By Landing in Vancouver with two suitcases and no furniture forces an early decision: pay a premium for a furnished apartment, or rent an empty unit and buy everything yourself. Newcomers often assume furnished is dramatically more expensive — or that buying furniture is so costly that furnished pays for itself. In 2026, the real numbers tell a more nuanced story, and the gap between the two options is much smaller than most online guides claim.
Quick Answer: Which Is Cheaper?
For stays under about six months, furnished is usually the smarter financial choice. For a year or longer, unfurnished almost always wins — but the monthly rent premium for furnished is only around $80/month in Metro Vancouver as of mid-2026, far less than the $300–$500 figure often quoted. The bigger cost in an unfurnished unit is the upfront furniture spend, which you partly recover when you eventually sell or keep the items.
Summary: Short stay or arriving with nothing and no time to shop? Furnished. Staying a year-plus and willing to buy and resell furniture? Unfurnished saves money over the lease.
The Real Rent Difference in 2026
Rental reports for Metro Vancouver in spring 2026 put the average unfurnished one-bedroom at roughly $2,086/month and the furnished one-bedroom at about $2,165/month — a difference of only $79/month on average in May 2026 (it was about $63/month in April). That is nowhere near the "$300–$500 more" that older articles repeat.
Vancouver proper runs higher than the regional average. A Vancouver-city unfurnished one-bedroom sat near $2,249/month in early 2026, while the cheapest municipalities like Surrey averaged around $1,709. So the $1,700 "Vancouver unfurnished" number you may have seen is really the cheapest-suburb figure, not the city itself.
Over a 12-month lease, an $80/month premium adds up to roughly $960 extra for furnished — not the $3,600–$6,000 that inflated guides claim.
For a full picture of what an apartment costs to run once you add utilities, internet, and transit, see our Vancouver cost of living guide for newcomers.
Summary: The furnished premium in 2026 is about $80/month (~$960/year), not hundreds per month. Rent the apartment, then decide on furniture separately.
What It Actually Costs to Furnish an Empty One-Bedroom
If you go unfurnished, the upfront furniture bill — not the rent — is the real expense. Budgets vary enormously by taste and how much you buy secondhand, but here is a realistic illustrative range for a one-bedroom.
Bare-bones starter setup (~$1,500–$2,000):
- Mattress and bed frame
- A basic sofa (IKEA or Facebook Marketplace)
- Small dining table with two chairs
- Desk and chair for working from home
- A dresser
- Kitchen essentials (pots, pans, dishes, cutlery)
- Bedding, towels, curtains, and small basics
Mid-range setup (~$3,000–$4,000): the same list with a better mattress, a larger sofa, and higher-quality storage.
These are estimates, not fixed prices — individual item costs shift constantly, so treat them as planning brackets rather than a quote.
Where newcomers buy furniture in Metro Vancouver
- IKEA Richmond — 3320 Jacombs Road, Richmond. The default first stop for affordable flat-pack furniture and kitchen basics. You can shop in person or order online at ikea.com.
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore (Burnaby) — 7977 Enterprise Street, Burnaby. A nonprofit store selling new and gently used furniture and appliances at a fraction of retail; proceeds fund local home builds.
- Facebook Marketplace — the cheapest route for used sofas, tables, and dressers, especially in late-August and December "moving season" when departing renters offload everything fast.
IKEA delivery and assembly costs (2026)
If you can't haul flat-packs yourself, IKEA Canada's current options are:
- Parcel delivery: from $9.99 for small items.
- Doorstep large-item delivery: from $29 for IKEA Family members ($39 non-members), minimum $29 order.
- In-home delivery: from $49 (members) / $59 (non-members).
- Curbside delivery: from $99 (members) / $109 (non-members).
- Assembly: booked through TaskRabbit at variable hourly rates — there is no flat per-item IKEA charge.
Joining the free IKEA Family program before you order shaves $10 off most delivery tiers.
Summary: Budget roughly $1,500–$2,000 for a no-frills one-bedroom and add $30–$60 for delivery. Secondhand and Marketplace finds can cut this in half.
The Deposit Math: Don't Forget BC's Rules
Whichever route you choose, your move-in cash includes deposits — and BC law caps what a landlord can demand:
- Security deposit: maximum half of one month's rent, payable within 30 days of moving in.
- Pet damage deposit: if pets are allowed, a separate deposit of up to another half month's rent. The two deposits combined can never exceed one full month's rent.
- Deposit interest: landlords owe interest on deposits, but for 2026 the rate is 0%, so you'll get back exactly what you paid (minus any approved deductions).
