The Benefits of Co-Living over Traditional Rentals for International Students in Winnipeg

Finding a safe and affordable place to live is one of the biggest challenges facing international students in Canada today, especially in cities like Winnipeg. In 2023, Canadian universities welcomed over 1 million international students. This record-breaking increase has pushed student housing demand to historic highs.

Yet Winnipeg’s rental market has not kept pace. Vacancy rates are hovering around 1.5%, rent prices are rising, and there are limited on-campus housing options. That means many students in different cities are left with few safe or affordable accommodation choices.

The result? Overcrowded housing, expensive leases, and growing stress for international students trying to settle and start their academic life in Winnipeg or other major cities.

However, there’s a shift underway. As traditional rentals become harder to secure, more students are turning to co-living. This cost-effective alternative to traditional rentals offers flexible lease terms and a sense of community.

Understanding Co-Living for International Students

Co-living is a shared housing model where students rent a private bedroom but share lounges, kitchens, and other amenities with other tenants. Unlike private flats or traditional student residence halls, co-living areas are designed to support a sense of community.

Thus, students can access fully furnished bedrooms, all-inclusive bills, and shared social areas. Most co-living areas come with amenities such as study rooms, organized social events, and gyms.

What Co-Living Feels Like for Students

Living in a co-living space gives students a sense of comfort, connection, and routine. Instead of managing bills, furniture, and landlords alone, students walk into ready-to-live housing units with furnished rooms, shared kitchens, and inviting common areas. These shared spaces naturally lead to friendships, late-night study sessions, and a stronger sense of community.

The experience is entirely different for international students who opt for traditional rental apartments. Imagine you have finally gotten into your dream program at the University of Winnipeg Collegiate. You’re moving to Winnipeg. However, before you attend your first lecture, you are already stressed.

Finding a room for rent in Winnipeg may feel like a second major. Most property listings may look promising until you visit and realize that the listed ‘spacious room’ advertised is a mould-infested small space, or someone else pays $200 extra for that one-bedroom apartment you wanted, and the property owner ghosts you.

For an international student juggling a class schedule, a study visa, and a limited budget, finding affordable accommodation in major Canadian cities is exhausting.

Co-living changes that. Instead of facing it all alone, you move into a furnished space with shared kitchens, lounges, and study areas designed for student life. You meet people from day one. You split costs, not comfort. According to Statistics Canada, 60% of international students cite housing as their top concern. Thus, co-living makes adjusting to life in Winnipeg a little easier.

Shared Amenities Make Daily Life Easier for International Students

Living away from home comes with challenges. However, the right environment can make all the difference.Co-living spaces in Winnipeg and other major Canadian cities offer a room to sleep and other shared amenities that support your daily life. For international students, the following amenities offer convenience and peace of mind that typical rentals rarely provide.

High-Speed Internet Connection

Let’s be honest; if the Wi-Fi is down, nearly everything feels harder for a higher education student. Perhaps you wanted to attend a virtual lecture, call family back home, or stream a show after class. You need a fast and stable internet connection.

In fact, 85% of students say high-speed Wi-Fi is one of their top housing priorities. Co-living takes care of that. No setup fees or hidden fees. High-speed internet connection is one less thing to stress about in Winnipeg co-living facilities, especially for international students.

Housekeeping and Maintenance

Co-living in most Canadian cities usually includes regular housekeeping and on-call maintenance services. That means all shared areas stay clean, and when something breaks, professional help is just a phone call away.

For international students adjusting to a new environment, this kind of support matters. It keeps your space livable and your mind focused on school, not on fixing a leaky tap or arguing with roommates over whose turn it is to mop the kitchen.

Study Areas and Meeting Rooms

Trying to study at a noisy kitchen table in a shared apartment can be challenging. Co-living spaces like ARC&ALIGN usually include quiet study rooms and shared meeting areas. These areas are perfect for late-night exam prep or group project activities.

According to recent student housing trends, over 80% of students usually value spaces dedicated to academic work. When you choose co-living, you don’t need to fight for a library spot or spend money at cafés. Your study space is just down the hall.

