A photo of Montreal with vignetting around the edges
Montreal is often praised for its low cost of living and high quality of life, but that's not the whole story.
  • Montreal's low cost of living and high quality of life have made it a hot spot in recent years.
  • But the city has been dealing with a housing shortage, making it hard to move here.
  • French-language laws and endless construction have also made it harder for businesses to thrive.

My newsfeed seemingly tells me to move to a different city every month.

These lists and rankings of the best places to live are fun to scan through — maybe I would be happier in Finland — but seeing my own city make a list gave me pause.