{
  "id": "rent-after-inflation",
  "parent": "average-rent-2-bedroom",
  "category": "Cost of living",
  "title": "Rent for a two-bedroom apartment after inflation",
  "geography": "Victoria census metropolitan area (rent); Victoria consumer price index area (prices)",
  "scope": "region",
  "levels": [
    "Market (private landlords)",
    "Provincial rules on rent increases"
  ],
  "plain_question": "Has rent risen faster than prices in general?",
  "value": 43.4,
  "display_value": "+43%",
  "unit": "change in rent after inflation, 2015 to 2025",
  "period": "October 2015 to October 2025 surveys",
  "period_start": "2015-01-01",
  "period_end": "2025-12-31",
  "comparison": {
    "previous_period": "2024",
    "previous_value": 2039,
    "change_percent": 4.0
  },
  "headline_compare": {
    "previous_period": "2015",
    "previous_value": 1478,
    "change_percent": 43.4,
    "current_value": 2120,
    "basis": "rent in 2025 dollars"
  },
  "real_five": {
    "period": "2020",
    "previous_value": 1796,
    "change_percent": 18.0
  },
  "since_text": "Rent +88%, prices +31% (2015 to 2025)",
  "trend": "worsening",
  "trend_basis": "In 2025 dollars, the average two-bedroom rent went from $2,039 in 2024 to $2,120 in 2025 (+4.0% after inflation). Over ten years (2015 to 2025) rent rose 87.9% while prices rose 31.0%, so after allowing for inflation, rent was 43.4% higher in 2025 than in 2015. Over five years (2020 to 2025): +18.0% after inflation.",
  "direction_good": "down",
  "right_direction": "A lower number means rent is rising more slowly than prices in general. The label judges the headline: rent after inflation in 2025 compared with 2015.",
  "caveats": [
    "Calculated here. Rent is CMHC's October average for two-bedroom apartments in purpose-built buildings of three or more units (CMHC's headline figure); prices are Statistics Canada's annual average consumer price index for Victoria.",
    "The two areas are close but not identical: rent covers the Victoria metropolitan area; the price index samples prices in the Victoria urban area.",
    "After inflation means rent compared with prices in general. Against incomes: from 2019 to 2023, the average two-bedroom rent rose 27% ($1,448 to $1,839) and the median total income of all census families in Victoria rose 20% ($101,320 to $121,850). Income is from tax returns; 2023 is the latest year in the income table, so the comparison ends there.",
    "Average rent mixes long-time tenants with new tenants. People moving today usually pay more.",
    "The chart starts in 1995: Statistics Canada changed how city price indexes are calculated in January 1995, so earlier years are not converted. Statistics Canada also notes that the rent survey area is redrawn every five years to follow the latest census."
  ],
  "charts": [
    {
      "title": "Average two-bedroom rent, as charged and in 2025 dollars",
      "fmt": "money",
      "unit": "a month",
      "lines": [
        {
          "name": "Rent as charged",
          "series": [
            {
              "period": "1995",
              "value": 715.0
            },
            {
              "period": "1996",
              "value": 717.0
            },
            {
              "period": "1997",
              "value": 724.0
            },
            {
              "period": "1998",
              "value": 722.0
            },
            {
              "period": "1999",
              "value": 728.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2000",
              "value": 731.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2001",
              "value": 751.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2002",
              "value": 771.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2003",
              "value": 789.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2004",
              "value": 799.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2005",
              "value": 837.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2006",
              "value": 874.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2007",
              "value": 907.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2008",
              "value": 965.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2009",
              "value": 1001.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2010",
              "value": 1024.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2011",
              "value": 1045.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2012",
              "value": 1059.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2013",
              "value": 1068.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2014",
              "value": 1095.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2015",
              "value": 1128.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2016",
              "value": 1188.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2017",
              "value": 1288.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2018",
              "value": 1406.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2019",
              "value": 1448.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2020",
              "value": 1507.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2021",
              "value": 1571.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2022",
              "value": 1699.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2023",
