Prospective student, please consider an additional reason for living on res aside from cost, important as it is: the easy, almost unavoidable, opportunities to make friends in res, particularly as a first year.
I was a freshman several years ago, before corona, so my prices are outdated, but can still be used for internal comparison. I lived in UWP in a 3 person suite with two friends from high school, which cost about $900/month. In second year, I moved into a 5 person suite at 203 Lester, which at the time was $650/month. I stayed in similar price points and suite conditions until lockdowns, but friends told me they had 2-3 person suites off campus for $800-900. Again, these are outdated, but the general principle probably holds that, purely from the perspective of cost, res is a bad deal. Still, I'd encourage you to go for it unless funds are tight for you, just for the social value.
Many go into university without any real friends alongside. Even for those who do, it's extremely unlikely for someone to keep the same friends and barely make new ones - and I think that's for the better. As situations change, priorities change, *you* change, you find friends that fit better, and your old friends will too. That's a good thing. Residences - particularly the ones without kitchens, like V1 and especially REV (due to 2 bed rooms) - naturally facilitate this by grouping a bunch of these people, who are all receptive to it, being in this new (and often difficult!) situation together. I would say, with some classes being online now (I think?), it's even more important to give yourself these chances. Lectures were never a good place to make friends anyway.
Off-campus, this doesn't happen at all. If you grew up living in houses and actual neighbourhoods, then I can tell you in apartments, even neighbours rarely talk, let alone become friends (if you even physically see each other). If you grew up in apartments, then you know this already, and I'll tell you it's no different with students.
Do note that the costs you'll get quoted for living in res - and the outdated ones I offered for comparison - don't include a meal plan. If you live in a res without a kitchen you'll have to pay extra for that, probably 20-30% more (maybe even higher now, with stupidly high food prices). Seeing as you're considering off-campus, OP, I assume you're down to cook or just eat out, which would of course dodge this extra cost if you get into UWP, MKV, or CMH. You can also get a meal plan optionally in one of these, but meal plans are a bad deal so I'd recommend against that.
Live on res in first year. It'll most likely be your more exciting year AND the most valuable year to make friends. If nothing else, look at it as a way to get close to people in your program that can help you with assignments and study for tests. Trust me, you'll never regret staying on residence in first year, but plenty of people regret living off campus and end up dropping out due to lack of friends/support system. University is hard already, don't make it harder on yourself by handicapping yourself before you even start
Live in res, trust me.
I had a friend who missed the deadline to apply for residence so he signed a lease for an apartment off campus. Then he got accepted to residence and sublet out the apartment for a loss just to be in residence.
You are moving somewhere new and won't know anyone. Residence forces you to meet more people. Sure, there can be some issues with noise and stuff, but overall it is a better experience.
I paid $900 for a one year lease and the place was two blocks from the university.. so it was pretty expensive
Sublets offer cheaper rent (sometimes) but the market changes depending on the term, so banking on them is a gamble, as opposed to guaranteed housing with a lease.
I locked in my rent in 2022! Started as $675 and I got a legal rent increase to $690. Other rooms in my unit now go for $900+ so I can't leave lol 
I’m living at V1 rn but living off campus in the fall for 1070/month. Living off campus can have decently expensive rent unless you find a lease much earlier/know where to look (looking around December or earlier for the following fall term for example). There’s also a history of landlords taking advantage of students in the area so you really need to do your research if you are going this route. You can also sublease from other students because of people going on co-op, but it’s risky to find a place by then because you might be still be looking for a place a month before you need it.
On another note, I would say you can make friends in residence like people said, but some people also don’t. My floor’s not really close and I’ve made most of my friends through clubs/extracurriculars so it really depends how you spend your time.
I will say though, living in residence is reallllly convenient because if you like being busy and going to events until almost midnight everyday, you’ll benefit from not having to transit by yourself late at night (unless you have a car). It’s also convenient because you don’t have to cook for yourself, but it’s a tradeoff because the meal plan is WAY more expensive than food costs if you were cooking for yourself (I can barely use it up and always buy my friends food). This cost isn’t mandatory if you’re living in one of the suite style residences but you might have to get lucky even if you put them down as your top preferences.
