Primary Market Rents | Metro Vancouver

Median rents, when compared to changes in inflation and incomes, provide a good indicator of housing affordability. When rents grow at a faster rate than incomes, affordability pressures increase, particularly for households with lower incomes.

Data for median market rents is obtained from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Rental Market Survey, which collects rental market metrics such as rents, turnover, and vacancy rates for the primary rental market. The available primary rental market data includes purpose-built apartments of three units or more, as well as rented townhouses. The rest of the rental market is mostly privately rented secondary suites, laneway houses, condominium apartment units, and non-market rental units. The information presented below refers to the purpose-built market rental inventory only, and excludes data on the secondary rental market and the non-market rental inventory.

National, provincial, and regional trend in median market rents

Percentage change from 2002 levels in median rent, average weekly wages, and Consumer Price Index (CPI)

Median market rents in Metro Vancouver

Annual % change of median market rent by bedroom count

Key observations

Rents have continued to rise in recent years, but the rate of increase has slowed. From 2024 to 2025, the median rent for purpose-built apartments and townhouses in Metro Vancouver increased by 3% from $1,820 to $1,875. In comparison, between 2023 to 2024, the median rent increased by 6.1% from $1,715 to $1,820.
In 2025, the median rent for purpose-built apartments and townhouses in Metro Vancouver remained at $1,875 compared to the $1,750 median in BC. However, BC’s overall percentage change in median rent since 2002 has now surpassed Metro Vancouver, with BC at 169.2% and Metro Vancouver at 166%. Over the past 5 years (2021 to 2025), the median rent increased 29.6% for BC and 27.1% for Metro Vancouver.
Over the past five years (2021 – 2025), purpose-built median rents in Metro Vancouver increased by 27.1% (+$400).
Between 2021 to 2025, median rents have increased faster than inflation and average wages at 27%, compared to 17% for inflation and 21% for average wages.
When indexed to a 2002 baseline, median rent in the region increased by 150% by 2025, compared to a 100% increase in average wages in BC and a 61% increase in inflation.
There were substantial variations in median primary market rents across the region. The highest median rents in 2025 were in Electoral Area A ($2,760), the District of North Vancouver ($2,551), and Port Moody ($2,380).
Between 2024 and 2025, median primary market rents increased in most jurisdictions. Delta recorded the greatest annual increase (+23.3%), followed by Port Moody (+17.1%). Rents decreased in Port Coquitlam (-20.5%), White Rock (-9.5%), and Coquitlam (-5.3%).

Median market rents by bedroom count

Notes

The glossary provides definitions of each technical term, ensuring consistent interpretation.
Jurisdiction and Metro Vancouver totals may not equal the sum of individual values due to rounding, data suppression, or the omission of smaller data points to maintain visual readability. If a geography is not listed or appears missing, the associated data was either unavailable or did not meet reporting thresholds.
Proportion percentages are calculated using available data and may exclude instances of missed or suppressed data.
Electoral Area A includes UBC/UEL (University of British Columbia / University Endowment Lands).
Data includes purpose-built apartments and rental townhouses.
The CMHC purpose-built market rental universe excludes secondary suites, non‐market rental units, and privately rented condominium units.

Source
This information is from Statistics Canada census data, and the CMHC Rental Market Survey.

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