Renting Apartments in Toronto, ON: A Guide to Finding Your Ideal Home

Toronto, Ontario is Canada’s largest and most fast-paced city, offering a dynamic urban lifestyle, a diverse population, and endless professional and cultural opportunities. As a global financial hub and major center for education, tech, media, and the arts, Toronto attracts people from across the country and around the world. But with popularity comes pressure. Toronto’s rental market is one of the most competitive and expensive in Canada, driven by a tight housing supply and a constant influx of new residents.

Current Rental Market Trends

In 2025, Toronto continues to experience significant rental demand, compounded by a shortage of available units and high interest rates that have sidelined many would-be homeowners. As a result, rents remain elevated. A typical one-bedroom apartment rents for between $2,300 and $2,900 per month, while a two-bedroom unit ranges from $3,000 to $4,200, depending on location and features. Condominiums dominate the rental supply in many central areas, offering sleek finishes and access to pools, gyms, and security. These often rent for $2,500 to $3,500 for a one-bedroom. Townhouses and multi-level units, favored by families and professionals, are typically priced from $3,800 to over $5,000. Detached homes, increasingly rare in the city core, can easily exceed $5,500 per month. New purpose-built rental developments are popping up, but they’ve yet to keep pace with demand.

Popular Neighbourhoods & Rental Costs

Toronto is a city of neighborhoods, each with its own personality and pace. Downtown districts like King West, Queen West, and the Entertainment District appeal to young professionals and creatives who want to be close to nightlife, transit, and work. One-bedroom rentals here typically fall between $2,600 and $3,200. The Distillery District and Canary District offer a more relaxed, design-forward vibe, with newer condos and walkable amenities in the $2,500 to $3,100 range.

Further uptown, midtown neighbourhoods like Yonge and Eglinton, Davisville, and Leaside combine convenience with family-friendly features like schools, parks, and quieter residential streets. Rental prices in these areas are higher, with two-bedroom condos or townhouses ranging from $3,500 to $4,800. For more space, renters often look to the east in neighborhoods like The Beaches or Leslieville, or westward to High Park and Roncesvalles, where detached homes and larger units rent for $4,000 and up. More affordable options can be found in areas such as Scarborough, North York, and parts of Etobicoke, where one-bedroom apartments may range from $1,900 to $2,400.

Types of Rental Housing in Toronto

Toronto’s rental mix is vast, but uneven. Condos make up a large portion of the rental supply, especially downtown, where purpose-built apartments are less common. These condo rentals offer high-end amenities and prime locations, but they come at a premium. Older low-rise apartment buildings are more common in outer neighborhoods and can offer more square footage at a better price, though they may lack modern upgrades. Townhomes, laneway homes, and basement suites offer alternatives to high-rise living and are popular among those looking for more privacy. In family-oriented neighbourhoods, rental homes are often semi-detached or fully detached, though they’re increasingly scarce and expensive.

Finding & Securing a Rental

Renting in Toronto often feels like a race. Well-priced units receive multiple applications within days or hours of being listed. To compete, prospective tenants should come prepared with employment letters, credit reports, references, and photo ID. Many landlords expect immediate decisions, so acting fast is key. Rental scams are also a growing issue, particularly in online marketplaces, so it’s crucial to confirm a unit’s legitimacy before sending deposits or signing anything. Although incentives are rare in such a high-demand market, long-term lease commitments or off-season moves might provide slight bargaining power.