If affordable housing and low cost of living are on your agenda, then Winnipeg is where you want to be.
The cost of living in Winnipeg makes it the most affordable of the biggest cities in Canada.
The city boasts some of the lowest rent you’ll find in Canada. If you’re looking for cheap apartments for rent in Winnipeg, they’re easier to find than in cities like Toronto.
In fact, the average rent in Winnipeg is less than half of what you’d find in cities like Toronto and Vancouver.
That said, there are still some places that charge more than what your budget can handle. Luckily, there are ways to find the lowest rent prices around. Keep reading to find out more.
How To Find Cheap Apartments For Rent In Winnipeg
There are plenty of websites that can help you find cheap apartments within your budget. Check out the following sites to find your next home:
Kijiji
You can use the popular online classifieds site to search for rentals in Winnipeg. Simply choose the real estate category from the drop-down menu and type in specific keywords into the search bar, and Kijiji will provide you with a list of apartments based on your search criteria. The prices will be listed along with thumbnails of available rentals, and you can filter your search to narrow down the results.
Kijiji also offers a notification feature that will alert you when new rentals are posted that match your search parameters.
Padmapper
Padmapper is designed for renters to find affordable apartments for rent in Winnipeg. Simply type in “Winnipeg” in the search bar, and Padmapper will quickly plot all available rentals on an interactive map. You can narrow down your search by choosing the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, price range, lease term, and other filters.
There are also several links that will take you directly to rentals within specific categories, including pet-friendly apartments, low-cost apartments, and apartments with utilities included.
Zumper
Zumper helps renters find affordable units for rent in Winnipeg. Start your search by typing in the location you’re hoping to find an apartment. Then choose your desired lease term length, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and your budget. Zumper will use that information to populate available apartments in list form and on a map.
If you find a place that you’re interested in, you can apply directly from the Zumper website.
Rentals.ca
Rentals.ca lists properties available for rent, which you can narrow down according to the specific area you’re interested in, price, size, property type, and other filters. Based on your search criteria, Rentals.ca will populate a list of apartments for rent based on your search terms.
There’s also a map-based interface that plots all the available rentals in specific areas in Winnipeg. You can also download the Rentals.ca app to search for rentals on your phone.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is a unique tool on the popular social media site that helps users buy and sell items, and even find places to live.
You can search through the platform to find rentals that match your price range, along with other features you’re looking for. There’s also a “Notify Me” feature that you can sign up for that will send you notifications when new rentals that fit your criteria are posted.
Neighbourhoods With Cheap Apartments For Rent In Winnipeg
Winnipeg is a relatively affordable city to live in compared to the rest of Canada. In fact, the average home price in Winnipeg is nearly half of the national average. Given this, it should be somewhat easy to find cheap apartments for rent in Winnipeg.
That said, some neighbourhoods in the city are cheaper than others, including the following:
| Neighbourhood | Location | Average rent price for a 1-bedroom |
| Alpine Place | Southeast of downtown, east of Red River | $1,025 |
| Rossmere | Northeast of downtown | $971 |
| Wolseley | West of downtown, along the northern shore of Assiniboine River | $1,013 |
| Centennial | Just north of downtown | $845 |
What Is The Average Rent In Winnipeg?
According to Zumper, the average rent in Winnipeg for a 1-bedroom apartment is $1,205. The following chart lists the average rent price for apartments in Winnipeg by number of bedrooms.
| Average Rent | |
| Studio | $933 |
| 1-Bedroom | $1,205 |
| 2-Bedroom | $1,495 |
| 3-Bedroom | $1,799 |
| 4-Bedroom | $1,625 |
What If You Can’t Pay Your Rent In Winnipeg?
If you’re experiencing temporary financial troubles and are struggling to come up with next month’s rent, consider the following options:
Speak To Your Landlord
As soon as you know that you won’t be able to meet next month’s rent, you should contact your landlord. Your landlord may appreciate the heads up and may be open to working with you if you’ve been diligent with your past rent payments. Plus, your landlord may be relying on your rent payment to cover their own property expenses. So the more notice they get, the more time they have to prepare.
