One of Quebec's most affordable places to live is a breathtaking city near Montreal

Did you give up on your dream of buying a house in Montreal after reading that you'd need to earn an annual income of $107,273 — or $8,939 per month — to do so? Even given the findings of that recent Peakifi report, you don't have to abandon the idea of homeownership altogether.

Allow us to fill you in on a secret. You didn't hear it from us, but there are other cities in Quebec that are not only beautiful, but also way more affordable.

On Xpert source's list of "The 10 least expensive cities to buy a home in quebec in 2024," which uses provincial data from the APCIQ market analysis service, one city stands out based on a couple of factors.

For starters, it's the closest city on the list to Montreal — just two-and-a-half hours by car. Second of all, it's home to a gorgeous nature park complete with a river, waterfalls, hiking trails and more — all just a stone's throw away from the downtown core, which has any city amenity you could want from bars and restaurants to boutiques and cafés.

Montrealers, meet Shawinigan — population 51,149 — where Xpert source says the median single-family home price in 2023 was $225,000, compared to Quebec's overall median of $416,500.

Pine Mortgage also declared Shawinigan among "The Cheapest Places to Live in Quebec" in 2023, reporting an average house sale price of $369,593, average monthly cost of living of $1,291 and average rent price (1-bedroom) of $573. Meanwhile, Montreal's average one-bedroom rent price is around $1,753, based on Urbanation & Rentals.ca's July 2024 rent report, which is similar to what it was around the time Pine published its article.

According to realtor Jonathan Cabana's list of the 15 cheapest place to live in quebec in 2024, Shawinigan's reputation still stands true, thanks to "affordable housing and a lower cost of living compared to other areas in Quebec."

So, what does Shawinigan have to offer besides a happier wallet? There is, of course, more to life than money.

"It’s the perfect balance between nature and urbanity! Located in the region of Mauricie, it transports us to grandiose natural landscapes while guaranteeing us easy access to its small urban niches where distinctive cafés, award-winning microbreweries, bakeries, boutiques and good restaurants are concentrated. When the snow sets in, Shawinigan becomes a wonderful open-air playground where many activities are available," reads the Enjoy Quebec website.

Even if you don't plan to move to Shawinigan any time soon, it may still be worth a visit in the near future.