Rents inch downward across Canada

Conditions continued to become more favourable for renters in Canada as average costs per unit slipped in August, a new report has found. Rental marketplace Zumper.com published its Canadian Rent Report in September, looking at average monthly rents for one- and two-bedroom units in 23 markets, including Calgary.

Its Canadian National Rent Index revealed that one-bedroom rents were flat month over month in August at $1,775, but down 2.4 per cent year over year. That is the smallest percentage decline since early 2025, showing the national market may be starting to stabilize, the report added.

For two-bedroom units, the average rent was also flat from July at $2,201 in August. Yet these units saw a 2.5 per cent year-over-year decline.

Average rents remain the highest in Canada in Vancouver, where a one-bedroom rental averaged $2,390 a month, down 0.8 per cent from July and 4.4 per cent from August 2025.

A two-bedroom average monthly rent in the coastal city was $3,300. That is a drop of 2.9 per cent month over month and 4.3 per cent year over year.

Calgary ranked 16th for rental cost among Canadian markets. Average rent for a one-bedroom was $1,600 in August, unchanged from July, but down 5.9 per cent from August in 2025.

The average monthly rent for a two-bedroom unit in the city was $1,920, down one per cent from the previous month. The average monthly rent was down 7.7 per cent year over year.

Edmonton had the lowest average rents among all markets. Its average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment was $1,260 in August, up 0.8 per cent month over month. Year over year, however, the average cost fell 3.1 per cent. The average monthly rent for a two-bedroom in the city was $1,630 up 1.9 per cent month over month, but off 0.6 per cent from last year.