quebec law for the full academic year.
- Withdrawal: students who withdraw remain financially responsible, and the page links to separate cancellation policies.
- Billing: rent is billed monthly, with oneCard and Residence Life fees ($35) due at the end of September.
- Price changes: McGill states that fees can change without notice.
The pages I read do not mention a deposit.
Concordia University residences, 2026-27
Concordia’s own residences run from $690 to $1,666 a month for 2026-27, before the meal plan that Loyola residents must take. Its housing page lists these monthly rents, and says rates are subject to change each year.
| Residence | Room type | Monthly rent |
|---|---|---|
| Loyola campus | Shared double, no sink | $690 per person |
| Loyola campus | Single, no sink | $793 to $958 |
| Loyola campus | Shared double, private bathroom | $978 per person |
| Loyola campus | Private room with toilet and shower | $1,214 to $1,445 |
| Grey Nuns (Sir George Williams campus) | Shared double | $909 to $952 per person |
| Grey Nuns | Single | $1,023 to $1,213 |
| Grey Nuns | Single with private toilet or shower | $1,337 to $1,666 |
| CAMPUS1 MTL (affiliated, downtown) | Shared and single bedrooms in apartments | $779 to $1,299 |
| CAMPUS1 MTL | Studios | $1,910 to $1,952 |
The Loyola meal plan is mandatory and costs $6,520 for 2026/27, payable in two instalments, although Concordia says the figure is pending final confirmation. At CAMPUS1 MTL the rent includes internet, electricity and water, and the meal plan is separate at $986.70 a month from September 2026 to April 2027. Concordia says Grey Nuns has a limited number of places for the winter 2027 term. The page does not state a lease length, so ask Concordia Housing before you accept a room.
McGill residence or private rental?
| Question | McGill residence | Private rental |
|---|---|---|
| Meals | Mandatory meal plan in first-year halls | You cook for yourself |
| Term | 8.45 months, fixed dates | Set by your lease, so read the term and exit rules |
| Cost | $15,980 to $21,895 first-year in the main halls | I could not verify Montreal rents, so check current listings |
Deposits in private rentals. Educaloi’s guide to Quebec rental law says the Civil Code of Quebec bars a landlord from asking for any payment other than the rent. That rules out key money and security deposits against future damage, and the only advance payment it describes is the first month’s rent. A deposit is lawful only if the tenant offers it freely and voluntarily, and it becomes unlawful if the tenant pays it out of fear of losing the flat. The page is undated and refers to the Regie du logement, now the Tribunal administratif du logement, so confirm the current position with the Tribunal before you pay. A landlord who demands more than the first month’s rent is a warning sign.
I have not covered the Universite de Montreal, HEC Montreal, ranked neighbourhoods or listed private buildings, because I could not verify prices or area details against reliable sources. If you rent privately, view the place in person or on a live video call, get a written lease and never pay before you have one. For other Canadian cities, see our Hamilton guide or browse all student accommodation in Canada, and use our checklist of what to look for before you sign before you pay a landlord anything.
Talk to us about your budget and city
Not sure which option suits you or your family? Send us your city, budget and room type, and we will point you to the right guide and the next steps to check. Students and parents are both welcome to ask.
FAQs about student accommodation in Montreal
How much does McGill residence cost?
First-year totals for the main halls are $15,980 to $21,895 for 2026-27 including the meal plan. Upper-year rooms are billed monthly from $620 at Laird Hall to $1,655 at Royal Victoria College.
Is the meal plan compulsory?
In first-year residences, yes. The All You Care to Eat plan costs $6,150.
How long is the lease?
8.45 months for most McGill residences, from 20 August 2026 to 2 May 2027. Concordia’s housing page does not state a lease length.
How much does Concordia residence cost?
For 2026-27, Concordia lists rooms from $690 a month per person in a shared Loyola double to $1,666 for a Grey Nuns single with a private toilet or shower. Loyola residents must also pay a $6,520 meal plan.
Can a Montreal landlord ask for a security deposit?
Generally no. Educaloi explains that Quebec’s Civil Code allows only the rent, and the first month’s rent in advance. A deposit is lawful only if the tenant offers it freely and voluntarily.
Sources
- McGill Student Housing: 2026 first-year comparison chart
- McGill Student Housing: upper-year undergraduate residence fees
- Concordia University: housing rates and meal plans, 2026-27
- Educaloi: landlords cannot require security deposits
McGill pages checked 20 October 2026. Concordia and Educaloi pages checked 1 November 2026.
