Cost of Living in Toronto for Students in 2019

Share:

Canada has one of the best education systems in the world and coupled with its impressive standards of living, it has become a major choice and destination for local and international students. Toronto receives a huge chunk of the student influx and distribution in Canada. This article zooms in on the living expenses of a student in Toronto in 2019 and also useful hints on how to cut down on spending.

Cost of living in Toronto for Students

Accommodation and Housing Costs

As expected, accommodation takes a considerable portion of all the expenses of a student. The rent can be as low as $500-$750 for a room around Mississauga (UTM Campus) or as much as over $1,000 for the same room in a place like Downtown Toronto (St. George Campus).

The cost of the rent will depend on the kind of housing. For example, condos are generally the most expensive but shared rooms within apartments and other buildings are often the most pocket-friendly. Getting one bedroom in a regular basement apartment is most likely going to be a lot cheaper than the same one bedroom in a condo complex.

The number of rooms and facilities present also determines the price of the rent. For example, a two-bedroom apartment in Downtown Toronto can go for over $2,500 and a three-bedroom apartment in the same area can cost nearly $3,300 or even well over $4000.

One very good way to slash the costs of rent is to share the room or house with other students. When students want to rent a living space in Toronto, there are factors that must be considered and these include:

Proximity to University

There are apartments and student residences like the ones offered by The Quad (https://quadatyork.ca/) which is located within the proximity of YorkUniversity,Osgood School and Seneca at York. For such apartments, students can walk to classes in mere minutes, thus saving money that would have gone for transport expenses. The closer the residence to the university, the better for the student, renting a house far from the university is a real nightmare.

Location

If it happens that the student is unable to get a house that is just a few minutes by walking, it is necessary that a house that is very close to the public transport network of Toronto is chosen. This does not only make the movement to and fro the school easy for the students, but it is also a much cheaper way of moving around.

Health Insurance Package

It is necessary for international students to have health insurance packages. Apart from its importance in getting adequate healthcare, it is also a good way to reduce expenses. All across Canada, the international student health insurance package can be anything from $600 to $900.

Transport

As hinted in the section above, public transport is an amazing way to save money. Saving money is very important for students so, for those in Toronto, expenses incurred from transport must be factored in when thinking of a place to live. Toronto has an excellent and affordable public transport system and there is the Presto card that students can take advantage of. There is also Go Transit which is another public transport system that also has amazing offers that students can really benefit from.

Food

The real cost of what is spent on food greatly varies depending on personal consumption. However, it is safe to approximate that with anything from $50 to $100, a student will have enough food supplies and groceries for one week in Toronto. Students can even further reduce by cooking at home. Eating out at fancy restaurants and dining in exotic locations drain a lot of financial resources.

Books and Educational Resources

As a student, after spending thousands on your tuition, you also need to spend more on books and other educational resources. Information from the official website of the University of Toronto advises that the sum of $1,000 to $2,000 or an average of $1,500 be set aside for books and other educational materials per session.

Phone/Communication Bills

Virtually every student has a mobile phone for the ease of communication with colleagues, tutors, and family. But in Toronto, the cost is also significant as research conducted by NDL Nordicity Group Limited revealed that the average monthly bill spent on unlimited phone calls, 2GB of data and SMS every month is $87.45. In a year, that will come to almost $700. One way by which students can reduce their bills on phones is to take advantage of free Wi-Fi access in the school and in other public places.

Miscellaneous

These can include cost for personal care, fitness, social events, clothing, recreation, entertainment and so on. Once again, the total for miscellaneous expenses depends on the individual student but an average of $500 on a monthly basis is decent enough.