The Annex is the classic University of Toronto student neighbourhood — tree-lined streets of grand Victorian rowhouses, indie bookstores and cafés spilling onto Bloor, and most U of T departments just a 5–10 minute walk from your front door. Vanmates manages furnished rooms in shared Annex homes, so you get a private bedroom in a real character house with 4–6 housemates who are mostly students too. The Bloor–Danforth subway runs right through the neighbourhood — Bathurst, Spadina and St. George stations — so the rest of the city is minutes away when you want it. Rent is genuinely all-in: Wi-Fi, utilities, and weekly common-area cleaning are included, with 24/7 WhatsApp support in your language. We've placed international students in Toronto homes since 2016, and most of them booked before they ever landed in Canada — with a real address for their study permit and a self-check-in guide waiting.
Co-living from $1,200/mo · homestays from $1,300/mo · all-in, no surprise bills
One monthly price covers everything. No separate hydro, internet, or cleaning bills — the number you see is the number you pay.
Pricing last reviewed: July 2026. All prices in CAD and include Wi-Fi, utilities, and weekly common-area cleaning.
Pulled directly from our internal inventory — real rooms accepting bookings today. If nothing matches, you'll always get a next step.
The Annex sits right next to U of T, and the Bloor–Danforth subway handles the rest. Here's roughly how long you'll travel to each major campus.
A snapshot of the streets, the strip, the people, and what's next door — so you know exactly what you're moving into.
Victorian rowhouses · leafy, quiet blocks
The Annex is defined by its late-1800s red-brick and stone Victorian houses on wide, tree-lined streets like Admiral, Bernard and Lowther. Most of our homes here are these character houses — 4 to 6 bedrooms, big shared kitchens, front porches and creaky wood floors. It feels residential and calm the moment you step off Bloor, yet you're still walking distance from campus.
Food, bookstores & the subway
Bloor Street is the Annex's spine — cheap eats and late-night bites, cafés, BMV and other indie bookstores, groceries, and the Bathurst, Spadina and St. George subway stations. It's the strip students actually live on: grab a coffee before class, dinner after the library, and everything you need without leaving the neighbourhood.
U of T undergrads & grad students
This is student central. The Annex has been the U of T neighbourhood for generations — undergrads, grad students, and academics fill the shared houses and cafés. If you want housemates who understand deadlines, reading weeks and exam season, and a social scene built around campus life, you'll feel at home fast.
Kensington · Harbord Village · Yorkville
The Annex opens onto some of Toronto's best pockets. Kensington Market and its vintage shops and produce stalls are a short walk south, Harbord Village and its restaurants sit just below campus, and upscale Yorkville — galleries, patios, the ROM — is a few minutes east. You're never far from something to do.
Two ways to live as a student in the Annex. Here's how they compare on the things that matter.
| Co-living | Homestay | |
|---|---|---|
| From (all-in) | $1,200/mo | $1,300/mo |
| Meals | Self-catered, shared kitchen | Two meals a day included |
| Best for | Social students who want independence | Under-25s & first arrivals |
| Privacy | Private room, shared Victorian home | Private room in a family home |
| Support | House manager + 24/7 WhatsApp | Host family + 24/7 WhatsApp |
"My room in the Annex is a 7-minute walk to my department at U of T. I booked from Shanghai after a video tour, and the house was exactly as shown. Walking to class instead of taking the subway changed my whole year."
"All-in pricing is real — one payment, no hidden hydro or internet. The Victorian house has so much character, and Bloor Street is right there for late-night food after the library."
Verified resident reviews. See our cancellation policy and community guidelines for the full terms.
Not ready to book, or can't find the right room? Send your details and we'll match you to available Annex homes — and add you to the priority list so you hear first when new rooms open.
Vanmates rooms in The Annex run CAD$1,200–$1,500/month for a private bedroom in a shared Victorian home, and CAD$1,300–$1,600/month for a homestay with a local family. Every price is all-in: rent covers Wi-Fi, utilities, weekly common-area cleaning, and 24/7 WhatsApp support, so there are no separate hydro or internet bills to budget for.
The Annex borders the University of Toronto's St. George campus, so most of our homes are a 5–10 minute walk to your department — no transit needed. It's the classic U of T student neighbourhood: you can roll out of bed and be in a Bloor Street lecture hall or the Robarts Library in minutes.
The Annex is the most walkable, most student-dense neighbourhood next to U of T. You get tree-lined streets of Victorian rowhouses, indie bookstores and cafés along Bloor, and the Bloor–Danforth subway (Bathurst, Spadina and St. George stations) on your doorstep. If you're studying at U of T and want to walk to class rather than commute, The Annex is the obvious choice.
Most Annex rooms have a 3-month minimum. After the first three months you can leave with 30 days' notice, which suits students on a single semester or exchange term. Homestays are typically booked by the term (4 months) and align with the U of T academic calendar.
Availability shifts week to week, and September is the tightest window because the U of T year starts. We recommend reserving 4–6 weeks ahead for a fall move-in. Check the live inventory on this page for rooms accepting bookings today, or join the priority list and we'll message you the moment a matching Annex room opens.
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