Non-furnished apartment:

• Obviously, an empty apartment that you must furnish, and where you are responsible for the costs of electricity, heating, telephone, cable TV and Internet is less expensive than one where all of the above are included.

• Making arrangements to rent a non-furnished apartment from abroad is quasi-impossible. You must do so on site.
• You will often be required to sign a one-year lease.
• You are often forced to choose a dwelling in a district that you are not familiar with.
• Upon your arrival, you will likely have significant hotel and restaurant expenses until you are settled in your apartment.
• You may need to undertake an intensive search for a non-furnished apartment, and this while devoting time and energy to dealing with the various lengthy steps of the immigration or work/study process.
• You will need to purchase furniture upon your arrival.
• If your stay is a short one, you will be forced to sell your furniture once you leave, likely incurring a loss.

Furnished apartment

• Comforts of home" from the moment you arrive, including the option of preparing your own meals.
• Simpler integration into a strange city, particularly if you have children.
• Provides you the necessary time to visit various districts.
• Lets you look for and visit non-furnished apartments at a more leisurely pace.
• Less expensive than staying in a hotel:
  • Average nightly room rate in Montreal hotels in 2003, according to the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal: $136.00 plus applicable taxes;
  • Minimum low-season rate for a small hotel room in 2005: $59.00 plus applicable taxes.
• Less expensive than staying in a B&B (bed and breakfast), where a room for two people, with shared bathroom, costs an average of $45.00 per night.
• More comfortable than youth hostels (where a spot in a dormitory setting goes for $20.00 plus taxes per person).