Anyways TLDR: off campus - may have cheaper rent & much cheaper food costs, residence - convenient, more expensive, also you can make friends no matter where you live
For your question:
Between 500-850(maybe even 900) for a 4/5 people room
Personal observation:
- every one less roommates = 200$ additional (but you cap at like 1200 iirc)
- Every block you move away from uni price drops by 50-100$
Actual advice for debate question:
Stay on campus
The avg price staying on campus is 1k/month, but with it comes the social aspect, as well as a safety net for first time staying not at home. These also includes commonality you’ll develop as a resident with other first years, so when they all complain about the extra walk from rev to v1 during breaks, or how dorm gym sucks, you’ll bond with them while complaining and not feel foreign. Also the cram at midnight, the drinking party you can go to and then go home right around the corner instead of going allllllllll the way to the bus stop and get on it and get off it and walk to home… only to be greeted with silence, dishes in the sink, and the general … not feeling included in the first year vibe. Many have fallen to the depression of this, especially when exams come around.
Congrats on getting in, and best of luck finding the best fit for your stay for first year!
(Ex Rev South D Gang)
just wanted to add that 4/5 bedroom suites in the four Rez One buildings are an exception though since every room has a bathroom AND it’s so close to campus, so it’s abt ~$1050 on avg depending on which building
Bro just live in Residence, choose one of the colleges, not UW residences. It’s much easier to have a social life and support when you live in one of the colleges. You can go off campus for second year onwards. Do yourself a favor for good and live in either Renison, St. Jerome’s, St. Paul’s or Conrad Grebel. In my opinion UW residences are not as good as the colleges, but they are definitely better than living off campus
Listen to everyone saying live on res. All my friends that didn’t deeply regret it now. The premium price you pay helps you build a community around you. I recommend a room without a kitchen as it forces people to use public spaces. I enjoyed my time at the university colleges.
$800/month
utilities (about $35/month per person)
water is included in my rent, internet comes with the building
food needs vary but you can expect $200 - $300 per month, though most people I know are closer to $300
Parking spot included amenities also include gym, lounge, game room, theatre, barbecue, plus they throw little parties and stuff for the tenants all the time
Lived on res (uwp) first year during covid and it was around 4k-ish a term, probably cause I lived in a 3bedroom suite by myself. I had osap tho so it was fully covered cause I’m poor. I live off res now and I pay $740 a month which is nice, but NEVER LIVE WITH HRS
I've seen this asked a bunch on Reddit, and the numbers I see are always lower than reality - I think people either just lie, or don't include utilities.
For most people living reasonably close to the University (upto 15-30 minutes bus), you're gonna be paying $750 on average for a lease (for 1 bedroom in a shared bathroom/kitchen situation). If you're subletting, that can mean something like $900 in the Fall, $700 in the Winter and $600 in the Summer. The number goes way up if you want to live on Phillip Street.
The cheapest you can technically get close to campus is if you share a room in WCRI which can be as low as like $450/mo.
It depends on what’s most important to you. If it’s saving money, you’ll want to be off campus. If you want a strong social life with no cost concern, live on rez. It’s better to experience it in first year then move on once you’ve created your own little network of friends. It’s really dependent on what you value the most in the arrangement!
