The two cheapest cities in Canada to rent a one-bedroom apartment
If you’re tired of rent eating up your entire paycheque, there are a couple Canadian cities that are offering a significantly cheaper alternative.
Rental real estate platform Zumper’s latest Canadian Rent Report has identified the country’s most expensive rental markets, with Vancouver, Toronto, and Burnaby once again among the priciest places to call home.
Even Montreal, which many consider a cheaper place to rent, landed in the top 10.
According to the report, Canada’s median one-bedroom asking rent was $1,784 in October 2026, down just 1.4 per cent year-over-year. Meanwhile, the median two-bedroom rent was $2,196, representing a 1.7 per cent annual decline.
Zumper’s report analyzes more than 50,000 active rental listings across the country. Data is aggregated monthly to calculate median asking rents across the 23 most populous metropolitan areas, with cities ranked by their one-bedroom rental prices.
Among the country’s 10 most expensive rental markets, Barrie, Ont., recorded the fastest annual rent growth, climbing 16.7 per cent to reach $2,100 for a one-bedroom apartment.
But renters looking for a way more affordable place to live might want to look in a different direction.
According to Zumper, Quebec City, Que., and Regina, Sask., are currently tied for the country’s cheapest one-bedroom rentals, with rent averaging just $1,270 per month.
That’s $514 less than the national median, meaning renters in either city could save $6,168 a year compared with someone paying the average national price for a one-bedroom apartment. In fact, the report states only 13 Canadian cities have one-bedroom rents below the average.
Quebec City also recorded one of the country’s steepest annual rent declines, with one-bedroom prices dropping 9.3 per cent.
If you need a little more space, a two-bedroom apartment costs an average of $1,510 in Quebec City and $1,540 in Regina. Not too shabby!
Another Prairie city wasn’t far behind. Saskatoon recorded a median one-bedroom rent of $1,280, while two-bedroom units were listed at $1,550.
Zumper’s latest report suggests rental conditions remain “broadly soft” across much of Western Canada.
Alberta recorded some of the country’s steepest annual rent declines, with one-bedroom rents falling 5.9 per cent in Calgary to $1,590 and 5.8 per cent in Edmonton to $1,300.
To read the full report, visit Zumper’s website.