I’ve been doing lots of research about housing options in Canada upon my return and there are a few options, some of which are definitely better than others.
1. Buy a small condo of some kind. I kind of like this option, but I don’t like the idea of buying in a city where I’m only going to school for 2 years and it’s uncertain if I can get a job there, or not. As my sister and brother in law pointed out, closing costs would be really high if I was only going to live there for 2 years. I think it’s better to save my pool of money for a down payment on an apartment when I get my first “real” job.
2. Renting a one-bedroom apartment. This is a decent option, but prices are quite high in Victoria (around $800-1000) or Vancouver ($1000-1500). Finding a place that allows cats will be a challenge too. Thankfully, I’m pretty adaptable when it comes to where I’m willing to live and I truly don’t care about living in the nice area of town, or a newer place, furnished or unfurnished, small or big.
3. Renting a room in a shared house. I’ve been living on my own for the past 10 years, so sharing with random people isn’t so appealing, but the price is certainly right ($400-700). I could certainly live in a nicer place (with a backyard garden?) with roommates than if I were on my own.
4. Buying a Tiny House 
and living…somewhere. The somewhere is the big challenge. Towable tiny homes run in the $15 000-25 000 range, which I could afford but finding somewhere to park it isn’t that easy. RV parks are an option and there are lots around the Victoria area, but they are kind of expensive, especially in summer ($500+ per month). Living in someone’s backyard or acreage would be cheaper, but not so easy to find.
5. Living on a boat. Plenty of people seem to do it, for free on the Fraser River in Vancouver. This seems kind of ideal, but I’m totally and completely useless when it comes to anything mechanical so the idea of having to maintain a boat is kind of a nightmare.
6. Living in a family member of friend’s basement or spare room. I like this option, but sadly, I have no close relatives in Vancouver or Victoria, which is where I really want to live. Everyone seems to live in Alberta, which is way too cold for me to seriously consider living there.
I’m leaning towards #2 and #4. Anyone in Victoria or Vancouver with a little piece of land that I could park a tiny home on? I’m willing to pay!
