and advice to make your search easier
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THE BEST PLACE FOR YOU
Canada offers different types of rooms and flats, depending on your needs and possibilities. Let’s take a look at the main types of accommodation:
- Houses: can be rented as a whole, divided into two (duplex) or three (triplex);
- Single rooms: these are rented in flats where the common areas are shared;
- Bachelor units: consist of a single room that serves as both a bedroom and a living room.
THE FIRST STEP: TO FIND ACCOMMODATION IN CANADA
The best thing you can do right after you arrive in Canada is to find temporary accommodation.
You can choose to stay in a hostel, stay with a local family (which is an option in combination with your course of study), or even in a residence or shared flat. In any case, we recommend that you book your first accommodation before your departure. Once you have left your luggage in your room, you can begin your search for permanent accommodation.
You will have many channels to rely on to find accommodation, for example:
- Newspapers;
- Library listings;
- Websites such as Kijiji and Craigslist;
- Facebook groups;
- Checking the signs on the street.
What’s the best option for me?
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HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
When looking for accommodation in Canada, you will find that rental costs vary depending on the area where you are living. For this reason, it is not easy to answer this question.
However, below are some approximate figures to help you get a general idea of the monthly costs in Canada:
- Studio: $780 (540 euros);
- Two-room apartment: $950 (650 euro);
- Three-room apartment: $1020 (700 euro);
- Four-room apartment and above: from $110 upwards (760 euro).
Be careful because electricity and gas expenses are not always included in the monthly rent. Make sure you clarify this with your landlord before signing a rental contract.
As far as big cities are concerned, if you are looking for affordable accommodation, we can recommend Montreal as the “most affordable city in Canada”. You will also find some good alternatives in Calgary and Vancouver.
RENTAL AGREEMENTS
When you want to sign a rental agreement in Canada, you will need to provide some important documents to your future landlord:
- A letter from your employer stating what your annual income is;
- Your bank statement to show that you can afford to pay the rent;
- A letter of reference from your last landlord.
Remember that Canadian rental agreements are generally for one year, after which they can be renewed for shorter periods.
Another important thing to know is that rentals always start on the 1st of the month, so be prepared to arrive in Canada a couple of weeks early to find the right accommodation for you. Your landlord will ask you to put down half of your first month’s rent as a deposit.
Also, most housing will not be furnished when you move in. Towards the end of the month, it will be easy to find affordable furniture for sale (especially on Craigslist), made available by other people who are moving in.
