A new report shows home rental prices in Lethbridge are rising quickly, while national rates are falling. (Photo: Sparky2000 | Dreamstime.com)

By David Opinko

One-bedroom rentals in Lethbridge now more expensive than Edmonton

Mar 10, 2025 | 1:32 PM

It is now more expensive to rent an apartment with one bedroom in Lethbridge than in a city with more than 12 times its population.

That is according to the National Rent Report from Rentals.ca and Urbanation.

They say, across the country, the cost of rent fell to its lowest level since 2023, falling by 4.8 per cent over the last year. Lethbridge, however, continues to buck the trend by increasing at faster rates.

In February, it cost $1,379 per month on average to rent a unit with a single bedroom in Lethbridge, increasing by 10.1 per cent over the last year.

In Edmonton, meanwhile, those same units go for $1,330 per month, which increased in cost by just 1.4 per cent.

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

What's Happening in Lethbridge this week: February 10-16, 2025

Feb 10, 2025

Two-bedroom accommodations in the provincial capital are still more pricey, renting for $1,651 monthly (+0.7 per cent) compared to $1,583 in Lethbridge (+8.1 per cent).

Although rental prices in Lethbridge have been rising faster than many other communities around Alberta, the city is still below the provincial averages of $1,538 per month for one bedroom and $1,882 for two.

Nationally, those prices are $1,857 (-4.5%) and $2,206 (-5.3%) respectively.

Four Alberta cities were analyzed for this report. They are listed below with their place on the national ranking out of 35 in brackets.

• Calgary (27):
  • One bedroom: $1,583, down 7.5% in one year
  • Two bedrooms: $1,919, down 7.5% in one year
• Lethbridge (31):
  • One bedroom: $1,379, up 10.1% in one year
  • Two bedrooms: $1,583, up 8.1% in one year
• Edmonton (32):
  • One bedroom: $1,330, up 1.4% in one year
  • Two bedrooms: $1,583, up 0.7% in one year
• Fort McMurray (35):
  • One bedroom: $1,208, down 4.9% in one year
  • Two bedrooms: $1,422, up 1.9% in one year

Renters in Alberta can rejoin that they do not have to pay the kinds of prices seen in Vancouver, which remains the most expensive city in the country for housing. A one-bedroom unit in Vancouver will set you back an average of $2,518 per month and $3,442 for two bedrooms.

The National Rent Report can be read on Rentals.ca

For local news delivered daily to your email inbox, subscribe for free to the Lethbridge News Now newsletter here. You can also download the Lethbridge News Now mobile app in the Google Play and the Apple App Stores.