Which province has the highest rent in Canada?

British Columbia has the highest average asking rent in Canada, with 1-bedroom apartments and condos averaging $2,060 per month in August 2026 (Rentals.ca). Nova Scotia ($1,985) and Ontario ($1,983) follow. BC and Ontario contain Canada's most expensive rental markets (Vancouver and Toronto).

Which province has the cheapest rent in Canada?

Among the provinces Rentals.ca tracks, Saskatchewan has the lowest average asking rent for a 1-bedroom ($1,250 in August 2026), followed by Manitoba ($1,429) and Alberta ($1,477); Quebec averages $1,694. For Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick there is no provincial asking-rent series; CMHC's average rent for apartments that changed tenants was $1,105, $1,199 and $1,218 for a 1-bedroom in October 2025.

What is the average rent in Canada in 2026?

The national average asking rent in Canada was $2,035 per month for all property types as of August 2026 (Rentals.ca), a year-over-year change of -4.8% and the lowest August level since 2022, after 23 consecutive months of year-over-year decline. For 1-bedroom apartments specifically, the average asking rent across metro areas was $1,730 in the second quarter of 2026 (Statistics Canada). CMHC average rents (including existing tenants) are lower: $1,550 for a 2-bedroom in October 2025.

Is rent cheaper in Quebec than Ontario?

Yes, rent in Quebec is significantly cheaper than Ontario. A 1-bedroom apartment or condo in Quebec averaged $1,694 in August 2026, compared to $1,983 in Ontario (Rentals.ca). Montreal is one of the most affordable major cities in Canada, with a 1-bedroom asking rent of $1,480 in the second quarter of 2026 (Statistics Canada).

Average Rent by Province in Canada 2026

Average Rent by Province: Overview

Province	1-Bedroom Avg	2-Bedroom Avg	YoY Change
British Columbia	$2,060	$2,660	-4.6%
Nova Scotia	$1,985	$2,562	3.1%
Ontario	$1,983	$2,457	-3.5%
Quebec	$1,694	$2,154	-1.5%
Alberta	$1,477	$1,821	-4.3%
Manitoba	$1,429	$1,758	0.2%
Saskatchewan	$1,250	$1,493	-0.6%
New Brunswick†	$1,218	$1,477	5.5% (1-bed)
Newfoundland & Labrador†	$1,105	$1,463	8.1% (1-bed)
Prince Edward Island†	$1,199	$1,467	15.8% (1-bed)

Rentals.ca National Rent Report, August 2026: average asking rents for apartments and condos, with the year-over-year change. †Rentals.ca does not cover New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador or Prince Edward Island; for these provinces the table shows CMHC’s average rent for purpose-built apartments that changed tenants in the past year (October 2025), and the change from a year earlier for a 1-bedroom. CMHC average rents for all tenants, including long-term ones, are lower (see the comparison below).

British Columbia

City	1-BR	2-BR
Vancouver	$2,280	$3,030
Burnaby*	$2,143	$2,780
Victoria	$2,040	$2,640
Kelowna	$1,880	$2,330
Surrey*	$1,817	$2,358
Nanaimo	$1,740	$2,080
Kamloops	$1,590	$1,960
Provincial Average (Rentals.ca)	$2,060	$2,660

British Columbia remains the most expensive province, but its asking rents fell 4.6% year over year to August 2026 and 12.0% over three years (Rentals.ca).

Ontario

City	1-BR	2-BR
Toronto	$2,090	$2,650
Brampton*	$2,005	$2,405
Ottawa	$1,900	$2,360
Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo	$1,740	$2,120
Hamilton	$1,720	$2,150
Kingston	$1,720	$1,940
London	$1,560	$1,920
Windsor	$1,520	$1,850
Thunder Bay	$1,470	$1,980
Provincial Average (Rentals.ca)	$1,983	$2,457

Toronto and GTA rents have declined slightly in 2026 as new condo supply reaches the market.

Alberta

City	1-BR	2-BR
Calgary	$1,550	$1,890
Lethbridge	$1,270	$1,480
Edmonton	$1,260	$1,570
Red Deer	$1,230	$1,410
Fort McMurray*	$1,164	$1,335
Provincial Average (Rentals.ca)	$1,477	$1,821

Alberta remains affordable relative to BC and Ontario. Rents had been rising through population growth, but Rentals.ca reported Alberta asking rents down 4.3% year-over-year by August 2026, joining the broader national decline.

Quebec

City	1-BR	2-BR
Laval*	$1,726	$2,352
Montreal	$1,480	$1,820
Gatineau	$1,440	$1,700
Quebec City	$1,210	$1,460
Sherbrooke	$1,040	$1,300
Trois-Rivières	$970	n/a
Provincial Average (Rentals.ca)	$1,694	$2,154

Quebec offers some of Canada’s most affordable rents, especially outside Montreal.

