What kind of apartment can you get in Toronto for under $1,000?
CBC News | Posted: February 22, 2017 11:41 AM | Last Updated: February 22, 2017
You can find an apartment on your own for under a grand — if you know where to look
Finding an apartment in Toronto can be extra tricky if you're on a tight budget.
The average rent for a one-bedroom condo apartment is close to $1,800 a month, according to the Toronto Real Estate Board, but what if you're hoping for a solo spot under a grand?
- What happens when your rent suddenly goes up by $1,000
- Tell us your renting woes by joining our Facebook group, a forum for conversation and insight.
We rounded up apartments across the city that are actually renting for under $1,000 a month, according to their listing price.
Keep in mind, these prices and details are all based on online listings.
CBC Toronto can't vouch for the accuracy of each post — and it's always worth checking out rentals in person.
Bachelor pad in Woodbine Gardens
Number of bedrooms: Bachelor-style room
Location: East York
Price: Upwards of $995/month
Location: East York
Price: Upwards of $995/month
This Padmapper find is a cozy little bachelor pad on Stag Hill Drive, a street by Taylor Creek in Woodbine Gardens, a neighbourhood north of the Danforth.
Like most bachelor units, it's not a lot of space but the finishes look like a step up from many apartment buildings — note the sleek floors and stainless steel appliances.
All the suites are "fully renovated" and "modernized," the listing boasts.
The building is a bit of a hike to the nearest subway — roughly a half-hour walk, or a more-than-20-minute bus ride — but just a short car ride away from the Don Valley Parkway.
Junior 1-bedroom at Yonge and St. Clair
Number of bedrooms: One
Location: Yonge and St. Clair
Price: $925/month
Location: Yonge and St. Clair
Price: $925/month
"Small but cozy" is how this ViewIt listing sells this junior one-bedroom unit found on a residential street in midtown.
It's definitely a tiny space — looks like the fridge doesn't even fit inside the little kitchen nook — but there's lots of charm, thanks to the moulding and hardwood floors.
One thing to keep in mind: The on-site laundry takes coins, and tenants pay their own hydro and gas for the stove.
So the price will end up being a little bit higher than it seems on the surface.
1-bedroom in the Beaches
Number of bedrooms: One
Location: The Beaches/Woodbine
Price: $999/month
Location: The Beaches/Woodbine
Price: $999/month
A renovated one-bedroom in a house? With real hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, slate tiles in the bathroom and free laundry in the basement?
Yes, seriously — that's the promise of this Beaches basement found on ViewIt, all for less than a grand a month, plus utilities.
"The basement has been re-excavated giving it high ceilings," reads the listing, which might persuade those typically opposed to living partially underground.
It's also a solid neighbourhood for going out-and-about, with the boardwalk and beaches nearby, along with cafes, shops and TTC access.
Private motorhome at Bloor and Spadina
Number of bedrooms: Two (Kind of... it's all just one motorhome)
Location: Parked at Bloor Street and Spadina Avenue
Price: $475/month
Location: Parked at Bloor Street and Spadina Avenue
Price: $475/month
This unconventional Craigslist find is by far the cheapest listing in our round-up.
It's a parked, 19-foot-long 1980s motorhome — "retro classic vintage self-contained," says the ad. So it's, uhh, not exactly for everyone.
But if living in a car "like Joni Mitchell" is your jam, you'd get to hang out in the Annex, one of the city's most happening areas.
The neighbourhood is full of restaurants and community centres, which would come in handy if you wanted to shower or use a proper bathroom.
The listing says the motorhome sleeps two to three people and comes with three automotive batteries to plug in lights and charge your phone. But you'll have to buy your own gasoline to run the generator.
"Free breakfast" is also included but it's not clear what that means exactly.
What about outside Toronto?
Here's how Toronto pads that rent for a grand or less stack up to ones just outside the city in Vaughan, Pickering, and Mississauga.