3½, 4½, 5½: What Montreal Apartment Sizes Actually Mean
Every newcomer hits this in their first hour of apartment hunting: listings full of numbers with fractions, and no explanation anywhere. A "4½" is not four and a half rooms in any sense you'd guess, and the system is unique to Quebec — nowhere else in Canada uses it. Here is the full decoder, plus what each size actually costs in 2026 and which one fits your situation.
If you only need a room, not a whole apartment: Coliville rents furnished private rooms from C$160/week, all-inclusive — no size decoding required.
The Rule
Count every room, then add ½ for the bathroom.
That is the whole system. Kitchen counts. Living room counts. Each bedroom counts. Bathroom is the half.
| Listing | Rooms | What it actually is |
|---|---|---|
| 1½ | 1 + bath | Studio / bachelor — one room with a kitchenette |
| 2½ | 2 + bath | Studio with a separate kitchen |
| 3½ | 3 + bath | One bedroom + living room + kitchen |
| 4½ | 4 + bath | Two bedrooms + living room + kitchen |
| 5½ | 5 + bath | Three bedrooms + living room + kitchen |
| 6½ | 6 + bath | Four bedrooms + living room + kitchen |
| 7½+ | 7+ | Large flats, often subdivided triplex floors |
So a 3½ = a one-bedroom. A 4½ = a two-bedroom. Just subtract two (the living room and kitchen) from the number to get the bedroom count.
What Each Size Costs in Montreal (2026)
| Size | Typical rent | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1½ / 2½ (studio) | $1,100–$1,450 | Living alone, minimal space |
| 3½ (1BR) | ~$1,668 downtown, $1,300–$1,500 elsewhere | Couples, solo with an office |
| 4½ (2BR) | $1,600–$2,000 | Two roommates ($800–$1,000 each) |
| 5½ (3BR) | $2,000–$2,600 | Three roommates ($650–$870 each) |
| Room in a shared 4½/5½ | $700–$950 | The realistic student/newcomer option |
Add utilities on top unless the listing says "chauffé, éclairé" (heated, lit). Full budget picture in our cost of living guide.
The Catch Nobody Mentions
The number tells you room count, not square footage. A 4½ in a 1920s Plateau triplex can be 900 sq ft with high ceilings; a 4½ in a new Griffintown condo can be 650 sq ft with a "bedroom" that barely fits a double bed. Two identical listings, very different apartments.
Always ask for square footage or, better, visit. And note that a "room" in the count can be windowless — some older subdivided flats count a windowless interior room, which is legal but grim to sleep in.
Which Size Should You Actually Get?
Alone, on a budget → a room in a shared 4½ or 5½. At $700–$950 all-in it beats a $1,200 studio by a wide margin, and you get people to live with. Our rooms for rent guide covers pricing by neighbourhood.
Alone, want privacy, can afford it → a 3½. Expect $1,300–$1,700 depending on neighbourhood, plus furniture and utilities.
Two friends → a 4½. Split, it's $800–$1,000 each — but read our roommates guide on joint liability before signing together. In Quebec, if your roommate stops paying, the landlord can pursue you for the full rent.
Three or more → a 5½ or 6½. Best per-person economics in the city, most coordination overhead.
Short stay, new to the city, or arriving without furniture → a furnished room. The whole size question disappears; you get a private room plus shared common space, everything included. Comparison math in our furnished vs unfurnished breakdown.
Other Listing Terms You'll Hit
- Chauffé / éclairé — heating / electricity included. Worth $50–$150/month in winter. See our winter guide.
- Semi-meublé — semi-furnished, usually meaning appliances only (fridge + stove), not furniture.
- Meublé — furnished. Verify what that actually includes; it varies wildly.
- Libre immédiatement — available now.
- 1er juillet — the standard Quebec lease start date. Most leases run July 1 to June 30.
- Cave / sous-sol — basement. Cheaper, darker, colder.
- Rez-de-chaussée — ground floor.
- Duplex / triplex — two- or three-unit buildings, the classic Montreal housing stock with the outdoor spiral staircases.
Why Quebec Uses This System
It comes from an older convention of describing dwellings by total rooms rather than bedrooms — the anglophone Canadian and American "1BR / 2BR" convention counts only bedrooms. Neither is more logical; Quebec just kept the older one. Landlords, brokers, Kijiji, Centris and Facebook listings all use it, so learning it is not optional if you're renting here.
Some bilingual listings now write "4½ (2 bedrooms)" — but plenty don't.
FAQ
What is a 4½ apartment in Montreal? A two-bedroom: two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom (the ½).
Is a 3½ a one-bedroom? Yes — one bedroom, living room, kitchen, plus bathroom.
Does the ½ ever mean something other than the bathroom? No. In Quebec listings the half is always the bathroom.
What if there are two bathrooms? It's usually still written as one ½ and mentioned separately in the description ("2 salles de bain").
How big is a 4½ in square feet? Anywhere from ~650 to ~1,000 sq ft. The number does not tell you — always ask.
Which is cheaper: a studio or a room in a shared apartment? A room, substantially. $700–$950 versus $1,100–$1,450 for a studio, and a furnished room includes utilities too.
The Bottom Line
Count the rooms, add ½ for the bathroom, subtract two to get bedrooms. A 3½ is a one-bedroom, a 4½ is a two-bedroom. But the number says nothing about square footage or light — so verify before you commit. And if you're arriving alone without furniture, a furnished room sidesteps the entire question.
Skip the decoding: Coliville — furnished private rooms from C$160/week, everything included, no lease.