Student affordability: We compared student housing rents at SFU vs UBC
It’s that nerve-racking time of the year again when high schoolers officially transition into university kids.
For others, it is simply going back to school after a much-deserved summer break.
For both kinds of students, one big worry is finding a residence on or near campus within budget. Earlier this year, the University of British Columbia (UBC) told Daily Hive Urbanized that student housing rent for the 2023/2024 school year is set to increase between 3.5% and 8%.
We compared the on-campus student housing fees at two of the biggest universities in Metro Vancouver — UBC and Simon Fraser University (SFU).
First-year student residences
UBC Vancouver
UBC housing for first-year students is only available for the winter session contract (September 2 to April 28) at variable pricing.
Orchard Commons/UBC
At UBC, first-year students are guaranteed on-campus housing if they meet the “First Year Guarantee Guidelines.” The easiest way to fulfill the eligibility criteria is to ensure your UBC and residence applications were received on time.
UBC has three first-year-only residences: Place Vanier, Totem Park, and Orchard Commons, which have a wide range of room types for shared and individual housing. All first-year housing includes a mandatory meal plan.
Students opting for the eight-month-long winter session contract can pay as little as $10,898.50 per year for a compact shared room at Totem Park. The single room with a private bathroom is the most expensive housing option on campus and costs upwards of $15,000 per year with a meal plan. The UBC All-access Dining Plan on its own costs $6,949.50 per year on its own.
All other types of rooms are priced differently depending on room size, sharing, and availability of facilities. Here’s a look:
Shared room at Totem Park: starting from $3,949 per year
Single room at Totem Park: starting from $6,790 per year
One-bedroom apartment at Totem Park: $12,237 per year
Shared room at Place Vanier: starting from $5,669 per year
Single room at Place Vanier: starting from $6,790 per year
Shared room at Orchard Commons: $7,062 per year
Single room at Orchard Commons: starting from $8,309 per year
One-bedroom apartment at Orchard Commons: $11,471 per year
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SFU Burnaby
SFU Burnaby only offers single-occupancy rooms for first-year students with a mandatory meal plan.
Single bedroom at East/West Towers/SFU
At SFU Burnaby, first-year students are not guaranteed on-campus housing, but some students may get priority access on a need basis.
There are three first-year-only residences at SFU: North Towers, East/West Towers, and the Courtyard Residence. None of these residences comes occupied with a private kitchen and requires students to opt for a mandatory meal plan.
These residences provide only a private room option for all residents with shared single-occupancy bathrooms and hence the pricing scale is simpler than UBC. For the fall season, the SFU first-year housing fees range from $3,360 to $3,920 per term for the room, plus a $3,170 meal plan.
North Towers: $3,360 per fall term
East/West Towers: $3,920 per fall term
Courtyard Residence: $3,920 per fall term
SFU also provides a list of extra charges that may be levied due to negligence.
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For upper-year and graduate students
UBC Vancouver
A variety of upper-year housing is available for both a winter session contract and a year-round contract (May 1 to April 28). These housing types have variable pricing depending on room type.
tə šxʷhəleləm̓s tə k̓ʷaƛ̓kʷəʔaʔɬ residence at UBC is one of the newest buildings on campus/UBC
UBC has nearly 15 residences for upper-year and graduate student housing for both winter housing and year-round housing. While they too have a wide range of room types, not all housing offers come with a mandatory meal plan and are not guaranteed to students.
The cheapest dorm room you can find for the winter session is a small room in a shared townhouse for $7,269 per year with no meal plan at Fairview Crescent, one of the oldest housing complexes at UBC.
If you are an upper-year student looking for the most lavish stay on campus, you can opt for the one-bedroom apartment at Walter Gage building priced at $14,385 per year only for renting the suite.
UBC also has community-living housing options for graduate students and family housing for students with dependents.
Year-round housing (12-month contract)
Studio apartment at Brock Commons: starting from $15,368.97
Shared four-bedroom apartment at Brock Commons: starting from $12,730.98 per person
Nano suite at Exchange: $9,242.97 per year
Studio at Exchange: starting from $15,708 per year
One-bedroom apartment at Exchange: starting at $17,348.06 per year
Shared two-bedroom apartment at Exchange: starting from $15,586.03 per year
Shared four-bedroom apartment at Exchange: $12,998.01 per person per year
Shared six-bedroom apartment at Fraser Hall: $10,802.82 per person per year
Studio at Iona House: $13,883.02 per year
One-bedroom apartment at Iona House: starting from $16,018.95 per year
Shared two-bedroom apartment at Iona House: starting at $12,103.01 per person per year
Studio at Marine Drive: starting from $14,510.03 per year
Shared two-bedroom apartment at Marine Drive: $14,510.03 per person per year
Shared three and four-bedroom apartment at Marine Drive: $12,006.03 per person per year
Studio at Thunderbird: starting from $13,800 per year
One-bedroom apartment at Thunderbird: starting at $16,812 per year
Shared two-bedroom apartment at Thunderbird: starting at $11,940 per person per year
Shared four-bedroom apartment at Thunderbird: $10,680 per person per year
Studio at tə šxʷhəleləm̓s tə k̓ʷaƛ̓kʷəʔaʔɬ residence: starting at $16,025.97 per year
Shared four-bedroom apartment at tə šxʷhəleləm̓s tə k̓ʷaƛ̓kʷəʔaʔɬ residence: $13,261.96 per person per year
Studio at Ponderosa Commons: starting at $14,632.95 per year
Shared two-bedroom apartment at Ponderosa Commons: starting at $14,937 per person per year
Shared four-bedroom apartment at Ponderosa Commons: $12,386 per person per year
Winter session contract (September 2 to April 28)
Studio at Ponderosa Commons: $11,855 per year
Shared four bedroom at Ponderosa Commons: $9,749 per person per year
Single room in a shared unit at Walter Gage: $7,829 per year
Studio at Walter Gage: $10,717 per year
One-bedroom apartment at Walter Gage: $14,380 per year
Two-bedroom apartment at Walter Gage: $8,703 per person per year
Single room in a shared unit at Fairview Crescent: starting from $7,269 per year
Studio at Fairview Crescent: $12,472 per year
Single room in a shared unit at Ritsumeikan-UBC House: $7,870 per year
One-bedroom apartment at Ritsumeikan-UBC House: $12,295 per year
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SFU Burnaby
SFU has three residence options for upper-year undergraduates, including private room and townhouse options with communal kitchens and washrooms.
This housing option does not have mandatory meal plans, which is great for those who want to have more control over their meals. For the fall term, the upper-year housing rent ranges from $3,352 to $3,620 per term.
For graduate students, Hamilton Hall is a studio-like apartment residence for those who want to live more independently while still feeling secure. It costs $4,080 per term without a meal membership.
Single-occupancy rooms:
Shell residence: $3,352 per term
McTaggart Cowan Hall: $3,352 per term
Townhouses: $3,620 per term (shared space)
Studio-style:
Hamilton Hall: $4,080 per term
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SFU Vancouver
SFU’s extended Downtown Vancouver campus offers graduate courses and a housing option for grad students at the Charles Chang Innovation Centre. It offers studio-style and two-bedroom options, priced from $4,024 to $5,600 per term.
Studio at Charles Chang Innovation Centre: $5,600 per term
Two-bedroom apartment at Charles Chang Innovation Centre: starting at $4,024 per term
What do you think of these rental prices? Let us know in the comments.