What are my housing options in Canada?
Finding a place to live, no matter where you are in the world, is not easy, not to mention finding a place to live in a country you have not yet arrived in; however, it’s not impossible. Therefore, before your departure to Canada, it is good to look around the housing market and available housing options that appeal to your lifestyle.
To help commence your searches for the types of housing options available in Canada, below are commonly available that will significantly vary in prices depending on surrounding amenities, lifestyle, and budget.
Duplex
For singles, couples, or families, duplexes are a great option to keep costs low and still enjoy the spaciousness of a house that often comes with a backyard. Duplex houses are residential buildings commonly owned by individuals who live on a separate half of an entire house. Duplexes consist of two different living units within one house, including an individual dining room, a kitchen, private bathrooms, and bedrooms. Duplexes can be found in both cosmopolitan cities and the outskirts of major cities. At the same time, duplexes located within the major cities tend to be much smaller, lessening the number of bedrooms available. In addition, as a tenant living in a duplex, tenants must maintain the property’s exterior as part of the contract agreement, such as cutting lawn or water flowers or trees. Therefore, choosing to rent a duplex in a smaller city is a great option and usually cheaper than an apartment in most cases.
Townhouse
A style of home that is available throughout Canada is townhouses. Townhouses are multi-floored homes that are adjacent to another property with separate entrances. Townhouses tend to have their own community that has a mix of singles, couples, and families. Depending on the location, townhouses usually have a small shared backyard, a private garage, and possibly shared amenities such as a pool or small gym. Unlike duplexes, townhouses have management fees to take care of exterior maintenance of the property, like mowing the lawn or shoveling snow from driveways and roads.
Entire Home
In non-major cities, entire homes have affordable rental pricing that is perfect for families or multiple tenants. Entire homes generally have between three to five bedrooms, a full kitchen, multiple bathrooms, and a large fenced-in backyard that often has automated irrigation systems to water plants and lawns. Opposed to the other options in this list, entire homes require extensive exterior maintenance, and electricity bills can be expensive during winter and summer months for central heating or cooling. If you plan to live in a major city, renting an entire house can quickly be one of your most significant monthly expenses; therefore, if you wish to rent a house, we recommend this option only if living in smaller cities.
Apartment
Apartments are widely available in all major cities and are often the first choice for singles or couples due to the lower cost of rentals. Apartments in major cities usually come in two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a balcony, shared underground parking, and sometimes a pool or gym. In smaller cities, apartments are also available; however, it can take some time to find suitable living arrangements based on your preferred location and surrounding amenities.
For more information on life in Canada, visit our blogs section.