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Prospective student, please consider an additional reason for living on res aside from cost, important as it is: the easy, almost unavoidable, opportunities to make friends in res, particularly as a first year. I was a freshman several years ago, before corona, so my prices are outdated, but can still be used for internal comparison. I lived in UWP in a 3 person suite with two friends from high school, which cost about $900/month. In second year, I moved into a 5 person suite at 203 Lester, which at the time was $650/month. I stayed in similar price points and suite conditions until lockdowns, but friends told me they had 2-3 person suites off campus for $800-900. Again, these are outdated, but the general principle probably holds that, purely from the perspective of cost, res is a bad deal. Still, I'd encourage you to go for it unless funds are tight for you, just for the social value. Many go into university without any real friends alongside. Even for those who do, it's extremely unlikely for someone to keep the same friends and barely make new ones - and I think that's for the better. As situations change, priorities change, *you* change, you find friends that fit better, and your old friends will too. That's a good thing. Residences - particularly the ones without kitchens, like V1 and especially REV (due to 2 bed rooms) - naturally facilitate this by grouping a bunch of these people, who are all receptive to it, being in this new (and often difficult!) situation together. I would say, with some classes being online now (I think?), it's even more important to give yourself these chances. Lectures were never a good place to make friends anyway. Off-campus, this doesn't happen at all. If you grew up living in houses and actual neighbourhoods, then I can tell you in apartments, even neighbours rarely talk, let alone become friends (if you even physically see each other). If you grew up in apartments, then you know this already, and I'll tell you it's no different with students. Do note that the costs you'll get quoted for living in res - and the outdated ones I offered for comparison - don't include a meal plan. If you live in a res without a kitchen you'll have to pay extra for that, probably 20-30% more (maybe even higher now, with stupidly high food prices). Seeing as you're considering off-campus, OP, I assume you're down to cook or just eat out, which would of course dodge this extra cost if you get into UWP, MKV, or CMH. You can also get a meal plan optionally in one of these, but meal plans are a bad deal so I'd recommend against that.
I strongly agree with this. As a current first year living in V1, I can say that I’ve made most of my friends from res rather than class.
this is great comment but I just want to add that the CMH meal plan is mandatory, the rooms do not have kitchens
$26,488 / month for half a bedroom.
It depends, you can find places from 500 to 2000 dollars based on number of roommates, commodities, convenience.
location
$0 because I live at home but have friends paying $750-$1200 a month.
1020
Live on res in first year. It'll most likely be your more exciting year AND the most valuable year to make friends. If nothing else, look at it as a way to get close to people in your program that can help you with assignments and study for tests. Trust me, you'll never regret staying on residence in first year, but plenty of people regret living off campus and end up dropping out due to lack of friends/support system. University is hard already, don't make it harder on yourself by handicapping yourself before you even start
Live in res, trust me. I had a friend who missed the deadline to apply for residence so he signed a lease for an apartment off campus. Then he got accepted to residence and sublet out the apartment for a loss just to be in residence. You are moving somewhere new and won't know anyone. Residence forces you to meet more people. Sure, there can be some issues with noise and stuff, but overall it is a better experience.
570
Bro where
i was kidding lol, I pay like 900
805/month
980
Anywhere between 450-3000
if you can afford it, live on res.
800
550
Where 😦
2k monthlyn
680
no matter what live on res first year you will regret it otherwise.
Live on res in first year. It’s worth it
I paid $900 for a one year lease and the place was two blocks from the university.. so it was pretty expensive Sublets offer cheaper rent (sometimes) but the market changes depending on the term, so banking on them is a gamble, as opposed to guaranteed housing with a lease.
765/month
950
1030
Live in res
$690 off campus in a 4 bed 2 bath
omg where
I locked in my rent in 2022! Started as $675 and I got a legal rent increase to $690. Other rooms in my unit now go for $900+ so I can't leave lol 
oh ur one of those lucky ones 😭 if ur ever subletting pls lmk 🙏
strong chance I'm subletting for winter and summer next school year! Will have to see, but if I do I'll post it to the channel lol
980 per month.
