Toronto has some of the best universities and colleges in the world that promotes diversity and is filled with that urban energy that comes with a global city. As of 2017, there were over 490,000 international students in Canada, as reported by Canada Study News and a majority of that population were housed in Toronto.

However, despite being a study destination for foreign students, the cost of living in Toronto is quite expensive, let alone for students. Therefore, before choosing to further your education in Toronto, it is important to know how the environment is for international students and what your daily expense would look like.

Asides having to pay for necessities such as housing, books, school-related supplies, phone calls and groceries, students also want to occasionally enjoy the finer things of life such as fine dining and entertainment, health and fitness, personal grooming. However, only very few students can easily afford to foot all these bills.

The cost of living for students in Toronto 2019 was nothing to write home about. According to Daily Hive, the average cost of a double dorm room with a meal plan is $14,090.34, the average cost of living alone is $13,076.00 and the average cost of living off-campus with one roommate is $8,088.00. Needless to say, with these costs, Toronto students have learnt to devise smart survival techniques to cope with life in the city.

Ways to Survive as a Student in Toronto

Here are a few things that Toronto students do to escape the high cost of living in the city.

Getting Housing Close to Campus

There aresome privately-owned, off-campus, purpose-built student housing in Toronto and students often save a lot of money by renting a place in such facilities. For instance, The Quad Student Residence has facilities conspicuously located close to YorkUniversity, Osgood Law School and Seneca at York campuses. This helps student residents save a lot of money on transportation. These facilities also come with large parking spaces, large shopping areas, restaurants and entertainment, meaning that students do not have to go too far to find these necessities.

Staying Away From Designer Labels

Don’t get so caught up with designer labels, especially when you may go broke as a result of purchasing these items. One of the easiest ways to stop wasting your money on designer labels is to start shopping in vintage stores. Ignore cloth labels and focus on their fit, colour, fabric quality, and potential for enhancementthrough Do-It-Yourself projects. You should focus on buying outfits that flatter your figure and improve your style.

Find Free Entertainment

Instead of cinemas, watch a movie in your room sometimes. Throw a house party and invite your friends over to hang out, it costs more than going out. You can even cook, or make your home-made snacks and cocktails for your party. However, to do this, you must ensure your accommodation is spacious enough to accommodate your friends and has the amenities for meal preparation. Other ways to find some free entertainment include, taking a walk to city parks and gardens and visiting the beach.  These include Ashbridge’s Bay and Toronto’s fabulous Harbourfront area.

Ultimately

It is difficult but not impossible, for students to survive the high cost of living in Toronto. If you follow the tips suggested above, you would have an amazing time as a student.