Makes Your Rent Payments By Credit Card
Paying your rent with your credit card will help give you some time to come up with the rent money. Plus, with a credit card, you could simply pay the minimum balance to avoid being late on your next credit card bill. However, this method is only recommended if you can pay your bill by the next billing cycle as credit cards have very high interest rates.
Moreover, most landlords don’t accept credit card payments as a form of rent. However, you can use a third-party rent payment platform, such as Plastiq or Letus by RentMoola, to pay your rent on credit.
Not only will you benefit from a timely rent payment without the money upfront, but you can also take advantage of cashback rewards with each dollar spent. Plus, you can build good credit with on-time credit card payments.
Cover Your Rent With A Personal Loan
Rather than come up with a lump sum of money to cover your rent payment, consider taking out a personal loan. The funds from the loan can be used to pay your rent in full. Then you can spread out your personal loan payments over a longer term.
If you have good credit, you can apply for a personal loan from a traditional lender. Though the process may take at least a few days or longer before you finally get the money. Instead, online alternative lenders are much faster in terms of loan approval and funding. You can get access to the money within a day or two, which can be especially helpful if rent is due very soon.
Just be careful about taking on more debt if you’re already having trouble keeping up with your bills.
Can You End A Lease Early In Winnipeg
If you have plans to move out of your apartment, you must give your landlord notice to end your lease which is no less than one rental payment period.
More specifically, notice must be provided at least by the last day of your rental payment period to move out on the last day of the next period. For instance, if your next rent is due on March 1st, you must give your landlord notice on or before February 28th to move out on March 31st.
There are some instances where you can give less notice. For example, if you’re in danger or the landlord is not meeting their obligations. You may have grounds to terminate your lease within less than one rental payment period.
Find Cheap Apartments For Rent Across Canada
Qualifying For Cheap Apartments For Rent In Winnipeg
Using online platforms that let you filter your price range to find the cheapest places to rent is a great way to start your search. But there are ways to lower your rent even more.
Improve Your Credit Score
Your credit score plays a role in various aspects of life, including your ability to get a lease. During the screening process, landlords want to make sure that the tenant they choose will pay their rent on time every month. And one way to vet applicants is to conduct a credit check.
Your credit score will tell the landlord the likelihood that you’ll make timely rent payments. A good score is an indication that you’ll be more likely to pay on time, while a low score makes you a greater risk.
Can You Check Your Credit Score For Free?
Luckily, checking your credit score is easy and free with Loans Canada’s CompareHub. Plus, when you create an account, you can use the platform to help you find loans to help you cover your rent at the lowest rates based on your overall financial health.
Negotiate The Price
You may have found the perfect apartment in Winnipeg, but the price is just a smidge out of your price range. Don’t give up on it just yet. Instead, try wheeling and dealing with the landlord to see if you can whittle down the rent price.
If you have good credit, you can use that to show the landlord that they’ll never have to worry about chasing you down for rent. Many landlords are willing to shave a few bucks off rent for a model tenant.
You could also offer to pay for a couple of months upfront if your finances can handle it. In this case, your landlord won’t have to worry about your rent payments for a while. This may be an offer they can’t refuse.
Of course, the landlord could turn you down. But you won’t know unless you try, and it just might work to get you a great apartment at a price you can afford.
Avoid Peak Seasons
More people are out and about searching for a new home during the summer. And that means more competition for you, which could drive rent prices up higher.
Instead, consider looking for a rental during the colder months when there isn’t as much action among renters. With slower demand, rent prices may come down a bit to stimulate interest. You may be able to find a better deal by shopping around during off times of the year.
Consider University Residences
You’ll usually only find students living in college and university residences throughout the school year. But once school’s out, these residences are vacant and open to travellers and visitors looking for short-term accommodations.
Consider A Roommate
If you’re okay with sharing a kitchen, living room, and bathroom with a roommate, a shared accommodation may be worth looking into. Because of the need to share common spaces. These types of rentals are usually much cheaper than the average fully private unit.
Final Thoughts On Finding Cheap Apartments For Rent In Winnipeg
Rent in Winnipeg is already pretty low compared to other cities in Canada. Even still, there are some neighbourhoods that are more affordable than others, so it’s worth looking at these particular areas to find cheap apartments for rent in Winnipeg.