 Common Areas or Social Spaces

Making friends in a new country can be hard, but not when there’s a shared lounge, game room, or kitchen just steps away. These spaces make it easy to meet other students without feeling awkward. One study found that over 50% of students said social spaces made them feel more connected and less lonely. Thus, co-living offers a casual and natural way to develop social connections while ensuring you have more independence. No small talk in class required.

Laundry Facilities

Co-living setups usually include in-unit or on-site laundry, which may be app-enabled so you know when your clothes are done. You don’t need coins (for laundromat), wait in line, or drag heavy bags through snow to a laundromat during the winter. It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference in your weekly routine, especially when you’re managing classes, part-time work, and adjusting to a new lifestyle.

Security Features

Safety is everything, especially when you’re far from home. Co-living properties have secure entries, surveillance cameras, and sometimes even on-site security staff. According to a 2024 survey, over 80% of students ranked housing security as a top priority when looking for student accommodation, especially off-campus housing.

Co-living facilities with built-in security systems give students and their families peace of mind. This isn’t always guaranteed in private rentals.

Fitness (Gym) and Wellness Facilities

Between your studies and part-time jobs, squeezing in time for fitness isn’t easy. That’s why having a gym in the same building helps. A 2024 study found that student accommodation options (particularly off-campus housing) with fitness facilities have a better retention rate and well-being outcomes.

Co-Living Facilities Have Student-Friendly Entry Requirements

If you’re an international student, renting a one-bedroom apartment in a big city like Winnipeg may feel like a rigged game. A potential landlord may require you to have a full-time job (of course, you don’t have one), a good credit score (which you have not yet built), and a guarantor.

In addition to the strict entry requirements, off-campus housing costs have increased significantly. For instance, a one-bedroom apartment in City Center costs about $936.30 (one month’s rent). That’s approximately $11,235.60 per year. If you choose to rent a similar apartment outside the City Center, you will pay $826.59 per month ($9,919.08 per year).

Co-living may be slightly costlier, but it eliminates the entry limits associated with traditional rentals. These facilities offer student-friendly requirements. That means you can move in without a guarantor or a Canadian credit score.

Generally, co-living is designed for real student life. In a market where property listings vanish fast and rules don’t fit students’ financial reality, co-living offers a fair and accessible housing choice.

No Roommate Drama

Living with a roommate is part of student life, especially if you prefer shared accommodation to private apartments. However, that does not mean you should sacrifice your comfort and peace of mind.

Talk to any student in university residence or traditional rental units in Winnipeg and you will hear weird stories about roommates who blast music even the night before your exam, or one who never cleans. Others have a roommate who communicates with passive-aggressive sticky notes.

If you don’t need a roommate, you can get your own private room, so you always have personal space. Indeed, co-living is a student living model that respects your time, schedule, and gives you peace of mind. No drama.

All-Inclusive Rent

If you are an internal student in Winnipeg, the last thing you want is five separate bills, unexpected utility charges, or chasing landlords over overdue repairs. In traditional rental units, students often pay separately for electricity, water, Wi-Fi, and sometimes even laundry or cleaning. Keep in mind that utility costs in Winnipeg average CAD 193 per month, and internet adds another CAD 70–80 per month. That’s on top of your rent, not to mention that such costs fluctuate with the seasons.

Co-living simplifies everything. You pay one flat monthly rate that includes it all: high-speed internet, heating, electricity, water, and in many cases, weekly cleaning and in-building laundry.

Therefore, you don’t have to worry about prohibitively high winter heating bills or sharing an internet plan with unreliable roommates. You know exactly what you’re paying each month. No guesswork, no extra fees, and no stress. It’s simple, student-friendly, and far easier to budget on a limited income or scholarship.

Fully Furnished & Ready-to-Move-In Room

Imagine arriving in Winnipeg with just your suitcase, and your accommodation is already set up. That’s what co-living offers. On the other hand, traditional rentals will require you to look for furniture. Estimates show that furnishing a one-bedroom apartment can cost CAD 3,500–7,500, including bed, sofa, desk, dining set, kitchenware, lamps, and delivery fees. That means even modest setups run into the thousands of dollars in addition to your residence fees.

