Guide To Renting Apartments In Mississauga

Mississauga and Life in the GTA - Mississauga Rental Guide

Mississauga is just west of Toronto and is a suburb perfect for a new family or someone looking for an affordable place to live in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). It is clean, safe and a friendly community to call your own. It has quaint pockets like Port Credit and Streetsville which make you feel like you’re outside of Mississauga without going too far. Port Credit is in the heart of the waterfront area which offers a beautiful view. It’s also a perfect place for taking a long walk, biking or grabbing a little something to eat. Streetsville, while still in Mississauga, mimics a small town with tons of charm.

The climate in Mississauga is similar to that of Toronto. Its winters experience an average temperature of -6 degrees Celsius while colder temperatures should be expected. The cold winters are followed by warm summers hovering over 20 degrees Celsius – just perfect for your stroll by the lake. However, you will likely experience temperatures in the 30 degree Celsius range. The city’s population has nearly doubled over the past 20 years, greeting new immigrants to Canada. Mississauga has been recognized as one of the safest cities in Canada with a strong economy with great infrastructure. A large sum of Fortune 500 companies have located their head offices’ in Mississauga creating great job opportunities in the area. Before you pack your bags for suburbia, here’s a guide to renting in Mississauga:

Where to live in Mississauga - the City of Suburbia
Apartments for rent in Mississauga come in many shapes and sizes, making it a great spot to find home. With 40+ neighbourhoods in Mississauga, there are tons of nooks to explore and call home. Mississauga covers over 290 km² of land creating a spacious environment to share with your neighbours. To help you determine which neighbourhood best suits your needs, here are three neighbourhoods to consider when moving to Mississauga:

Cooksville
Right in the city center sits Cooksville, a favourite amongst young professionals due to its proximity to daily conveniences. One of these include the GO Transit, a transit system that spans multiple regions across Ontario. Other conveniences include Square One Mall, City Hall, Living Arts Centre and the Central Library. In Cooksville you can find both apartments and homes for rent.

Port Credit
The neighbourhood of Port Credit is known as the “Village on the Lake. It’s situated on the north side of Lake Ontario and right on the mouth of Credit River. Here you’ll find a range of Port Credit apartment rentals including high-rise condos, apartments and detached homes. The various restaurants, shops and parks in the area make it an enjoyable place in the city to live.

Erin Mills
Erin Mills is the most popular of areas and is the most densely populated in Mississauga. The Erin Mills Town Centre is central to the location and brings convenience to the area. It’s also in close proximity to University of Toronto’s Mississauga Campus making it a suitable place for students to find Erin Mills apartments for rent.

Want to know more about neighbourhoods in Mississauga? Check out our neighbourhood rental guides which will provide you more in-depth demographic information. 

How do I Get Around in Mississauga?

Public Transportation
Mississauga’s public transportation is known as MiWay. It offers well-connected bus routes throughout the city. A MiWay fare costs $4.00 for a one-way adult trip. GO Transit also provides transportation across the Greater Toronto Area including Mississauga.  A trip from Mississauga to Toronto would cost about $10 for a one-way adult trip.

In terms of taxis, the fare begins at $4.25 where you can pay approximately $40.00 before tip for a 1 hour ride. However, Uber is an option in Mississauga as well.

If you travel often, the Toronto Pearson International Airport is located right in Mississauga. That means you’d be able to leave a little less early to make your flight.

Driving
Driving is quite common amongst residents of Mississauga. Renting parking spots are also really affordable. An outdoor spot costs approximately $50/month while an indoor spot can cost approximately $70/month. In comparison to Toronto’s rental prices, it’s a steal. Temporary resident street parking is available in Mississauga but is limited to 14 times per year with a 5-day maximum. 

Walking & Biking
Despite being a relatively suburban city, Mississauga residents get around the city by walking quite easily. It’s been recognized as the fourth most walkable city in all of Canada. This is attributed to Mississauga’s walk score and the extensive trail system. The trail system offers great terrain to walk, bike and rollerblade.

