Canada's 'best city for renters' is this bustling spot with 1-bedroom apartments under $1,400
If you're renting in Toronto and feeling the financial squeeze, there's some good news: dozens of Canadian cities are offering way better deals right now.
A new ranking from The Globe and Mail analyzed 235 Canadian cities to find the best places to live in Canada for renters, and the results might surprise you. Several under-the-radar spots are crushing the country's biggest markets when it comes to affordability, livability and even availability.
The Globe ranked all of Canada's cities with populations over 20,000 based on four key factors: affordability (housing costs relative to local incomes), availability (how competitive the rental market is), stability (whether prices and listings have stayed steady over five years) and livability (daily conveniences like walkability and proximity to shops). Affordability and availability are weighted more heavily than the other factors.
The ranking prioritizes cities where wages are higher relative to rent, meaning it's not just about where rent is cheapest, but where your salary can get you farthest. It used a three-month rolling average from June to August 2025 to calculate rent prices across all property types, giving a clear snapshot of current market conditions.
The report shows how dramatically rental affordability varies across Canada — around half of renters in Ontario (52%) and B.C. (50%) spend more than the recommended 30% of their income on shelter, while that proportion drops to about one third in Quebec (33%), New Brunswick (35%), Newfoundland and Labrador (36%) and Saskatchewan (37%).
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For renters searching for apartments for rent or considering a move, we focused on the larger cities with populations over 100,000. Out of 41 cities in that category that made the top 100, the best cities in Canada for renters are giving Toronto a serious run for its money.
Toronto ranked 57th overall, and just 29th among cities with 100,000+ residents — though that's not as terrible when you consider that Vancouver didn't even crack the top 100.
Out of those larger cities, here are the 10 best places for renters this year.
Saskatoon, SK
Average rent: $1,526
Median income: $85,000
Coming in at number 20 overall, Saskatoon offers solid fundamentals for renters in Saskatchewan's largest city. With a population of 308,000, it provides prairie city living with surprisingly decent walkability and proximity to groceries, according to the report.
Rent rose 4.8% year-over-year — the biggest increase in the top 10 — suggesting growing demand in this Saskatchewan city. One-bedrooms average around $1,339, while two-bedrooms are more prevalent and go for $1,568 on average.
The city's population of 308,000 and median income of $85,000 create a balanced market where about 37% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
St. John's, NL
Average rent: $1,488
Median income: $75,000
St. John's brings coastal living with surprisingly strong rental fundamentals, clocking in as the 19th-best city in Canada for renters. The population of 126,000 creates a tight-knit community feel while still offering capital-city amenities.
One-bedrooms go for just $996 — some of the lowest rates for a provincial capital — although the price nearly doubles when you start looking at two-bedrooms, which average $1,749.
According to the ranking, rent plummeted 12.1% year-over-year, the steepest drop in this entire top 10. Only 34% of renters spend more than 30% of income on shelter.
St. John's scored 21st for livability — the best in this group — with strong pedestrian infrastructure and excellent car-friendliness.
Quebec City, QC
Average rent: $1,643
Median income: $70,500
Quebec City combines old-world charm with new-world rental affordability. With a population of nearly 593,000, it's one of Canada's major urban centres, yet only 24.3% of renters spend more than 30% of income on housing — the second-best rate in this top 10.
Rent increased 3.3% year-over-year overall, although one-bedroom rents specifically actually dropped by 4.3%. One-bedrooms now average $1,346, while two-bedrooms are around $1,800.
The tradeoff here is livability, with low scores when it comes to proximity to groceries, shops and overall walkability.
The city also ranked an impressive 9th for availability, with nearly 700 listings posted over the summer.
Windsor, ON
Average rent: $1,931
Median income: $70,000
Windsor offers an interesting proposition for Ontario renters: proximity to the U.S. border and Detroit's job market while keeping rents well below Toronto and other major Ontario cities.
Rent has risen 4.2% year-over-year — one of the few cities with a price hike. One-bedrooms average $1,717, while two-bedrooms go for $2,070 with slightly more availability.
The city's population of 266,000 creates a mid-sized market with strong availability — it ranked 10th out of 235 cities with 1,922 listings over the summer. Around 35.5% of renters spend more than 30% of income on housing.
