Gautam shares his experience of finding a suitable accommodation in British Columbia, Canada

After working with IBM for four years, I completed my PGDM from Bengaluru in 2016. Then, while working as a Business Operations Manager in Unilever, I realized the need of pursuing an MBA to give a boost to my career. It is then I started preparing to study abroad.

Choosing between on-campus and off-campus accommodation

The cost of living in Victoria is quite high. Since accommodation is the single highest monthly expense one could incur, it is important to weigh the options carefully. There are two choices available:

a. On-campus stay in student dorms (CAD 800/month).

Since one is staying on-campus, so, one can save a lot of time on commuting and money as well. For an additional CAD 80, one can avail of two meals a day i.e. breakfast and dinner. Also, students staying on-campus can avail themselves of all the facilities like the library, gym, and sports arena, and join the student clubs as well. One gets a lot of networking opportunities with fellow boarders. However, it is quite expensive to stay on-campus, it can cost you around CAD 800 which is approximately INR 45,000.

b. Paid accommodation with a local Victorian family can cost anywhere between CAD 500 to 800 per month.

It is cheaper than an on-campus stay and gives you exposure to the local lifestyle as one would be sharing the home with a local family. The biggest advantage here is that the landlord can help you in understanding the city. These families host foreign students every year and they can help the students in many different and unexpected ways. Depending on the location of the house, the rent varies too much. Low-cost accommodation is often quite far from the college campus and a lot of time is spent commuting every day.

Best off-campus option: PG, home-stay, or shared apartment

In my experience, homestay is the best option out of these because homestay families are well-acquainted with the nuances of cultural differences as they have the experience of hosting the students every year. This makes it easier to adapt for students as well. Apart from this, one can save on the food cost that PG charges. It is best to cook your own food while staying abroad as it helps us to learn how to survive solo and doesn't spring any surprises.

Shared apartments can be a tricky choice. It can be a cultural shock to have someone from a different country, equally inexperienced as you, share a room with you. It can either turn out to be an experience of a lifetime or be stuck with someone incompatible for the duration of your stay. In the case of homestay, students don’t have to face such problems.

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Finding a suitable accommodation on arrival

The best thing to do is to start searching for accommodation months in advance. There are many local websites where families and students advertise for giving rooms and apartments on rent/lease.

Some of the best sites (like https://www.kijiji.ca/) do not allow posting or replying to advertising outside Canada; so one needs to go via a VPN to work on them. Start searching at least 2 months in advance. All good homes get filled up first.

Negotiating for rent/lease

Home-stay accommodations usually have a fixed rent, so, it is difficult to negotiate the rent. Some families ask for a Skype interview and a local reference before renting out their place. If one does not have a Canadian relative/friend who can refer you, it's a good idea to contact the college representative for a referral.

Facilities you can expect/ask for from a PG, home-stay, or shared apartment

I only have experienced home-stay that included the following facilities in the total rent:

• Wi-Fi
• Room-heating
• Kitchen (gas, dish-washer, all utensils)
• Washing machine and dryer (including the washing powder)
• Two-wheeler parking
• All household appliances (fridge, TV, and vacuum-cleaner)

Factors to consider before selecting the location

Look for something close to the college, and avoid areas that are located in the heart of the city. Although traffic jams are not a problem, it gets pretty crowded on the bus during busy hours.

How satisfied are you with your city (accommodation)?

I am completely satisfied. Canadians are very friendly and there is nothing I can complain about.

Student discounts or websites to look for student accommodation

Student discounts are available for on-campus accommodation, but the quota gets filled in a flash, so one cannot rely on that. Besides, homestay accommodation is cheaper than dorms, even without any discount.

About the Author:

Gautam completed his B.Tech in Electronics & Communication Engineering from NIT Silchar. Currently, he is pursuing MBA in Service Management from the University of Victoria, British Columbia.