              "value": 1839.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2024",
              "value": 1993.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2025",
              "value": 2120.0
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "name": "Rent in 2025 dollars (after inflation)",
          "series": [
            {
              "period": "1995",
              "value": 1212
            },
            {
              "period": "1996",
              "value": 1203
            },
            {
              "period": "1997",
              "value": 1203
            },
            {
              "period": "1998",
              "value": 1197
            },
            {
              "period": "1999",
              "value": 1195
            },
            {
              "period": "2000",
              "value": 1181
            },
            {
              "period": "2001",
              "value": 1198
            },
            {
              "period": "2002",
              "value": 1198
            },
            {
              "period": "2003",
              "value": 1200
            },
            {
              "period": "2004",
              "value": 1187
            },
            {
              "period": "2005",
              "value": 1217
            },
            {
              "period": "2006",
              "value": 1252
            },
            {
              "period": "2007",
              "value": 1284
            },
            {
              "period": "2008",
              "value": 1341
            },
            {
              "period": "2009",
              "value": 1390
            },
            {
              "period": "2010",
              "value": 1407
            },
            {
              "period": "2011",
              "value": 1406
            },
            {
              "period": "2012",
              "value": 1410
            },
            {
              "period": "2013",
              "value": 1427
            },
            {
              "period": "2014",
              "value": 1451
            },
            {
              "period": "2015",
              "value": 1478
            },
            {
              "period": "2016",
              "value": 1530
            },
            {
              "period": "2017",
              "value": 1627
            },
            {
              "period": "2018",
              "value": 1735
            },
            {
              "period": "2019",
              "value": 1744
            },
            {
              "period": "2020",
              "value": 1796
            },
            {
              "period": "2021",
              "value": 1827
            },
            {
              "period": "2022",
              "value": 1848
            },
            {
              "period": "2023",
              "value": 1928
            },
            {
              "period": "2024",
              "value": 2039
            },
            {
              "period": "2025",
              "value": 2120
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Rent and median family income, as charged and received, 2000 = 100",
      "fmt": "dec1",
      "unit": "index",
      "lines": [
        {
          "name": "Average two-bedroom rent",
          "area": "cma",
          "series": [
            {
              "period": "2000",
              "value": 100.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2001",
              "value": 102.7
            },
            {
              "period": "2002",
              "value": 105.5
            },
            {
              "period": "2003",
              "value": 107.9
            },
            {
              "period": "2004",
              "value": 109.3
            },
            {
              "period": "2005",
              "value": 114.5
            },
            {
              "period": "2006",
              "value": 119.6
            },
            {
              "period": "2007",
              "value": 124.1
            },
            {
              "period": "2008",
              "value": 132.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2009",
              "value": 136.9
            },
            {
              "period": "2010",
              "value": 140.1
            },
            {
              "period": "2011",
              "value": 143.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2012",
              "value": 144.9
            },
            {
              "period": "2013",
              "value": 146.1
            },
            {
              "period": "2014",
              "value": 149.8
            },
            {
              "period": "2015",
              "value": 154.3
            },
            {
              "period": "2016",
              "value": 162.5
            },
            {
              "period": "2017",
              "value": 176.2
            },
            {
              "period": "2018",
              "value": 192.3
            },
            {
              "period": "2019",
              "value": 198.1
            },
            {
              "period": "2020",
              "value": 206.2
            },
            {
              "period": "2021",
              "value": 214.9
            },
            {
              "period": "2022",
              "value": 232.4
            },
            {
              "period": "2023",
              "value": 251.6
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "name": "Median family income",
          "area": "cma",