Atlantic Provinces

Nova Scotia

City	1-BR	2-BR
Halifax	$1,880	$2,400
Provincial Average (Rentals.ca)	$1,985	$2,562

New Brunswick

City	1-BR	2-BR
Fredericton	$1,430	$1,670
Moncton	$1,290	$1,460
Saint John	$1,230	$1,530
Province (CMHC, units with a new tenant)†	$1,218	$1,477

Prince Edward Island

City	1-BR	2-BR
Charlottetown†	$1,217	$1,479
Province (CMHC, units with a new tenant)†	$1,199	$1,467

Newfoundland & Labrador

City	1-BR	2-BR
St. John’s	$1,270	$1,530
Province (CMHC, units with a new tenant)†	$1,105	$1,463

Prairie Provinces

Manitoba

City	1-BR	2-BR
Winnipeg	$1,320	$1,660
Provincial Average (Rentals.ca)	$1,429	$1,758

Saskatchewan

City	1-BR	2-BR
Saskatoon	$1,340	$1,620
Regina	$1,250	$1,480
Provincial Average (Rentals.ca)	$1,250	$1,493

City rents: Statistics Canada average asking rents for apartments in each metro area, second quarter of 2026 (Trois-Rivières has no published 2-bedroom figure). *Burnaby, Surrey, Brampton, Laval and Fort McMurray are not separate metro areas in the Statistics Canada series; their figures are Rentals.ca averages for apartments and condos, August 2026. Provincial averages: Rentals.ca, August 2026. †CMHC average rent for purpose-built apartments that changed tenants in the past year, October 2025; no asking-rent series covers these areas.

Rent Affordability by Province

How much income do you need to afford average rent (keeping rent under 30% of income)?

Province	1-BR Rent	Income Needed	2-BR Rent	Income Needed
British Columbia	$2,060	$82,400	$2,660	$106,400
Ontario	$1,983	$79,320	$2,457	$98,280
Alberta	$1,477	$59,080	$1,821	$72,840
Nova Scotia	$1,985	$79,400	$2,562	$102,480
Manitoba	$1,429	$57,160	$1,758	$70,320
Saskatchewan	$1,250	$50,000	$1,493	$59,720
Quebec	$1,694	$67,760	$2,154	$86,160
New Brunswick†	$1,218	$48,720	$1,477	$59,080
Newfoundland & Labrador†	$1,105	$44,200	$1,463	$58,520
Prince Edward Island†	$1,199	$47,960	$1,467	$58,680

Rents as in the overview table (†CMHC rent for units with a new tenant). Income needed = monthly rent × 12 ÷ 30%.

Use our rent affordability calculator to see what you can afford based on your income.

CMHC Average Rent vs Asking Rent

CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) tracks rents for purpose-built rental apartments, including long-term tenants. Asking rent is the price for new listings.

Province	CMHC Avg 2-BR (October 2025)	Asking Avg 2-BR (August 2026)	Difference
British Columbia	$2,065	$2,660	+29%
Ontario	$1,827	$2,457	+34%
Alberta	$1,680	$1,821	+8%
Nova Scotia	$1,711	$2,562	+50%
Manitoba	$1,507	$1,758	+17%
Saskatchewan	$1,451	$1,493	+3%
Quebec	$1,273	$2,154	+69%

CMHC Rental Market Survey (all tenants, privately built apartments of three or more units); Rentals.ca asking rents for apartments and condos. Difference = asking ÷ CMHC − 1.

The gap reflects rent control (existing tenants pay less) and market conditions for new rentals.

Rent Growth Trends by Province

Province	Aug 2024	Aug 2025	Aug 2026	3-Year Change
British Columbia	-5.2%	-2.7%	-4.6%	-12.0%
Ontario	-4.3%	-2.5%	-3.5%	-9.9%
Alberta	10.6%	-3.4%	-4.3%	2.2%
Nova Scotia	10.3%	-2.2%	3.1%	11.2%
Manitoba	9.4%	1.3%	0.2%	11.0%
Saskatchewan	21.4%	3.2%	-0.6%	24.6%
Quebec	1.5%	-0.1%	-1.5%	-0.1%

Year-over-year change in average asking rent to August of each year, and the change over the three years to August 2026 (Rentals.ca National Rent Report).

Ontario and British Columbia asking rents were already falling in the year to August 2024, and Alberta’s in the year to August 2025. By August 2026, Nova Scotia (3.1%) and Manitoba (0.2%) were still up year over year, while Saskatchewan (-0.6%) was down.

Methodology

Asking rents are from Statistics Canada (table 46-10-0092) and the Rentals.ca National Rent Report; rents for units with a new tenant and all-tenant averages are from CMHC’s Rental Market Report. “Asking rent” reflects listed prices for available units. CMHC data covers privately built rental apartments in buildings of three or more units, including long-term tenants.