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Toronto, one of Canada's largest cities, is a great place to live for newcomers. However, it can also be overwhelming and expensive for those just starting. Luckily, several cities around Toronto offer more affordable and family-friendly options.
In this post, I bring you 10 cities to consider as a newcomer to Canada that can serve as a starting point if you haven't yet decided where to live.
Table of contents
1. Mississauga
Mississauga is located west of Toronto, belongs to the region of Peel and is known for its safe and family-friendly neighbourhoods.
It is also home to several major shopping centers, one of which is the Square One Mall, which makes it an ideal place for shopping lovers.
It is the city where we live, and although the rental prices are similar to Toronto, it is a city that we love for its green areas.
Public transportation is known as MiWay and is paid with the Presto card.
If you want more details about this city, visit 14 Top Reasons to live in Mississauga and highlight its green areas, 14 parks and trails to visit in Mississauga.
2. Brampton
Brampton belongs to the region of Peel and is located north of Mississauga.
It is another excellent option for families, offering several parks and recreational facilities. It is also known for its cultural diversity, with a large South Asian immigrant population.
Public transportation is called Brampton Transit, and as in Mississauga, you pay with Presto Card.
A 1 bedroom apartment costs around 1800-2000 CAD, as reviewed on Numbeo.com.
If you want to explore more, this is the city's official site.
3. Oakville
Oakville, a more affluent city located west of Toronto, belongs to the Halton region.
It is known for its upscale neighbourhoods and beautiful parks facing Lake Ontario.
Its public transportation is operated by Presto Card and is called Oakville Transit.
Oakville's main attractions are Gairloch Gardens, Lion's Valley Park, which we visited last year, and Bronte Creek Provincial Park.
If you want to explore more, this is the city's official site.
4. Markham
Markham is located north of Toronto in York Region and is a great place to live for those working in the technology sector. It is home to several large technology companies, such as IBM and AMD.
York Region Transit provides public transportation and, like the others, can be paid for by presto card.
Places of interest include Toogood Pond Park, Reesor Farm Market and Milne Da Conservation Park.
According to this page, prices for a 1-bedroom apartment range from approximately 1800-3500 CAD.
If you want to explore more, this is the city's official site.
5. Vaughan
Vaughan is located north of Toronto and is a great place to live for those who love shopping and eating.
It is home to several major shopping centers and many excellent restaurants.
It is well known for hosting Canada's Wonderland, an amusement park that can welcome about 600,000 people a year, the 118,000 square meter Vaughan Mills shopping mall and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.
If you want to explore more, this is the city's official site.
6. Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill is another great option for families, with several excellent schools and parks. It is also known for its diverse population, with many Chinese and South Asian immigrants.
Numbeo shows that prices for 1-bedroom apartments are between 1800-2200 CAD.
Some of its attractions include Wilcox Lake, the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts and the David Dunlop Observatory.
If you want to explore more, this is the city's official site.
7. Pickering
Pickering is located east of Toronto in Durham Region and is a great place to live for outdoor enthusiasts.
It has several parks and recreational facilities, such as the Waterfront Trail, Frenchman's Bay Marina and Pickering Museum Village.
It connects to Toronto via the GO train with a 41-minute commute and has access to Lake Ontario.
Numbeo lists a 1-bedroom apartment for around $1,650.
If you want to explore more, this is the city's official site.
8. Ajax
Ajax, part of the Regional Municipality of Durham, is another excellent choice for outdoor enthusiasts, with several parks and trails to explore. It is also home to several large companies, such as Volkswagen and Dupont.
It connects to Union Station in Toronto via the GO train with a 45-minute commute and has access to Lake Ontario.
According to Trip Advisor, some attractions include Rotary Park, Greenwood Conservation Area and Ajax Waterfront Park.
Prices for 1-bedroom apartments range from 1750 to 2300 CAD.
If you want to explore more, this is the city's official site.
9. Aurora
Aurora is located north of Toronto and Richmond Hill and is a great place to live for lovers of small-town charm. It is known for its historic downtown and excellent schools.
There is not much information on Numbeo.com, but the website indicates that a 1 bedroom apartment can cost anywhere from $1500 to $1850 CAD as of the date I am publishing this post.
Some attractions are the Aurora Historical Society & Hillary House, the Aurora Arboretum and the Canadian Moments Mural.
You can connect to Toronto via Go transit.
If you want to explore more, this is the city's official site.
10. Newmarket
Newmarket is located north of Toronto and about a 15-minute drive north of Aurora.
It belongs to York Region and is a great place to live for shoppers and foodies. It has several major shopping centers, such as Upper Canada Mall, and many excellent restaurants.
According to Numbeo.com, rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in the city center is around $2,000 CAD.
A GO transit terminal in Newmarket can connect you to other places, including Toronto.
This is the town's official site if you want to explore more.
In conclusion, while Toronto is a great place to live, it is not the only option for newcomers to Canada. Many larger cities surrounding Toronto offer more affordable and family-friendly options, from safe and culturally diverse neighbourhoods to excellent schools and outdoor recreational facilities.
Finally, I hope this post has given you an idea of other cities you can explore if you want to live near Toronto.