Searching for the best short-term or long-term rentals in Halifax can be a challenge.

Thousands of Canadian and international students attend Halifax universities, colleges, English and French language training programs, and renting a student room, sublet or flat that fits your budget, lifestyle and safety requirements as early as possible can make a big difference to your life in Halifax.

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Location Matters

Moving to a new city is hard, especially when you’ve never been there, aren't familiar with local neighborhoods and don’t have any friends who can help you. When looking for student room sublet or lease, take into account what your day to day commute will look like. Do you want to be able to walk to work or school? Are you willing to spend an hour on the bus? Depending on your comfort level, you should look at locations central to the places you will be travelling to frequently. Look for nearby grocery stores, restaurants, gyms and bus stops to help make your decision.

Price Point

When searching for student rentals, price is often the biggest factor when choosing your new home. Generally, the more central you are and more amenities your residence, house or flat has, the more expensive your accommodations will be. Some times it is better to pay a little more to live close to your university, college or language school than to rent a cheap student room outside the city core and suffer the from the extra cost and inconvenience of long bus and taxi rides every day. Your student rent costs in Halifax will also depend on how many flatmates you have, if utilities are included, whether your room is furnished or unfurnished, the use of house cleaning services and the security measures in place to ensure your safety. It is important to asses what features are important to you when picking a price range, and what features you will be comfortable living without.

Cooking vs. Meal Plans

Most flats and shared houses have shared cooking facilities where students share one kitchen and fridge. However, many people who leave home for the first time are unsure on how to cook, and would rather have a meal plan. Depending on your school, you can find a meal plan that works for you. If you live in a private full-service residence like Granville Hall, you can purchase a meal plan at your residence directly.

Public Transit Access

The cheapest way to get around a new city is public transit. Pick a location that offers you options in terms of bus routes to make getting around the city as easy as possible. A quick way to do that is to use Google Maps to check travel times to important locations. Be sure to check if you receive a bus pass through your school and if not, where you can buy one when you arrive in the city.

Flatmates

Speaking from experience, flatmates can make living and studying in Halifax a wonderful experience or a miserable one. Consider whether you want to live independently or share space with other students. If you do want to live with other students, make sure that you and your flatmates agree about living standards and expectations, such as noise, cleanliness, privacy and safety. Make sure that your student rental is in a house, flat or residence that has a superintendent or landlord who can help resolve flatmate disagreements.

Moving to a new city and making new friends is an exciting experience. With good planning and preparation, students can find affordable rentals in downtown Halifax and live comfortably for the duration of their studies. If you’re looking for all-inclusive furnished student rentals in downtown Halifax, check out our single and premium student rooms at Granville Hall.