Is it doable on $40K with family? (hardwood floors, apartments)
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I have recently been offered a post-doc position with salary $40K. I have a family, which includes my wife, 1 year old baby and myself. I think this salary is too low for a decent living in Montreal.
I am assuming the following monthly expenses.
1. Rent in downtown Montreal ($1000). I will not be able to share.
2. Utilities - Phone, internet, electricity, gas, heating ($300).
3. Grocery - everything from food to household needs ($500)
4. Baby food and supplies like diapers etc. ($300).
5. Car - not immediately but eventually ($350 for EMI, $50 for gas and $100 for insurance).
6. Parking fee ($100).
7. Miscellaneous ($200).
8. Health insurance for family ($100).
This should be $3000/month.
Please let me know if the figures look alright. I think for a post-doc Quebec taxes are waived. So, after tax I should get close to $34K per annum, which is $2800/month.
Please let me know if it is at all possible to live on $40K with a family?
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Your utilities might not cost that much (mine total about $205/month):
- My Internet/TV costs $112 (that includes tax) but you have to factor in the one-time installation fee too, in that first month
- My cell phone (I only have that one phone) costs $70 (that includes the tax)
- Electricity cost is approximately $25/month (you will get billed every TWO months, not every month)
- My apartment building does not have gas; my heat is included in my rent
The other things that you have to factor into the car costs are:
- annual cost for driver's license: I think it's $90
- annual cost for car registration: $320
* If you don't absolutely need a car, don't get one. The parking alone -- living and working downtown -- will cut deep into your budget. Public transportation in Montreal is very good.
As for the apartment, will you be bringing furniture with you?
- utilities could be -50 or -100 less (heating included, cell phone plans cheaper, magic jack instead of landline)
- Groceries (which will include household needs) too little (are you vegetarians?) add 200-300 for 3 people.
- gasoline 50 a month only?? If the car is used this little, public transport is better. With occasional use of communauto.ca /network of shared vehicles.
- on the income side, add federal and provincial child tax benefit about $300 a month (if canadian citizen or legal immigrant).
Rent a bit away from downtown but still very close and covered with public transport could be 700-800-900, instead of 1000. Montreal has different lively family-friendly neighbourhoods, 10-20 min downtown by metro.
No car = savings of $600 a month on your list. Two passes $80 each for unlimited movement around. Maybe you are coming from a car culture - it's not like that here.
1. With a 1 year old baby what are my options in case of emergency if I don't have a car? Say, on a snowy night at 2 am, God forbid, if I need to go to the hospital. Will taxi be available easily? Otherwise I don't need the car much for moving around. I hope travelling with baby will not be a problem in public transport.
2. Is dishwater common in rented apartments within my budget above? I will badly need this.
3. Are most rented apartments wooden floors? I would prefer carpetted.
4. Is public library membership free of cost? Will they have latest English bestsellers? We are big on reading.
5. If I am working at McGill health center, want to visit the Mont-royal park often, want metro very close-by and supermarkets not too far away and quick access to the public library what would be the best location to live within my budget?
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
17,330 posts, read 33,055,877 times
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1. Someone else can confirm this, but I'm pretty sure that you can phone for a taxi at ANY time and be sure that they will come ASAP. (Diamond Taxi -- 514-273-6331 -- is just one example.)
2. Some do, some don't. Some buildings have a dishwasher in the two- and three-bedroom apartments, but not in the one-bedroom apartments. Some have a dishwasher in all the units, some have it in none. It all depends on the building so, when you're searching, you'll see.
3. Most have wooden floors but you may find some with carpeting. You'll have to see when you're searching, but I'd count on them having wooden floors, so you might want to buy area rugs.
5. I don't take public transportation but the bus/metro system here is fabulous. You'll have no trouble getting to Mont-Royal park, I'm sure. The downtown core is geared to people who don't have cars, so you'll have all amenities close by. It won't be a big grocery store (downtown real-estate prices are too hefty for a large store) but you will have a grocery store nearby, I'm sure. Once a week, you can take public transport to a large grocery store that's not downtown and then take a taxi home with all your bags, if you find that the smaller downtown grocery stores don't offer enough variety.
Dishwasher is not as common, but even then, there are 224 apartments currently for rent with a dishwasher on Kijiji: (searching term for dishwasher = lave-vaisselle):
Hardwood floors are valued higher than carpeted ones, I think the rents are cheaper for carpeted apts.
People travel with strollers on the buses and in the metro. Though metro stairs/escalators could be challenging for 1 person with a baby and a stroller. Good Samaritans usually help.
Well, apartment buildings around McGill would be the best, of course, and there could be apartments within your budget. But if not, any area a bit south - Saint Henri, Verdun, Point Saint Charles, Petite Bourgogne - or to the east Rosemont, Petite Patrie - are just 20 min away on public transport. The city is compact. Also, you may not be realizing, but every little community has parks for kids, wading pools/fountains - it's just the largest parks that appear on the map. Every community has a library, arena/swimming pool, schools, supermarkets.
Serious, do not get a car in montreal. I brought a car here and it's such a huge pain. It snows 6 months a year and when it snows the city starts snow removal operations. They do this 24/7 with only 4 hours warning. If your car is parked on the street when they are removing snow you will get your car towed and an expensive ticket.
You shouldnt have to pay 300$ a month for baby food and supplies... At 1 year old they drink whole milk and eat pureed whatever you're eating. Diapers and wipes are no more than 50$ a month, maybe $60-70 at the most? Buy the big box of diapers and wipes of the cheap brand on the internet and you will even save a trip at the store.
Are you expecting to find a post doc that pays enough to support a family easily? This is why most people don't have kids until after post docs. Does your partner have a profession which would allow them to work for more than childcare costs?
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