Vancouver is the most expensive rental market in Canada. According to a report from PadMapper.com, the average rental price of a one-bedroom apartment is $1,950. But if you can’t or won’t spend nearly $2,000 a month on rent, there are deals to be had.

A recent Craiglist post, for instance, is advertising a furnished, micro-studio apartment in Gastown for just $1,450.

There’s a catch, though. When they say “micro”, they mean it. It’s just 200 square feet. Basically, it’s a closet with a bed in it.

Located on the top floor of the Metropole at 320 Abbott street, this tiny, renovated SRO boasts a kitchenette with a bar fridge and a hot plate, and a bathroom with a 3/4 tub and shower.

There isn’t much closet space, unless you count the whole apartment. There is, however, a rack that will fit about seven shirts. Hopefully you don’t have eight or more.

Granted, paying $1,450 a month for just 200 square feet of space without a real kitchen seems absurd, but remember: that’s still $500 less than Vancouver’s average apartment. Plus it’s furnished, which will save you the hassle of realizing none of your furniture fits in your new shoebox.

Of course, for the same price, you could buy a really nice refrigerator and live in that, since it’s about the same size.

If this space interests you in spite of its drawbacks, you’ll have to act fast. Somehow, in this market, this still feels like a decent deal. 

Vancouver is working to change that, however. On Tuesday, the city announced a plan to add 72,000 new housing units over the next decade.

Mayor Gregor Robertson called the plan “the most ambitious and aggressive affordable housing plan Vancouver has ever seen.”

But it will still be quite a while before that plan takes effect. In the meantime, this place is available September 1.  

hmooney@postmedia.com

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