Your guide to cheaper rent in the region.

Metro Vancouver rent prices have fallen since August, but you’d be hard-pressed to find low-cost options in some neighbourhoods.

The average cost to rent a newly listed, unfurnished one-bedroom in Metro Vancouver is $2,085 in September, down slightly from $2,098 in August, according to liv. rent’s latest report.

Canada’s Top 3 priciest cities to rent in are located in the region, with West Van remaining the most expensive market, with one-bedrooms averaging significantly higher at $2,465.

Thankfully, numerous neighbourhoods offer affordable rent across the Lower Mainland. 

Cheaper options for renters in the Lower Mainland

Abbotsford offers the most inexpensive options this September, with newly listed, unfurnished one-bedrooms averaging $1,515. Historically, the city has offered the lowest prices, but for a while it wasn’t as cheap as some parts of Surrey. 

Still, Surrey continues to offer the best value for renters looking to live within Metro Vancouver and not venture to the Fraser Valley. For example, the same units in Newton are only slightly higher at $1,531. Guildford and Fleetwood both offer rent under $1,700, at $1,637 and $1,642, respectively. 

Surrey City Centre is another low-cost option at $1,722. This month, South Surrey was the least affordable market, with units averaging $2,089.

White Rock is another affordable option, with the same units averaging $1,848.

In Langley, bargain hunters can find rents averaging $1,745 in Willowbrook and $1,827 in Willoughby.

Despite Burnaby ranking the fifth-most expensive rental market in Canada, two neighbourhoods offer rent under the $2,000 mark on average: South Slope at $1,787 and SFU/Burnaby Heights at $1,882. 

Richmond has three options under $2,000 this month: Golden Village ($1,779), Steveston ($1,838) and Bridgeport ($1,996). 

New Westminster is also an affordable option, with rents averaging $1,894.

In the Tri-Cities, renters won’t find any options for under $2,000.

Renters looking for low-cost options in the city of Vancouver have three options this September. Victoria-Sunset Fraserview is the cheapest option, with rents averaging $1,745. Killarney is the next cheapest option at $1,892, with Marpole averaging slightly higher at $1,964.