Apartments and townhouses have become increasingly popular in Vancouver, due to their affordability and to changing lifestyles.

Apartment availability and rental prices vary throughout the Vancouver area, with West Vancouver being among the most expensive places to rent, and the outlying areas to the east of Vancouver, like Coquiltlam and Surrey, being less expensive.

Rental apartments come as either furnished or unfurnished. Unfurnished apartments are usually around 10 - 20% cheaper than furnished ones. One of the most popular stores for outfitting a new apartment in Vancouver is Ikea, with two locations in the Lower Mainland.

Furnished apartments are usually readily available. With its colleges and two universities Vancouver is host to a wide range of Canadian and international students through whom furnished apartments can be readily found. Finding sharemates is also a popular choice, and there are a variety of publications and local web sites that help connect people looking for shared accomodation.

Another popular choice for shared accomodation is doing a homestay with a Canadian family. Although it's usually more expensive, many students like the close contact with a Canadian family and find it a good way to practice English and learn about life in Canada. Many students choose to do a homestay for their first few weeks in Canada to practice English and learn about Canadian life, and then find shared accomodations, either with friends or Canadian sharemates.