What’s the Cost of Living in Mississauga?

Mississauga is an affordable place to live compared to Toronto. Its cost of living is less than Toronto—by about 12%. Along with that, come lower rental prices—approximately 20% lower than Toronto. To help give you a sense of a monthly budget living in Mississauga, we’ve broken it down for you:

Rent & Utilities
Whether you’re looking for a small apartment or a detached home, Mississauga has a range of rentals that will fit your lifestyle. Of course, the larger the place and more affluent the area, the greater the price tag. Let’s start with the more expensive areas.

A 900-squarefoot place in an expensive area will cost approximately $2,000/month. A smaller apartment in the area with about 480 square feet, will cost you $1,700/month. In less expensive areas, a 900-squarefoot place will cost you approximately $1,800/month. A 480-square foot apartment will cost you $1,200/month. There’s a wide variation in price points making Mississauga a place where you can a place that fits your budget.

In terms of your basic utilities, it will cost you approximately $294 which includes heating, electricity and gas. Your Internet bill will cost about $60/month. Your mobile will cost you around $60/month. In total, your housing expenses will cost approximately $1,584/month.

Transportation
While driving is equally convenient in Mississauga, if you’re on a budget, we’ll assume you’ll be taking transit. A monthly pass for the MiWay is $135/month. A one-way ride will cost $4.00.

Food
Food and eating out is often overlooked in a renter’s budget. While you’ll likely eat out less than you would in Toronto, you’ll definitely be grabbing a bite to eat outside of home once in a while. A cup of coffee on your way to work will cost about $4 for a regular size. Assuming you’ll have one every second morning, set aside $8/week. If you’re looking for a quick fast-food lunch, it will cost you approximately $10. We estimate you’ll be doing this once a week. A lunch at a mid-range restaurant in the business district will cost approximately $12. This will likely happen twice a month. Last but not least, date night. Set aside at least $60/month for a monthly date night. Your total for dinning out will cost you approximately $132/month.   

Of course, basic groceries are a necessity. If your grocery list includes meat, vegetables, grains and fruits expect to spend approximately $200/month on groceries for a single person. That brings your total food cost to $332/month.

Entertainment
Mississauga’s entertainment offerings aren’t wild, but you’ll find your average pub and movie theatre. Also, you’re not too far to Toronto if you want to party it up.

A beer in a neighbourhood pub will cost you approximately $7. On average, you’ll probably have 4 per month. Two tickets to a movie costs approximately $28. A good film comes out about once a month. Whatever your entertainment vice, expect to spend approximately $56/month.

Health & Fitness
Health and fitness is an important part of your budget. A gym membership will cost you anywhere around $60/month.

In sum, your monthly costs of living in Mississauga will be approximately, $2,162/month.

Crime in Mississauga

How to find the Perfect Mississauga Apartment - Mississauga Rental Guide

Ready to pack your bags for Mississauga? We’ve put together a few next steps in this guide to finding apartments in Mississauga:

• Make a list of needs and wants:

  Use your needs as a guide for your initial search of apartments. Use your list of wants to help narrow down on the selection and create a short list.

• Make a budget:

  Whatever your budget, budget is important. Use the AreaVibes rental calculator to estimate a monthly budget.

• Research:

  Research is key to finding the perfect place at the right price. Get an understanding of rental prices from comparable apartments in the area. From local amenities, demographics and crime rates, AreaVibes has information on it all in our neighbourhood guides.

• Tour apartments:

  Now to the fun part. Get out there and tour a few potential apartments. Setting aside a day or so helps make the tours efficient. However, in a hot market you may not have as much time to wait until the weekend to explore them all at once. When you do take the tour, meet the landlord and ask questions. Get a general understanding of your responsibilities as a tenant.

• Collect your documents:

  With AreaVibes, this step is simple, we make it easy to send a detailed renter application with credit checks to streamline your application process.

We hope that after reading our guide to renting, you will be well on your way to find your perfect new home in Mississauga! Happy home hunting!