Best Places to live to Toronto
Toronto is a mosaic of different neighbourhoods, most of them with their own identities and charms.A city, which is recognized for its variety, Toronto can be an interesting area to live because of a number of factors. As you relocate to this city, it would certainly be really handy to learn about the very best neighborhoods to stay in Toronto. Nevertheless, you need to understand that acquiring or leasing a residence in this city is a step to be taken seriously as a result of the high real estate prices.
It is bigger than you anticipate it to be as well as there’s a great deal of hustle and bustle. With a population of greater than 3 million. While property is pricey below, there are numerous readily available options also. You can stay in an area at a distance from the downtown core or locate a practical condominium in the heart of the city. The Greater Toronto Area is additionally filled with lots of nice communities. Being Canada’s largest city, Toronto has numerous neighborhoods that are continuously evolving with time. We will certainly let you understand the major characteristics as well as truths about each part of it to ensure that you can make an informed choice as you choose a certain place to live in the city.
Toronto’s Most Popular Areas:
With 140 neighborhoods to choose from, there should be something for everyone in Toronto. We have chosen three popular Toronto areas that each offer excellent lifestyles, but for different reasons. We cover Cabbagetown, near the center of the city, West Queen West, one of Toronto’s most up-and-coming locations, and Bloor West Village, a leafy neighborhood that is close to the suburb of Etobicoke, but only 20 minutes from downtown.
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1. Cabbagetown:
If you are searching for a more authentic feel, Cabbagetown is one of the best places for expats in Toronto. The neighborhood gets its name due to the Irish settlers who used to grow cabbages in the area. It is an area that has stayed true to itself by forgoing generic gentrification, unlike other parts of the city.
The Benefits of Living in Cabbagetown
Victorian housing helps make Cabbagetown unique. In fact, this neighborhood has the largest continuous area of preserved Victorian buildings in North America. Local antique and interior design stores present the perfect opportunity to keep these properties looking their best.
Another aspect that makes Cabbagetown stand out, or rather, stay out of the spotlight, is its relatively small family-run and independent stores. You could say Cabbagetown has managed to avoid selling its soul so far and it could be the place to live if you want to feel like you are in a real community. And for expats who love the city life, Cabbagetown presents the best of both worlds because downtown Toronto is only 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) away.
Cost of Living:
The cost of real estate in Toronto is generally on the rise and between 2014 and 2019, Cabbagetown was among the Canadian areas to see the most condominium sales, with prices ranging between 692,000 and 946,000 CAD (520,000 and 711,000 USD).
Several reasons for the price increase include the close proximity to downtown Toronto and easy access to public transportation. You will be very lucky to find any kind of home here for less than 266,042 CAD (200,000 USD). Most properties now sell for more than 1.3 million CAD (1 million USD).
Good for Families or Couples?
Cabbagetown could be ideal for you if you want to live somewhere laid-back, but still in easy reach of the downtown. The neighborhood has a few highly-regarded schools, such as Sprucecourt Public School. Sprucecourt educates about 330 children, who speak around 15 different languages, making it ideal if your child’s first language is not English. Teachers at the school endeavor to speak to parents in their native language, so they feel connected to everything happening at the school and with their children.
Church Street Junior Public School is another decent school in this area. It has been described as very diverse and very welcoming. Our Lady of Lourdes is a popular catholic school in Cabbagetown, and pupils here come from a mix of university-educated parents (50%) and low-income households (47%).
Cabbagetown is very well-provided by a range of transportation options. You can catch the Sherbourne bus and the Parliament streetcar to subway stations on the Bloor-Danforth line, which is also walkable from Cabbagetown. Otherwise, you can get Wellesley and Carlton Street buses to the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line.
For drivers, the Don Valley Parkway is just five minutes away, and downtown Toronto is only a 10-minute journey.
2. West Queen West:
If you want to know where to live in Toronto, West Queen West is one of the most popular, up-and-coming neighborhoods in Toronto. This neighborhood is especially popular with expats looking for somewhere modern and fun.
Known now as one of the trendiest places to live in the world, in the 1990s West Queen West was only for those who could not afford to live in the surrounding areas, where rent prices were soaring. Since then, the neighborhood has seen a familiar story of creative people moving in followed by gentrification.
Benefits of Living in West Queen West
The main street hugs Trinity Bellwoods Park, a 38-acre (15.4-hectare) public green space, which also offers a community center with a gym, two indoor swimming pools, a fitness center, and a running track. There is even a volleyball court, tennis court, a large playground, a children’s wading pool, and even an ice-skating rink.
This park hosts all sorts of events, like outdoor cinema shows, performance art, and a weekly farmers’ market.
Another plus point of living in West Queen West is that you are in walking distance of the city center and many major companies. As an expat, there is a good chance you will be working in the Toronto Central. By living in West Queen West, you could save around 150 CAD (113 USD) per month that would have gone towards a monthly public transit pass.
Art and Culture
West Queen West is home to numerous art galleries, museums, fashion outlets, and beautiful hotels.