          "series": [
            {
              "period": "2000",
              "value": 100.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2001",
              "value": 106.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2002",
              "value": 109.4
            },
            {
              "period": "2003",
              "value": 111.8
            },
            {
              "period": "2004",
              "value": 116.3
            },
            {
              "period": "2005",
              "value": 121.2
            },
            {
              "period": "2006",
              "value": 129.5
            },
            {
              "period": "2007",
              "value": 135.4
            },
            {
              "period": "2008",
              "value": 141.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2009",
              "value": 141.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2010",
              "value": 141.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2011",
              "value": 143.8
            },
            {
              "period": "2012",
              "value": 147.8
            },
            {
              "period": "2013",
              "value": 153.1
            },
            {
              "period": "2014",
              "value": 156.6
            },
            {
              "period": "2015",
              "value": 162.4
            },
            {
              "period": "2016",
              "value": 165.6
            },
            {
              "period": "2017",
              "value": 172.6
            },
            {
              "period": "2018",
              "value": 178.0
            },
            {
              "period": "2019",
              "value": 183.6
            },
            {
              "period": "2020",
              "value": 193.7
            },
            {
              "period": "2021",
              "value": 201.8
            },
            {
              "period": "2022",
              "value": 206.4
            },
            {
              "period": "2023",
              "value": 220.7
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "calc": {
    "formula": "Rent in 2025 dollars = rent in year × (price index 2025 ÷ price index in that year). Change after inflation = rent in 2025 dollars, 2025 ÷ same for 2015 − 1.",
    "steps": [
      "Price index for Victoria (2002 = 100): 118.6 in 2015, 155.4 in 2025 (+31.0%).",
      "Average rent: $1,128 in 2015, $2,120 in 2025 (+87.9%).",
      "2015 rent in 2025 dollars: $1,128 × 155.4 ÷ 118.6 = $1,478.",
      "$2,120 ÷ $1,478 − 1 = +43.4%.",
      "Rent against income, 2019 to 2023: rent $1,839 ÷ $1,448 − 1 = +27.0%; income $121,850 ÷ $101,320 − 1 = +20.3%."
    ],
    "inputs": [
      {
        "name": "Average rent, two-bedroom apartments in buildings of three or more units, Victoria",
        "agency": "CMHC, published by Statistics Canada",
        "url": "https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3410013301",
        "dataset_url": "https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/1146388b-a150-4e70-98ec-eb40cb9083c8",
        "table": "34-10-0133-01",
        "period": "1995 to 2025",
        "data_published": "2025-12-17",
        "licence": {
          "name": "CMHC Licence Agreement for the Use of Data",
          "url": "https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/about-us/terms-conditions/hmip-terms-conditions",
          "also_listed_as": {
            "name": "Open Government Licence - Canada",
            "url": "https://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada"
          }
        },
        "attribution": "Adapted from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Rental Market Survey. This does not constitute an endorsement by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation of this product. Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 34-10-0133-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product."
      },
      {
        "name": "Consumer Price Index, all items, annual average, Victoria",
        "agency": "Statistics Canada",
        "url": "https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1810000501",
        "dataset_url": "https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/4be5f92b-8546-4e76-ad98-bcf9d4b8aeed",
        "table": "18-10-0005-01",
        "period": "1995 to 2025",
        "data_published": "2026-01-19",
        "licence": {
          "name": "Open Government Licence - Canada",
          "url": "https://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada"
        },
        "attribution": "Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 18-10-0005-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product."
      },
      {
        "name": "Median total income, all census families, Victoria",
        "agency": "Statistics Canada",
        "url": "https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1110000901",
        "dataset_url": "https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/279a7e66-5cfb-410d-8727-ca1c3a00453b",
        "table": "11-10-0009-01",
        "period": "2000 to 2023",
        "data_published": "2025-07-18",
        "licence": {
          "name": "Open Government Licence - Canada",
          "url": "https://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada"
        },
        "attribution": "Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 11-10-0009-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product."
