Accommodation in Vancouver

Vancouver city centre sits on the north of the peninsula, in close proximity to the suburbs that lie over the water. West Downtown Vancouver, which is the area closest to city centre peninsula, has many high-rise apartments to choose from and is the most popular residential area.

Early on, planners recognised a need for high density residences close to the main areas of commerce and they zoned accordingly. The rest of the city has an eclectic mix of apartments, townhouses and single family homes. Vancouver encourages diversity, meaning expats can find any flavour of home when they scratch Vancouver's surface. Names like Little Italy and Chinatown give testament to this fact.
 

It is easy to find furnished accommodation in Vancouver, and it is best to rent when first arriving. This is particularly important as the housing in Vancouver is some of the most overpriced in the world. It is well worth taking time to find deals before buying.

The price for housing in Hastings, which is the closest suburb to the city centre, starts at US$320,000, while apartments start at US$160,000. Furnished rentals will cost between US$1,200 to US$5,600 per month depending on proximity to public transport and facilities. Many apartment complexes have a gym, swimming pool and sauna. It is worth avoiding the downtown east-side, rough lower income neighbourhoods.
 
Although an efficient public transport system is in place, it does not yet completely meet the city’s needs. Expansion is planned with the Evergreen line due to be finished in 2014, and the Canada line which runs from Vancouver to Richmond has just been completed as of September 2009.
 
Vancouver will host the 2010 Winter Olympic games; thus expat moving to Vancouver can expect rental prices to inflate around January 2010.