20 Most Affordable Cities in Canada for Young People

The bright lights of Vancouver or Toronto may beckon, but when you’re young, does it really make sense to live in one of Canada’s most expensive cities? In our quest to find the cities and towns that would be good options if you want to save some money, we used data from Numbeo to look at the cost of rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre, where the action is. Because you’d obviously like to go out and meet people, we also considered the price of a half-litre of draft beer in a restaurant or bar.

Considering that working remotely is becoming more widespread, we didn’t focus too much on job opportunities and salaries, but we did check that there are other millennials and Gen Z living in that city too. With that, these are the most affordable cities in Canada for young people.

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20. Mascouche, Quebec

Even though it’s a city in its own right, Mascouche is effectively a suburb of Montreal. The population here is young and many inhabitants commute to Montreal for work and play. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the Mascouche city centre is $1,155 and a beer in a restaurant is about $7.00.

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19. Brandon, Manitoba

While its economy is mainly based on agriculture, Brandon is everything but a stodgy farming town. It’s Manitoba’s second largest city and there’s plenty to do for its relatively young population. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is $1,387 and a beer is around $6.00.

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18. Moncton, New Brunswick

Moncton is famed for its strong, diversified economy, with opportunities in several of the best careers for Generation Z. It was also the first city in Canada to become officially bilingual. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom in the city centre is $1,027 and a beer costs around $6.50.

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17. Cold Lake, Alberta

With its economy fueled mainly by oil and gas exploration and the nearby military base, Cold Lake has a very young population who can say that they live in Wolverine’s hometown. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is $1,050 and a beer will set you back around $6.00.

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16. Gatineau, Quebec

With Ottawa just across the river, Gatineau is a great option if you want to kick off a career in public service but the city is also one of Canada’s next tech hubs. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is $1,007.14 and a beer costs around $6.50. However, the legal drinking age here is younger than in Ottawa, making Gatineau a popular destination with partygoers.

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15. Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador

The small city of Corner Brook is one of the places with the lowest taxes in Canada. Among the employers here are forestry, healthcare, education and retail. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is $775 and a beer will set you back about $5.80.

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14. Estevan, Saskatchewan

The mining, oil and gas and energy industries have always had some of the highest paying jobs in Canada and these are the industries that employ the bulk of Estevan’s many young people. Starting your career here makes great financial sense because the median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre comes to $766. A beer will set you back around $6.50, though.

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13. Cranbrook, British Columbia

Cranbrook is the commercial centre of the Kootenay Rockies and its location makes it a popular destination for lovers of the outdoors. Mining, forestry and healthcare are among the large employers here too. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is $758 and a beer normally costs around $6.00

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12. Terrace, British Columbia

Terrace is one of those small cities that feel more like a large town. If you love being active in the great outdoors, this is a great city to call home. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is $916 and a beer is normally around $5.50.

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11. Welland, Ontario

Welland is located in Niagara, near one of those stunning landscapes you won’t believe are in Canada. The city hosts plenty of fun events throughout the year, including the annual Welland Zombie Walk. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is $889.62 and a beer will set you back around $5.75.

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10. Edmundston, New Brunswick

Predominantly francophone Edmundston is a small rural city in a pretty setting where you can work remotely and get away from the crowds. Be warned though that Edmundston is one of the coldest places in Canada. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is $887.50 and a beer is usually a very reasonable $5.00.

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9. Longueuil, Quebec

Longueuil is becoming increasingly diverse, which is no surprise, considering that the aerospace industry offers some of the highest paying jobs for newcomers. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre here comes to $886.15 and a beer is around $6.50. Longueuil's location also makes it a great choice for young people, since the job opportunities and nightlife of Montreal lie across the St. Lawrence River.

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8. Quebec City, Quebec

There is no doubt that Quebec City is one of the most beautiful places in Canada. It’s also your best bet if you want to live in a large city with plenty of opportunities for young people but can’t pay exorbitant rents. You’ll have to learn French, though. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre comes to $860 and a beer will cost around $7.00.

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7. Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec

Originally a copper-mining town, Rouyn-Noranda is also home to a university and a relatively young population. It’s one of the cheapest cities to live in Canada too. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre comes to $830 and there’s a great incentive for going out: a beer costs only about $4.00.

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6. Flin Flon, Manitoba

Flin Flon is on border between Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with most of its population living in Manitoba. Predominantly a mining centre, the city has also become popular with tourists because of the many lakes around here. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is $820 and a beer costs about $6.00.

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5. Summerside, Prince Edward Island

Summerside is the second largest city on Price Edward Island and among the big employers here are the aerospace, agricultural and tourism industries. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is $809.88 but a beer in a restaurant can be slightly pricey at $7.00.

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4. Rimouski, Quebec

Rimouski is one of those places with a low cost of living and high paying jobs. Major employers here are the health, maritime and tourism industries. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre comes to $705.47 and a beer will set you back around $6.50.

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3. Trois-Rivières, Quebec

Even though about a fifth of its population is past retirement age, Trois-Rivières is moving from simply being an industrial city to a tech hub. This mainly francophone city also has a thriving cultural scene. A great place to meet new people is in jail: the Old Prison is one of those secret places locals don’t want you to know about. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is $654.98 and a beer costs around $6.50.

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2. Sherbrooke, Quebec

With university students making up more than 10 per cent of its population, Sherbrooke has no shortage of young people and ways to keep them entertained, even though you will have to brush up on your French. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment comes to $538 and a beer costs around $6.50.

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1. Saguenay, Quebec

Even though the median age of people in Saguenay is 46.1, this overwhelmingly francophone city on the Saguenay River is fast becoming a centre for research and teaching in various STEM fields. This could attract more young people who want to follow careers in science and engineering. The median rent and utilities for a one-bedroom apartment is $475 while a beer will set you back $6.50.