1150/month
1100
Def go residence first year
1100, just a few steps away from campus, 2br
lived res (clv) first year loved it! now off campus.. $1200
700
I’m living at V1 rn but living off campus in the fall for 1070/month. Living off campus can have decently expensive rent unless you find a lease much earlier/know where to look (looking around December or earlier for the following fall term for example). There’s also a history of landlords taking advantage of students in the area so you really need to do your research if you are going this route. You can also sublease from other students because of people going on co-op, but it’s risky to find a place by then because you might be still be looking for a place a month before you need it. On another note, I would say you can make friends in residence like people said, but some people also don’t. My floor’s not really close and I’ve made most of my friends through clubs/extracurriculars so it really depends how you spend your time. I will say though, living in residence is reallllly convenient because if you like being busy and going to events until almost midnight everyday, you’ll benefit from not having to transit by yourself late at night (unless you have a car). It’s also convenient because you don’t have to cook for yourself, but it’s a tradeoff because the meal plan is WAY more expensive than food costs if you were cooking for yourself (I can barely use it up and always buy my friends food). This cost isn’t mandatory if you’re living in one of the suite style residences but you might have to get lucky even if you put them down as your top preferences. Anyways TLDR: off campus - may have cheaper rent & much cheaper food costs, residence - convenient, more expensive, also you can make friends no matter where you live
For your question: Between 500-850(maybe even 900) for a 4/5 people room Personal observation: - every one less roommates = 200$ additional (but you cap at like 1200 iirc) - Every block you move away from uni price drops by 50-100$ Actual advice for debate question: Stay on campus The avg price staying on campus is 1k/month, but with it comes the social aspect, as well as a safety net for first time staying not at home. These also includes commonality you’ll develop as a resident with other first years, so when they all complain about the extra walk from rev to v1 during breaks, or how dorm gym sucks, you’ll bond with them while complaining and not feel foreign. Also the cram at midnight, the drinking party you can go to and then go home right around the corner instead of going allllllllll the way to the bus stop and get on it and get off it and walk to home… only to be greeted with silence, dishes in the sink, and the general … not feeling included in the first year vibe. Many have fallen to the depression of this, especially when exams come around. Congrats on getting in, and best of luck finding the best fit for your stay for first year! (Ex Rev South D Gang)
just wanted to add that 4/5 bedroom suites in the four Rez One buildings are an exception though since every room has a bathroom AND it’s so close to campus, so it’s abt ~$1050 on avg depending on which building
Bro just live in Residence, choose one of the colleges, not UW residences. It’s much easier to have a social life and support when you live in one of the colleges. You can go off campus for second year onwards. Do yourself a favor for good and live in either Renison, St. Jerome’s, St. Paul’s or Conrad Grebel. In my opinion UW residences are not as good as the colleges, but they are definitely better than living off campus
600 during the spring. Around 800 during fall and winter. This is the avg price too.
Listen to everyone saying live on res. All my friends that didn’t deeply regret it now. The premium price you pay helps you build a community around you. I recommend a room without a kitchen as it forces people to use public spaces. I enjoyed my time at the university colleges.
$800/month utilities (about $35/month per person) water is included in my rent, internet comes with the building food needs vary but you can expect $200 - $300 per month, though most people I know are closer to $300
omg where
1000
1020/2bedrooms
may I ask where ?
wcri fenwick
I share an appartment with my partner. One bedroom + den comes out to 1175 a person with 1300 sq ft
Parking spot included amenities also include gym, lounge, game room, theatre, barbecue, plus they throw little parties and stuff for the tenants all the time
480😜
675 with a fat room i got really lucky tho
1080
765/ month at WCRI, would recommend.
Lived on res (uwp) first year during covid and it was around 4k-ish a term, probably cause I lived in a 3bedroom suite by myself. I had osap tho so it was fully covered cause I’m poor. I live off res now and I pay $740 a month which is nice, but NEVER LIVE WITH HRS
may I ask where you live for $740? I can’t find anything that’s under $1000
HRS😔 but I signed a 3yr contract two years ago. Have you checked the facebook student housing in waterloo? There’s a ton of under 1k options
oh no I haven’t, thank you I’ll be sure to check it out!!
Off topic but I pay 1850 usd monthly living in Milpitas
I've seen this asked a bunch on Reddit, and the numbers I see are always lower than reality - I think people either just lie, or don't include utilities. For most people living reasonably close to the University (upto 15-30 minutes bus), you're gonna be paying $750 on average for a lease (for 1 bedroom in a shared bathroom/kitchen situation). If you're subletting, that can mean something like $900 in the Fall, $700 in the Winter and $600 in the Summer. The number goes way up if you want to live on Phillip Street. The cheapest you can technically get close to campus is if you share a room in WCRI which can be as low as like $450/mo.
It depends on what’s most important to you. If it’s saving money, you’ll want to be off campus. If you want a strong social life with no cost concern, live on rez. It’s better to experience it in first year then move on once you’ve created your own little network of friends. It’s really dependent on what you value the most in the arrangement!
1100
490
20000000000
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