Housing - Pacific DanceArts

Vancouver is an amazing place to call home. It is a beautiful, desirable, safe city with a high quality of life–and the local rental market reflects these factors. Be prepared that rent can be high relative to many other cities, and that the rental market is competitive. But don’t worry! You are not alone, and help is at hand.

First, remember to remain calm. All of our students successfully find accommodation, usually in the weeks and days before they start school. Take the process step by step, and try not to get overwhelmed. Not sure where to start? We recommend that you take these steps before you begin your housing search:
STEP 1-Read through this Housing Guide page for tips on finding and selecting accommodation, living in Vancouver, choosing a neighbourhood, navigating the city, and more. We also advise reading the Tenant Survival Guide compiled by TRAC (Tenant Resource & Activity Centre)

STEP 2 - Contact us - We can provide resources to support you in your search for accommodation. Although we are happy to help however we can, it is the responsibility of the student to find and secure their own housing. We are here to provide resource information and support:

-We are happy to give you insight on the rental situation in Vancouver, good neighbourhoods which offer easy transit, budget options etc.
-We are happy to notify you of any potential housing opportunities that we become aware of
-We are happy to answer questions and assist you within office hours

Finding housing is such an important and personal endeavour. It is part of your international experience to take on this responsibility and to do the research and investigation to find the housing or roommates that best suit your needs. it is your responsibility to carry out searches and to do the research to view rental ads, related websites and to secure your own accommodation it is your responsibility to directly communicate with landlords, discuss rental agreements, to negotiate and sign your own rental leases and to handle any disputes or conflict resolution it is your responsibility to communicate and mediate with potential roommates

Some useful information:

Housing Budget
Be prepared that rent in Vancouver can be high, and will cost a good portion of your monthly budget. Rents can vary substantially depending on the location and condition of the housing, so please note that these are only general guidelines for costs per month:

Shared housing (ie renting a room in a house or living with roommates): $750+
Studio or Bachelor: $900-1600+
One bedroom: $1100-$2400+
Two bedroom: $1200-$3200+
Three bedroom: $2200+
Please note that additional costs might include: Utilities (heat, water, electricity, internet, cable) Security deposit (one-time) Pet deposit (usually one-time) Furnishings and decoration Food, laundry and entertainment Tenant's insurance Transportation - transit pass, bike and/or vehicle costs, including parking, insurance and fuel

Utilities
Type of Utility Average Cost
Electricity $ 122
Water $ 64
Gas $ 104
Internet $ 52
Cable $ 22