Halifax Rent Report, August 2026

Halifax asking rents kept rising in August 2026 while the national average fell. Rentals.ca put the city's average asking rent across all property types at $2,365 per month, up 4.4% from a year earlier, in the city highlights of its Rentals.ca and Urbanation National Rent Report published September 9, 2026. On the same all-property-type measure, the national average was $2,035, down 4.8% year over year, and Atlantic Canada averaged $2,274, up 5.7%.

At the provincial level, Nova Scotia apartment and condo asking rents averaged $2,356, up 3.1% from a year earlier, making it one of only two provinces with an annual increase, alongside Manitoba (+0.2%). Over the month they fell 0.9% from July, the second-largest monthly decline of any province after Manitoba (-1.5%).

Nova Scotia remained the most expensive province for apartment and condo rents, narrowly ahead of B.C. ($2,353) for a fourth straight month. Rentals.ca attributes that largely to Nova Scotia's larger proportion of newly completed projects and larger unit types. For each unit type individually, B.C. remained the most expensive province.

Vacancy remains low. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) recorded a purpose-built rental vacancy rate of 2.6% in October 2025, its most recent authoritative survey.

The table below shows CMHC's in-place averages for the existing purpose-built stock as of October 2025. These reflect what sitting tenants pay across the market, held down in part by Nova Scotia's 5% cap on existing tenancies.

• Studio (CMHC, Oct 2025): $1,362 / month
• 1 Bedroom (CMHC, Oct 2025): $1,539 / month
• 2 Bedroom (CMHC, Oct 2025): $1,828 / month
• 3 Bedroom+ (CMHC, Oct 2025): $2,254 / month
• All apartments (CMHC, Oct 2025): $1,750 / month

Nova Scotia three-bedroom asking rents rose 11.0% over the year, the largest increase of any province. Rentals.ca notes this was primarily due to the absorption of a large number of units priced under $3,000, rather than an increase in the price of new listings. CMHC's all-apartments average of $1,750 sits below the $2,365 asking rent because CMHC covers long-tenured tenancies in purpose-built apartments, while Rentals.ca's all-types figure covers new listings of every property type.

The Halifax peninsula and downtown command the highest rents in the region, with the North End a popular and increasingly sought-after area and the South End anchored by Dalhousie University and other campuses.

Higher-priced areas

• Downtown Halifax and the peninsula, walkable core with premium demand
• North End, popular established community with strong renter interest
• South End, university-adjacent near Dalhousie, steady student and professional demand

Off-peninsula areas

• Halifax West and Clayton Park, established apartment communities off the peninsula
• Bedford and Sackville, suburban communities with more supply and moderate rents

Dartmouth

Across the harbour, Rentals.ca reported Dartmouth apartment and condo asking rents up 10.8% year over year, the third-largest annual increase among markets outside Canada's six largest cities, after Barrie (+14.3%) and Lloydminster (+12.8%). Rentals.ca attributes the rise to a significant increase in the proportion of larger unit types available over the past year.

Neighborhood-level rent averages fluctuate based on listing mix. For current rents by CMHC zone, see the CMHC neighborhood rent tables, which are updated on CMHC's schedule.

Halifax vacancy remained low in the October 2025 CMHC survey, and tightest for the largest units.

Vacancy by unit type (CMHC, October 2025)

• Studio: 2.8%
• 1 bedroom: 3.3%
• 2 bedroom: 2.3%
• 3 bedroom or more: 1.8%
• Overall: 2.6%

New supply is shaping what renters see on the market. Rentals.ca links Nova Scotia's high provincial average to its larger share of newly completed projects and larger unit types, and the province's three-bedroom gain reflects many new units being leased. Nationally, its September report names the record volume of apartment completions underway as one of the near-term headwinds for rents, and purpose-built rental apartments posted the smallest annual decline of any property type, down 3.3% to $2,038.

Rentals.ca describes the national outlook as increasingly uncertain. Its September report points to new US tariffs and Canadian counter-tariffs, the record volume of apartment completions and a declining population as near-term headwinds, partly offset by pent-up demand entering the market as affordability improves.

Nova Scotia caps rent increases on existing tenancies at 5% a year until December 31, 2027, and requires four months' written notice. With asking rents rising, the gap between what sitting tenants pay and what new listings ask tends to widen on turnover.

What this means for renters

• The 5% cap protects existing tenancies, so staying put is often cheaper than moving
• Moving means facing current asking rents, which sit above in-place averages
• Compare areas and unit sizes carefully, since listing mix moves the averages
• Insist on a written move-in inspection to protect your deposit

What this means for landlords

• Increases on existing tenancies are capped at 5% a year until December 31, 2027
• Give four months' written notice of any rent increase
• Renewals within the cap are cheaper than turnover
• Quality photos and detailed listings still win the competition for good tenants

SQRFT's September 2026 report will follow the next Rentals.ca National Rent Report, which covers September data.