Here's the salary you need to afford rent in 13 Canadian cities and the gap is over $50K
From Vancouver to St. John's, here's what your paycheque can get you.
Considering a move? Here's what salary you need to afford rent in 13 major Canadian cities.
With the Canadian housing market still on shaky ground, rent prices are actually dropping right now — but that doesn't necessarily mean your wallet will feel any relief.
From coast to coast, apartments for rent are still eating up huge chunks of income, especially in the country's most populated cities.
According to the latest national rent report from Rentals.ca and Urbanation, the average asking rent in Canada hit $2,129 in May 2025 — a 3.3% dip from last year's peak.
That may sound promising, but compared to pre-pandemic numbers, we're still talking about double-digit increases. And even post-pandemic, average rent in Canada has climbed 5.7% since 2023 and 12.6% since 2022.
The situation is especially wild when you start calculating the salary required to rent an apartment in Canada's major cities. From notoriously pricey markets like Toronto and Vancouver to surprisingly affordable up-and-coming cities like Calgary and Quebec City, the gap is enormous.
IIn some places, you'd need to earn well over $85,000 a year to comfortably afford a one-bedroom apartment. In others, you could get by on just less than $35,000. That's a difference of more than 150% — just based on where you live.
To figure out how much you'd need to earn to comfortably afford rent, we used the Government of Canada's benchmark that no more than 35% of your gross income should go to housing. That means, for example, if rent is $2,000 per month, you'd need a gross annual income of at least $68,571. This calculation helps paint a clearer picture of rent affordability across major Canadian cities.
Below, we break down the average rent and corresponding minimum salary needed to live comfortably in 13 key cities across Canada, based on Rentals.ca's latest figures.
Vancouver
No surprise here — Vancouver remains the most expensive city on the list, with a one-bedroom going for $2,544.
That means you'd need to earn at least $87,223 a year just to stay within the recommended 35% rent-to-income ratio.
Toronto
Canada's largest city follows closely behind, with average rent for a one-bedroom at $2,302 in May.
To afford that safely, you'd need to make at least $78,926 a year — not exactly budget-friendly, even with prices dipping a bit compared to last year.
Halifax
Rents have been climbing on the East Coast, and Halifax — despite having a much smaller population than many cities below it on the list — now averages a pricey $2,064 for a one-bedroom.
That pushes the required income to $70,766 a year, which is higher than several cities with double the population, including Montreal, Calgary and Ottawa.
Ottawa
The nation's capital is next on the list, with one-bedrooms averaging $1,994.
You'd need a salary of about $68,366 to live here without blowing your budget — not the highest, but still a stretch for many.
It's worth noting that the Ottawa suburb of Kanata is calculated separately on the Rentals.ca report. Despite being located about 20 kilometres west of downtown, the suburb has a higher average of $2,282, meaning you'd need to make a whole $10K more — $78,240 per year — to afford a one-bedroom there.
Kelowna
This smaller city in B.C.'s Okanagan Valley is also on the pricey side, with an average rent of $1,968 for a one-bedroom.
That works out to a required salary of $67,474. Not cheap, but still more affordable than other B.C. hotspots like Vancouver and Victoria.
Hamilton
Hamilton renters are paying around $1,824 for a one-bedroom — a decently cheaper alternative to other southern Ontario spots like Toronto, Waterloo, Mississauga and other GTA cities.
That means you'd need to make at least $62,537 annually, making this a fairly attainable up-and-coming spot close to the action.
Montreal
Montreal keeps its rep as one of the more affordable big cities, with a one-bedroom going for $1,727.
Despite being Canada's second-largest city, to live here comfortably, you'd only need a salary of about $59,211 — a pretty solid deal for such a major metro.
Calgary
Calgary is an up-and-coming city with a great balance of low cost of living and high quality of life. Rent prices here held steady in May, with a one-bedroom coming in at $1,591.
That means you'd need to make at least $54,549 a year to keep rent costs under control. Not bad for Canada's third-largest city.
Winnipeg
Over in Winnipeg, average rent for a one-bedroom is $1,443, according to the report.
That means you'd need an annual income of roughly $49,474 — pretty manageable for a city with a population that's approaching 1 million.
Edmonton
With a one-bedroom apartment renting for $1,336 on average, Edmonton remains one of the most budget-friendly major cities in Canada.
You'd need an income of just $45,806 to get by in Canada's fourth-largest city — a stark contrast from smaller Vancouver, where you'd need nearly double that income to afford the same apartment.
Quebec City
Quebec City is even more affordable, with rent for a one-bedroom sitting at $1,286.
That means a required salary of $44,091 — not bad if you're looking for charm on a budget.
Saskatoon
At $1,255 per month for a one-bedroom, Saskatoon is one of the most affordable urban centres in the country.
Renters in Saskatchewan's biggest city only need to make around $43,029 a year.
St. John's
Coming in as the least expensive of the 13 cities, St. John's boasts an average one-bedroom rent of just $1,013.
To live here comfortably, you'd need to earn only $34,731 (or about $17.81 per hour at a full-time hourly job). That's more than 60% less than what you'd need in Vancouver.
Whether you're planning a move or just curious about where your paycheque goes the farthest, these numbers show just how much your location matters. A shift of a few provinces — or even a few hours — could change your cost of living dramatically.
So if rent prices are stressing you out, it might be time to consider packing up and heading somewhere more affordable.
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