      }
    ]
  },
  "refresh_frequency": "Annually (rent survey in October, published in December)",
  "rent_vs_income": {
    "from": "2019",
    "to": "2023",
    "rent_from": 1448.0,
    "rent_to": 1839.0,
    "rent_change": 27.0,
    "income_from": 101320.0,
    "income_to": 121850.0,
    "income_change": 20.3
  },
  "source": {
    "name": "Calculated here from CMHC, published by Statistics Canada and Statistics Canada data",
    "url": "https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3410013301",
    "dataset_url": "https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/1146388b-a150-4e70-98ec-eb40cb9083c8",
    "locator": "Statistics Canada tables 34-10-0133-01 (Victoria, two-bedroom rent) and 18-10-0005-01 (Victoria, annual price index)"
  },
  "licence": {
    "name": "CMHC Licence Agreement for the Use of Data",
    "url": "https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/about-us/terms-conditions/hmip-terms-conditions",
    "also_listed_as": {
      "name": "Open Government Licence - Canada",
      "url": "https://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada"
    }
  },
  "derived": true,
  "retrieved_at": "2026-11-12T04:00:45Z",
  "data_published": "2026-01-19",
  "attribution": "Adapted from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Rental Market Survey. This does not constitute an endorsement by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation of this product. Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 34-10-0133-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product. Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 18-10-0005-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product. Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 11-10-0009-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.",
  "series": [
    {
      "period": "1995",
      "value": 715.0
    },
    {
      "period": "1996",
      "value": 717.0
    },
    {
      "period": "1997",
      "value": 724.0
    },
    {
      "period": "1998",
      "value": 722.0
    },
    {
      "period": "1999",
      "value": 728.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2000",
      "value": 731.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2001",
      "value": 751.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2002",
      "value": 771.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2003",
      "value": 789.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2004",
      "value": 799.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2005",
      "value": 837.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2006",
      "value": 874.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2007",
      "value": 907.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2008",
      "value": 965.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2009",
      "value": 1001.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2010",
      "value": 1024.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2011",
      "value": 1045.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2012",
      "value": 1059.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2013",
      "value": 1068.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2014",
      "value": 1095.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2015",
      "value": 1128.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2016",
      "value": 1188.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2017",
      "value": 1288.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2018",
      "value": 1406.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2019",
      "value": 1448.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2020",
      "value": 1507.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2021",
      "value": 1571.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2022",
      "value": 1699.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2023",
      "value": 1839.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2024",
      "value": 1993.0
    },
    {
      "period": "2025",
      "value": 2120.0
    }
  ],
  "licence_type": "open",
  "source_tier": 1,
  "measure_kind": "outcome",
  "better_measure": null,
  "status_rule": {
    "rule": "One rule for every measure: a change smaller than 5% of the earlier value, or smaller than the agency's own margin of error, is “About the same”; no change is calculated across a marked break in a series; homelessness estimates, prices, staffing and comparison pages are shown for context without a label.",
    "reason": "The headline change (2015 to 2025) is 43.4% of the earlier value, at or above the 5% threshold.",
    "threshold_percent": 5.0
  },
  "changes": {
    "year": {
      "period": "2024",
      "value": 2039,
      "text": "vs 2024: +4.0%"
    },
    "five_year": {
      "period": "2019",
      "years": 6,
      "value": 1448.0,
      "comparable": true,
      "text": "vs 2019: +21.6%"
    }
  },
  "direction": {
    "type": "outcome",
    "rule": "Outcome measures read Better, Worse or About the same; published government targets read Ahead of, On or Behind target; value-judgement measures read Rising, Falling or Steady in a neutral colour. A change smaller than the agency's own margin of error, or otherwise smaller than 5% of the earlier value, is About the same (or Steady). No change is calculated across a marked break in a series.",