Sherbrooke, QC
Average rent: $1,186
Median income: $62,400
Sherbrooke stands out with the lowest average rent in the top 10 at just $1,186, and one-bedrooms for $930. Even a two-bedroom won't set you back far here, averaging $1,205. Rent dipped 0.6% year-over-year.
The city's population of 184,000 offers a more intimate urban experience in Quebec's Eastern Townships while keeping costs remarkably low. The Globe says that average monthly shelter costs are just $760 per person, and only 24.7% of renters spend more than 30% of income on housing — the best rate in this top 10.
The median income of $62,400 is lower than other cities on this list, but that's offset by genuinely affordable housing.
Calgary, AB
Average rent: $2,044
Median income: $98,000
Calgary is the largest city in the top 10, with a population of nearly 1.6 million, proving you don't have to sacrifice urban amenities for rental affordability.
One-bedrooms average $1,736 — way lower than Toronto's $2,306 — and the median income is significantly higher, meaning only 34% of renters spend more than 30% of income on housing (compared with 40% in Toronto).
The city scored second overall for availability, with nearly 30,000 listings this summer giving renters tons of choice. According to the ranking, rent plummeted 8.1% year-over-year — one of the biggest drops among large cities.
Calgary offers the full big-city experience — major employers, cultural institutions, professional sports — without the crushing rental market of Toronto or Vancouver.
Regina, SK
Average rent: $1,440
Median income: $88,000
Regina came in ninth overall with some of the most affordable rents among major cities. One-bedrooms go for just $1,270 — roughly half what you'd pay in Toronto.
The city's strong median income means renters have more breathing room in their budgets, with only 35.5% spending more than 30% of income on shelter, below the national average.
With a population of 255,000, Saskatchewan's capital offers a mid-sized city experience with solid walkability. The city had 2,224 listings available, though rent did tick up 2.6% year-over-year.
Red Deer, AB
Average rent: $1,556
Median income: $85,000
Red Deer might not have the name recognition of Calgary or Edmonton, but this central Alberta city of just over 112,000 punched above its weight.
One-bedrooms average $1,428, and two bedrooms are just slightly higher at $1,630. The city ranked 7th out of 235 for availability — meaning plenty of options for apartment hunters.
The strong median income keeps housing genuinely affordable, with only 34.8% of renters spending more than 30% of income on shelter. Rent fell 1.8% year-over-year.
London, ON
Average rent: $2,026
Median income: $76,500
London took fifth place overall — and second of cities with 100,000+ residents — with the highest availability score in the entire country.
The city had 8,822 listings during the analysis period, giving renters serious bargaining power. One-bedrooms average $1,721 — higher than the number one spot, but the abundance of options means you're more likely to find something in your budget.
The city's population of nearly 489,000 makes it large enough to offer urban conveniences while staying manageable, and its proximity to Toronto means anything you can't get locally is just a few hours away, tops.
Rent dropped 3% year-over-year, suggesting the market is cooling in renters' favour here.
Edmonton, AB
Average rent: $1,628
Median income: $90,000
Edmonton claimed the top spot overall, and looking at the data, it's easy to see why. One-bedrooms go for $1,364 — significantly below what you'd pay in Toronto or Vancouver — with two-bedrooms still well under $2,000 at $1,731.64.
The city scored particularly well on affordability (ranked 8th out of 235 cities) and availability (5th), meaning you'll have plenty of options when apartment hunting.
With a population of nearly 1.2 million, Edmonton offers big-city amenities without the crushing rental costs. The median income is $90,000, and only 35.9% of renter households spend more than 30% of their income on shelter — well below the national average.
What about other big cities?
For readers in Canada's other major cities, the news is mixed.
Ottawa ranked 35th overall and 18th among large cities — fine, but nothing to write home about.
Vancouver didn't appear in the top 100 at all, likely due to its notorious combination of high rents and limited availability.
Montreal ranked 23rd overall and 12th among large cities, offering better value than Toronto and even Ottawa, despite being Canada's second-largest city.
So whether you're apartment hunting right now or just dreaming about a fresh start somewhere more affordable, these cities prove that quality of life doesn't have to come with Toronto-level rent prices.
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