@treaclemineroad @Speechiequeen I'm a Montrealer and would be happy to answer your questions about life in the city!
I'll be attending McGill in the fall. I've never rented here, but my student friends who do rent pay about $400-550/month for a room (apartment shared with one or two roommates), and that's for a central location. You could have a place to yourself for under $1000/month in many areas. Montreal is definitely one of the most affordable big cities to rent in.
The French situation is not as dramatic as some people say! If you live here it's a great opportunity to improve your French, but you can get by with a very basic level.
If you have specific questions about anything Montreal-related, the different areas, student life, Frenglish culture, etc., feel free to message me.