A landlord asking for "first and last month plus a damage deposit" is breaking the rules. Knowing this protects newcomers who are easy targets for over-charging. Our BC tenant rights guide for newcomers covers what's legal and what isn't in detail.
Summary: Move-in deposits are capped at half a month's rent (or one month total if you have a pet). Anything more is not legal in BC.
Rent Increases: A Furnished Premium Compounds
BC caps how much a landlord can raise the rent each year. For 2026 the cap is 2.3% (down from 3% in 2025), and increases require at least three full months' written notice and can happen only once every 12 months.
This matters for the furnished-vs-unfurnished decision: a furnished unit's higher base rent means the same percentage increase costs you slightly more in absolute dollars every year you stay. Over a multi-year tenancy, an unfurnished unit's lower starting rent compounds in your favour.
Break-Even: When Does Unfurnished Win?
Pulling it together for a one-bedroom:
| Factor | Furnished | Unfurnished |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly rent premium | ~$80 more | baseline |
| Upfront furniture | $0 | ~$1,500–$2,000 (recoverable in part) |
| 12-month rent premium | ~$960 | $0 |
| Move-in effort | Minimal | High (shop, deliver, assemble) |
| Resale recovery on exit | n/a | ~30–60% of furniture cost |
Over a 12-month stay, the furnished premium (~$960) is less than the net cost of furnishing an empty unit once you subtract resale value — so for very short stays, or if you simply can't spend a weekend furniture-shopping in your first month, furnished is reasonable.
But the longer you stay, the more unfurnished pulls ahead. Furniture is a one-time cost; the furnished rent premium repeats every single month. Past roughly six months, the math tilts toward unfurnished, and over multiple years it's not close.
Summary: Furnished can edge out for stays under ~6 months. For a year or more, buy your own furniture — the one-time cost beats a recurring monthly premium.
Practical Tips for Newcomers
- Arrive into a furnished short-term rental, then switch. Many newcomers book a furnished place for the first 1–3 months while job-hunting and apartment-viewing, then sign an unfurnished long-term lease once settled. You avoid buying furniture before you know your neighbourhood.
- Time your furniture shopping for moving season. Late August (student turnover) and December (year-end departures) flood Marketplace with cheap, near-new furniture.
- Set up your essentials accounts first. A Canadian bank account and a local cell phone plan make it far easier to pay deposits, e-transfer Marketplace sellers, and coordinate deliveries.
- Read the lease for what's included. "Furnished" can mean anything from a full kitchen to just a bed and a couch. Get the inventory in writing before you sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much more does a furnished apartment cost in Vancouver?
In 2026, a furnished one-bedroom in Metro Vancouver costs roughly $80/month more than an unfurnished one on average — about $960 over a year. That's far below the $300–$500 premium older guides claim.
Is it cheaper to buy furniture or rent furnished in Vancouver?
For stays under about six months, furnished usually wins because the upfront furniture cost (~$1,500–$2,000 for a one-bedroom) outweighs the small monthly premium. For a year or longer, buying your own furniture is cheaper, especially since you recover part of the cost on resale.
What's the maximum deposit a Vancouver landlord can charge?
Half of one month's rent for the security deposit. If pets are allowed, a separate pet damage deposit of up to another half month is permitted, but the two combined can't exceed one full month's rent.
How much can my rent go up each year in BC?
For 2026, the rent increase cap is 2.3%. Landlords must give at least three full months' written notice and can raise rent only once every 12 months.
Where do newcomers buy cheap furniture in Vancouver?
IKEA Richmond (3320 Jacombs Road) for new flat-pack basics, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Burnaby (7977 Enterprise Street) for discounted new and used items, and Facebook Marketplace for the cheapest secondhand finds — especially during August and December moving seasons.
Do I get interest back on my deposit in BC?
Yes in principle, but the deposit interest rate for 2026 is 0%, so you'll receive exactly what you paid, minus any deductions your landlord is legally allowed to make.
References
- liv.rent — May 2026 Metro Vancouver Rent Report — furnished vs unfurnished one-bedroom averages and the ~$79/month premium.
- Vancouver Is Awesome — Metro Vancouver Rent Report (April 2026) — neighbourhood rent ranges and furnished premium.
- Province of BC — Tenancy deposits and fees — security and pet deposit caps and rules.
- Province of BC — Rent increases — 2026 rent increase cap (2.3%) and notice rules.
- IKEA Canada — Delivery service options and pricing — current 2026 delivery and assembly costs.
- Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver — ReStore locations — verified Burnaby ReStore address.