As shocking as it might be, this Vancouver neighbourhood has just surpassed Downtown Vancouver in being the most expensive place to rent.
Downtown Vancouver has a huge reputation for being extraordinarily pricey. Living in the heart of the city will definitely make your rental prices soar. But, what does it mean when the king of high-priced rent is toppled off his throne?
HEADING DOWN
This month, liv.rent published some interesting news in their May 2025 Metro Vancouver Rent Report. The highlights of this report include North Vancouver rent soaring sky-high and Surrey being the most affordable for unfurnished rentals.
But, the real spotlight is on Downtown Vancouver’s rent prices being overtaken.
The last time we reported on liv.rent, we noted that rental prices were trending downwards altogether. While this remains true in May’s report, that doesn’t mean other prices cannot fluctuate within that.
HEADING UP
Depending on your familiarity with the area, you may or may not be surprised to hear that it is the Dunbar-Arbutus area that has risen above Downtown Vancouver’s rental prices.
For an unfurnished one-bedroom unit, Downtown renters are paying an average of $2,707 a month. For Dunbar-Arbutus renters, they’re paying $2,734. Although that’s only a difference of $27, the fact remains that it’s higher than Downtown’s pricing.
As for other information from the report, some notable facts are that Coquitlam, Surrey, and Richmond were “the only areas to see prices increase for one-bedroom furnished units” in May. Surrey is still your best bet if you’re a renter, though. The prices there currently have the “lowest average rental prices for all types of unfurnished units.”
Although we won’t know if Dunbar-Arbutus rent increases will stick in June until liv.rent’s next report, Metro Vancouverites can feel proud (or horrified) that all five of liv.rent’s most expensive Canadian cities to rent in are in Metro Vancouver.
