Vancouver Residences
Living in Vancouver is considerably expensive; it has the highest residential rates in Canada and is ranked the 13th least affordable place in the world.
Kitsilano, affectionately called Kits, is a popular neighbourhood consisting mostly of relatively young families and individuals, including students. Found very near the beach and downtown, Kits has some of the priciest real estate properties and lowest availability rates in the city, though it was inexpensive to live there back in the 60s.
Vancouver's City Centre is one of the densest residential downtown areas next to Manhattan throughout North America. If you prefer high-rise living arrangements, consider Yaletown, Coal Harbour, or Concorde Pacific.
East Vancouver, or East Van, also used to have reasonably priced houses and is often considered home of the working-class and immigrants. The diversity of this region makes more comfortable for foreigners to settle in.
Other inexpensive housing areas include Marpole, Renfrew, Mount Pleasant, and West End. Expect mostly apartments and townhouses for rent.
UBC, which is short for University of British Columbia, is found near the city's western coast and consists not only of the University itself but also University Endowment Lands and commercial and residential areas for students and non-students alike.
In the greater Vancouver area, particularly New Westminster or "The Royal City", you'll find many Victorian-era houses which are a refreshing change from the suburbs of Vancouver city itself.