    "key": "worse",
    "label": "Worse",
    "arrow": "▲",
    "rel": 43.4,
    "delta": null,
    "vs": "2015",
    "cur": "2025",
    "why": "The figure in the headline changed 43.4% between 2015 and 2025 (rent in 2025 dollars), at or above the 5% threshold.",
    "change": "43%",
    "one_year": "+4.0%",
    "one_year_vs": "2024",
    "one_year_rel": 4.0,
    "five": {
      "period": "2019",
      "comparable": true,
      "rel": 21.55963302752294,
      "years": 6,
      "base_2019": true,
      "replaced": "2020",
      "basis": "after inflation",
      "text": "+21.6%"
    },
    "five_replaced": {
      "period": "2020",
      "text": "+18.0%"
    }
  },
  "benchmark": {
    "rung": 4,
    "rung_name": "Comparison only",
    "as_of": "2026-11-12",
    "items": [
      {
        "kind": "note",
        "label": "Note",
        "text": "This page shows the same average two-bedroom rent after inflation, so it carries that measure’s target line. The line below comes from that page.",
        "area": null,
        "source": null,
        "documents_checked": null,
        "see": "average-rent-2-bedroom"
      },
      {
        "kind": "cap",
        "label": "Legal limit for sitting tenants",
        "text": "Legal limit for sitting tenants, not drawn: the Province’s yearly limit on rent increases for existing tenants was 3% in 2025 and is 2.3% in 2026 (2.2% in 2027). CMHC’s average rent covers sitting tenants and new tenancies together, and this page shows rent in dollars, not a yearly change, so the limit is not drawn.",
        "area": "British Columbia",
        "source": {
          "title": "Rent increases (Residential Tenancy Branch)",
          "publisher": "Province of B.C.",
          "date": "page updated August 27, 2026",
          "url": "https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/residential-tenancies/rent-rtb/rent-increases",
          "terms": "https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/home/copyright",
          "refresh": "Yearly (limit announced each fall)",
          "licence": "Public document, not under an open licence. Quoted with attribution.",
          "checked": "2026-11-12",
          "key": "rtb"
        },
        "documents_checked": null,
        "inherited": "average-rent-2-bedroom"
      }
    ],
    "drawn": [],
    "rule": "Highest rung found is shown; the site never sets a target. Methods, Targets."
  },
  "benchmarks": [
    {
      "rung": 2,
      "kind": "limit",
      "label": "Legal limit for sitting tenants, not drawn: the Province’s yearly limit on rent increases for existing tenants was 3% in 2025 and is 2.3% in 2026 (2.2% in 2027). CMHC’s average rent covers sitting tenants and new tenancies together, and this page shows rent in dollars, not a yearly change, so the limit is not drawn.",
      "short": null,
      "document": "rtb",
      "page": null,
      "area": "British Columbia",
      "fit": "text_only",
      "same_area": false,
      "related_reason": "Different unit, definition, period or area; written under the chart, not drawn.",
      "document_url": "https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/residential-tenancies/rent-rtb/rent-increases",
      "applies_here": false,
      "same_measure": false
    }
  ],
  "highest_rung": null,
  "decided_by": [
    {
      "body": "BC",
      "name": "Province of B.C.",
      "decides": "Limits rent increases during a tenancy. The yearly limit is set by regulation.",
      "laws": [
        {
          "key": "rta43",
          "label": "Residential Tenancy Act, s. 43",
          "url": "https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/02078_01#section43"
        }
      ],
      "last": {
        "text": "2027 limit set at 2.2%, announced August 27, 2026",
        "label": "2027 limit set at 2.2%, announced August 27, 2026",
        "url": "https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2026HMA0085-000982"
      },
      "next": null
    },
    {
      "body": "MUN",
      "name": "Municipal councils of Greater Victoria (13)",
      "decides": "Each council decides zoning and approves new housing in its own area.",
      "laws": [
        {
          "key": "lga479",
          "label": "Local Government Act, s. 479",
          "url": "https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/r15001_14#section479"
        }
      ],
      "last": null,
      "next": null
    },
    {
      "body": "CAN",
      "name": "Government of Canada and Parliament",
      "decides": "Finances and insures housing loans through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.",
      "laws": [
        {
          "key": "nha3",
          "label": "National Housing Act, s. 3",
          "url": "https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/N-11/FullText.html"
        }
      ],
      "last": null,
      "next": null
    },
    {
      "body": "NONE",
      "name": "No government decides this directly",
      "note": "Landlords set rents within these rules."
    }
  ],
  "main_decision_maker": "Province of B.C.",
  "label_1y": {
    "key": "worse",
    "label": "Worse"
  },
  "label_long": {
    "key": "worse",
    "label": "Worse",
    "years": 6,
    "change": "+21.6%"
  },
  "target_line": {
    "form": 5,
    "text": "Related limit only",
    "target": null,
    "gap": null,
    "comparison": null,
    "applies_here": false,
    "note": null
  }
}