Vanmates matches international students with vetted Toronto host families in Midtown, North York, and Scarborough. Every homestay gives you a private, furnished bedroom and two home-cooked meals a day, with Wi-Fi, utilities, and laundry included — plus real cultural immersion living alongside a Canadian family who help you settle in. It's the best fit for students under 25 and first arrivals who want structure, meals, and a built-in support network from day one. Our homes are chosen for transit access to U of T, York, and TMU, and most students reserve before they land, with a confirmed address for their study permit and a self-check-in plan waiting.
Homestays from $1,300/mo · private room + two meals a day · all-in, no surprise bills
One monthly price covers your room, two meals a day, and every bill. No separate food, utility, or internet charges — the number you see is the number you pay.
Pricing last reviewed: July 2026. All prices in CAD and include a private room, two meals a day, Wi-Fi, utilities, and laundry access.
Pulled directly from our internal inventory — real host-family rooms accepting bookings today. If nothing matches, you'll always get a next step.
Every host family is chosen for transit, safety, and a genuine welcome. Here's what to expect from each area.
On the Yonge line · fast to U of T & TMU
Midtown — around Yonge & Eglinton, Davisville, and St. Clair — sits directly on Line 1, so you're a 15–25 minute subway ride to U of T St. George and TMU downtown. Leafy streets, cafés, and grocery within walking distance make it the easiest landing spot for a first arrival who wants to be close to campus without living in the core. Our Midtown host families fill fastest for September.
Best value · established, welcoming families
North York gives you the most home for your money and a strong community of long-time host families, many of them multilingual. You're on Line 1 for a direct ride toward U of T, and a short connection reaches York University via the subway extension. Quiet residential streets, big kitchens, and family dinners make this the classic homestay experience — ideal for students who want structure and a real Canadian household.
Space & the natural base for U of T Scarborough
Scarborough offers the most space and the shortest commute to U of T Scarborough (UTSC) — roughly 20 minutes by bus. Detached family homes, diverse and welcoming neighbourhoods, and lower prices make it a favourite for UTSC and Centennial College students. Hosts here are used to helping newcomers navigate transit, groceries, and their first Canadian winter.
Quiet streets · streetcar to downtown
East York — around Danforth and Pape — is calm, green, and genuinely local, with the Danforth's Greek restaurants and markets on your doorstep. The Bloor–Danforth subway and streetcar lines put you 20–30 minutes from U of T and TMU. It suits students who want a peaceful home base with an easy, reliable ride to campus and a family that treats the neighbourhood as part of the welcome.
Three ways to live as a student in Toronto. Here's how they compare on the things that matter.
| Homestay | Co-living | Student residence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| From (all-in) | $1,300/mo | $1,050/mo | $1,400/mo+ |
| Meals | Two meals a day included | Self-catered, shared kitchen | Optional paid meal plan |
| Best for | Under-25s & first arrivals | Independent, social students | First-year undergrads on campus |
| Living with | A vetted Canadian family | 4–6 housemates your age | Hundreds of other students |
| Cultural immersion | High — daily family life | Medium — peer housemates | Low — student bubble |
| Support | Host family + 24/7 WhatsApp | House manager + 24/7 WhatsApp | Res advisor, office hours |
"My host family in North York felt like home from the first dinner. Two home-cooked meals a day, help with my transit card, and someone to practise English with. As a first-year at York it made everything less scary."
"We arranged a homestay with guardianship for our 17-year-old before she flew from Tokyo. Vanmates handled the custodianship paperwork and matched her with a family near her Midtown school. We felt safe the whole way."
Verified student reviews. See our cancellation policy and community guidelines for the full terms.
Tell us your school, dates, and the student's age and we'll match you to a vetted host family — and add you to the priority list so you hear first when new homes open.
A Vanmates homestay in Toronto gives you a private, furnished bedroom in a vetted family home plus two meals a day — breakfast and dinner on weekdays, and typically three meals at weekends. Wi-Fi, utilities, heating, and laundry access are all included in the monthly price, and your host family shares common areas like the kitchen and living room. There are no separate hydro or internet bills; the number you see is the number you pay.
Every host family is interviewed in person, and we inspect the home and the private bedroom before it ever takes a student. Hosts and adult household members provide police background checks, and we confirm the room, meals, and house rules match what we advertise. We re-check homes each year and read every resident review, so a family that stops meeting our standard is removed. You get a video walkthrough of your exact room before you commit.
Yes. Homestay is our most popular option for students under 25, and we regularly place minors under 18. For under-18s we can arrange a custodianship/guardianship declaration (the notarized document Canadian schools and study permits require) and match you with an experienced host family used to younger students, from CAD$1,600/month. Tell us the student's age and school when you enquire and we'll confirm the right setup.
Standard Vanmates homestays in Toronto run CAD$1,300–$1,500/month, including a private room and two meals a day. Homes closest to campus in Midtown or near transit hubs are CAD$1,500–$1,700/month, and under-18 placements with guardianship start at CAD$1,600/month. Every price is all-in — food, Wi-Fi, utilities, and 24/7 WhatsApp support are covered, with no surprise bills.
We pick host families for real transit access. From our Midtown homes on the Yonge line you're 15–25 minutes to U of T St. George and TMU by subway. North York homes sit on Line 1 with a direct ride down to U of T, or a short bus to York University via Line 1 to Finch West and the York U extension. Scarborough is the natural base for U of T Scarborough (UTSC), about 20 minutes by bus. Tell us your campus and we'll match you to the shortest commute.
Furnished co-living rooms near U of T, York and TMU — all-in pricing for independent students.
See student housing →Vetted host families and two meals a day on the West Coast, near UBC, SFU and BCIT.
Explore Vancouver homestays →What's included, how we vet families, and who homestay suits best across Canada.
Learn about homestays →Browse real available homestays or get matched by our team — we typically reply on WhatsApp within an hour.