Now, consider co-living. You will find your private room fully equipped with a bed, a wardrobe, a desk, and kitchen appliances. No IKEA trips, thrift-store hunts, or heavy lifting. Winnipeg listings for furnished rooms near the University of Manitoba often range from CAD 550 to 700 or higher. These costs often include the cost of utilities and Wi‑Fi.

That saves international students from spending upwards of $3K on furniture they’ll likely resell when they leave. No assembly headaches, no hidden delivery costs, no storage to worry about. Co-living means a ‘plug-and-play’ start to your ’study abroad journey.’ So you can focus on your studies, not apartment setup.

Convenient Locations

Co-living spaces in Winnipeg are often located in student learning institutions. Think of Fort Garry near the University of Manitoba or the University of Winnipeg and Osborne Village, which has easy access to buses, light rail, and city amenities. Fort Garry, for example, is widely recommended for its proximity to the University of Manitoba campus and strong transit options

Listings like 85 on Young put you just 1.8 km from the University of Winnipeg and a 5–7 minute walk to major bus routes. Such areas are ideal for students . Traditional rentals or other accommodation types that are far from the learning institutions can mean 30–45 minute commutes in winter. Many international students often point out that living near rapid transit lines, like Osborne Village or West Broadway, makes all the difference .

Co-living flips this complex commute equation. Imagine you’re a few minutes walk away from campus or transit. This could save you several hours each week and cut bus fare significantly. When lectures or socials run late, you’re just a quick walk or bus ride away from your home. That convenience isn’t a bonus. It is a necessity for busy international students trying to balance studies, work, and social life.

Is Co-Living in Winnipeg Right for You?

Co-living is a practical, student-centred solution for anyone adjusting to life in a new city or country. If you’re an international student arriving in Winnipeg, you’re already juggling a lot: a new culture, academic pressures, and the logistics of settling in. Choosing the right place to live shouldn’t add to the stress. That’s where co-living comes in. This option may be right for you if:

You’re an International Students Starting Your Academic Journey in Canada

Moving abroad is exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Between jet lag, paperwork, and finding your way around campus, the last thing you want is to stress about housing. Co-living offers an easy transition. Many spaces are fully furnished, located near universities, and include utilities and Wi-Fi in the rent. That means no trips to furniture stores, no setting up internet plans, and no surprises in your monthly bills.

Co-living often brings together other international students, young professionals, or exchange students. So, you’re not starting from scratch socially. There’s someone to share dinner with, ask for directions to the famous Winnipeg Art Gallery, or help find the nearest grocery store.

You’re a First-Time Renter with no Credit

Many international students arrive with no Canadian credit history, no local guarantor, and no full-time income. These are three things that landlords often require in Winnipeg’s traditional rental market. That makes applying for housing feel impossible.

Co-living spaces are different. Most providers understand that students don’t come with full-time jobs or years of local rental experience. They offer simpler applications, reasonable security deposits, and no need for a credit score. With proper planning, you can easily secure safe, high-quality housing without jumping through hoops.

You’re a Student on a Limited Budget

Living on a limited budget means every dollar counts. With traditional rentals, you might pay a reasonable average rent. However, once you add the cost of utilities, Wi-Fi, and basic furniture, that number could rise to over a thousand dollars each month. Not to mention the upfront costs, such as a security deposit.

Co-living simplifies your budget. One monthly payment covers rent, internet, heat, electricity, and sometimes even cleaning. The room is furnished, and you don’t need to chase roommates for shared bills. It is all included in a single monthly payment, making it easier to stick to your budget and avoid surprise expenses. This simplified approach makes it easier to plan for other living expenses such as:

• Transport
• Healthcare
• Entertainment

When planning for these expenses, consider taking a detailed approach. Here’s an example of a cost breakdown for groceries.

Cost-Effective Student Accommodation

With proper planning, co-living offers predictable and manageable costs. One monthly payment typically covers rent, utilities, internet, and furnishings. It eliminates surprise bills and budgeting stress. For international students on tight budgets, this all-inclusive setup makes it easier to plan ahead, control expenses, and focus on studies without financial uncertainty.