Some of the galleries worth a visit are:
- The Zwig Collection;
- Propeller Art Gallery;
- The Freedom Factory;
- Paul Petro;
- Critical Distance.
There are often community-wide art events, including the West Queen West Art Gallery Crawl, where participants can complete a walking tour of art galleries in the neighborhood, including the ones mentioned above. The galleries in the area plan several events every year, which also include performance art, appearances from singers, DJs, and bands.
The 501 Queen streetcar’s route follows Queen Street and will drop you conveniently by the galleries mentioned. Alternatively, you can get a Go train to Exhibition station and start your leisurely walk from there. There is also adequate parking available.
Cost of Living
Rentals do not come cheap in West Queen West, and most of them are apartments and condominiums. In fact, rent here is 26% higher than the average for the rest of Toronto.
- Studio apartments are about 1,500 CAD (1,130 USD)
- One-bedroom homes are about 2,100 CAD (1,580 USD)
- Two-bedroom homes are about 2,320 CAD (1,740 USD)
- Three-bedroom homes are about 3,040 CAD (2,290 USD)
To buy real estate in the neighborhood, expect to pay around 2.1 million CAD (1.6 million USD) for a house, which are in short supply, and around 540,000 CAD (406,000 USD) if you buy a condo.
Vogue Magazine voted West Queen West the second “Coolest Neighborhood” in the world, due to its vibrant art, culture, social and restaurant scene, making it an area that could suit a couple or a family with young children. However, due to the lack of available houses to purchase, rentals are the most realistic option, and thus might suit slightly younger expats.
In addition, there is a good range of schooling options in the area for all age groups. Montessori Preschool, St. Mary Catholic School, and Niagara Street Junior Public School are a few examples.
Transportation
There is the 501 Queen streetcar, which goes in an east to west direction. It goes from Neville Park Loop in the east to Long Branch Loop in the west of Toronto. At 15.4 miles (24.8 kilometers), it is one of the longest streetcar routes in the world. You can use it to go downtown in less than 25 minutes. If you drive, you can get to Downtown Toronto in around 15 minutes.
3. Kensington Market
This multicultural area is one of the oldest and most famous neighborhoods in the city. It is indeed iconic with a web of streets consisting of book stores, cafes, bars, fresh food outlets, and thrift shops. Anything of need is within the access of the residents, and the distance to downtown is also short.
The independent spirit and the unique feel of Kensington Market make it one of the best areas of Toronto. Parking and driving through the narrow streets is a bit of an issue but since the commercial area is within reach, it is better and more feasible to travel by foot.
3. Davisville Village/St.Clair:
The midtown area is popular amongst families and professionals because of its peacefulness and affordability. As compared to the pricey neighborhoods like Summerhill and Rosedale, the houses are fairly priced and there are no loud noises or heavy crowds.
The friendly residents can be seen walking with their dogs during the early evening hours and having some quality time with the neighbors. The locals can be seen working out and walking in the high park. The area of St. Clair isn’t happening but it gives a very homely feel making it one of the best places to live in Toronto.
4. East Chinatown:
There is no definite answer to the question ‘where is the best place to live in Toronto’? While Chinatown is the home to the extensive Chinese community that has a very wide variety of fruits and vegetables available in the market, it has become crowded. Thus, Toronto’s emerging East Chinatown is now becoming the choice of the new residents of the city.
The area is peaceful, but it has a number of lively localities nearby. Thus, one can always ride to the surrounding areas for a good night out.
5. Roncesvalles:
The area is known to be the center for the Polish community, and it carries its rich history. Commonly referred to as ‘Roncy’, it has now become home to creative people, professional artists, and Millennials within the last decade. The rents do not resonate with the neighborhood’s popularity as it is cheaper than other parts of Toronto.
With most part of it being residential, there is a full-length commercial strip in Roncesvalles consisting of coffee shops, bars, and restaurants. It is a pretty neighborhood, but it is located at a distance from downtown. It might be an issue to get to the city center unless you live in the north end and Dundas West subway is right around the corner.
6. The Junction:
Toronto’s west end is lined with top areas yet the Joint still takes care of standing apart. It does give a trendy sight, and in the last few years, the location is undertaking massive enhancement as its popularity expands. The feelings of this neighborhood are the same as those of Queen West and also Roncesvalles.
This area is not just a comfortable location to live, but a terrific area to hang around as well. The multiple transit options consisting of the Keele Terminal and the Dundas West terminal are the marketing factors of this location. You can reach downtown within 20 mins, and also the access to other parts of the city is convenient also.
7. Scarborough:
Being the best place to live in Toronto, it consists of all the facilities which are essential to living a comfortable lifestyle. Moreover, the crime rates are the lowest as compared to the rest of Toronto making this suburban area an ideal choice for the families with children.
There are fewer people around you and wider spaces so there is no compromise on privacy. The apartment complexes and condos in the urban developments will never provide you with the necessary personal space. This is especially worrisome for creative people and artists who need a very peaceful environment to explore their creativity.
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