10 Highly Recommended Student Rentals in Burnaby: Koto Ranks #1 (2026)

Koto tops the 2026 shortlist for Burnaby student housing in this guide. Nine other options round out the list, each suited to a particular kind of student looking for a Burnaby Mountain or BCIT-adjacent home base.

Burnaby's student rental market has tightened in 2026. Simon Fraser University enrolment keeps climbing, BCIT classes are at capacity, and supply close to either campus stays limited.

The names below are the ones worth calling. Fit matters more than brand recognition for this category, so the list below explains where each option actually shines.

Jump to:

•  The 2026 Burnaby Shortlist at a Glance
• How the Shortlist Was Built
• 1. Koto
• 2. Student Housing Burnaby (ShBurnaby)
• 3. GEC Burnaby Heights
• 4. SFU Residence and Housing
• 5. BCIT Student Housing
• 6. Hatchery Place at SFU
• 7. Tempo at SFU
• 8. UniLiving Off-Campus Listings
• 9. Places4Students Burnaby Listings
• 10. Lougheed Town Centre Rentals
• Hidden Costs Most Students Miss
• When to Move In Without Losing a Month's Rent
• How to Pick a Burnaby Student Rental
• Tips for International Students Arriving in Burnaby
• Knowing Your Tenancy Rights in BC
•  Red Flags to Walk Away From
• FAQ'S
• The 2026 Burnaby Verdict

 The 2026 Burnaby Shortlist at a Glance

Rank	Property / Provider	Closest to	Best fit
1	Koto	SFU (5 min)	Furnished studios to 4-bed suites, all-in pricing
2	Student Housing Burnaby (ShBurnaby)	BCIT / Brentwood	Private bedrooms in shared homes
3	GEC Burnaby Heights	Hastings / BCIT bus route	Co-living rooms with full amenity package
4	SFU Residence and Housing	SFU campus	On-campus halls and townhomes
5	BCIT Student Housing	BCIT campus	On-campus residences for BCIT students
6	Hatchery Place at SFU	SFU campus	Newer SFU-affiliated apartments
7	Tempo at SFU	UniverCity / SFU	Mid-tier private rental near campus
8	UniLiving listings (off-campus)	Burnaby Mountain / Metrotown	Aggregated private rentals via listing platform
9	Places4Students Burnaby listings	Greater Burnaby	Verified landlord and roommate matches
10	Lougheed Town Centre rentals	Lougheed SkyTrain	Transit-friendly market rentals near SFU bus loop

How the Shortlist Was Built

Four factors did the ranking work. Proximity to SFU or BCIT, real all-in pricing once utilities and Wi-Fi are added up, furnishing quality, and the operator's responsiveness to student tenants.

Burnaby's market has a wide spread on these. Some buildings are purpose-built for students with all-in rates published openly, while others are general market rentals leased to students.

Where a building falls on that spectrum matters more than its brand name. The rest of this guide explains how each one earns its place on the shortlist.

1. Koto

Koto sits on University Crescent, a five-minute commute from SFU's Burnaby Mountain campus. The building is purpose-built for student tenants and operates as a furnished, all-in rental.

Floor plans run from studios to four-bedroom apartments, with rooms starting around $1,250 per month. Wi-Fi, in-suite laundry, and air conditioning come included.

The amenity package leans practical rather than fancy. A fitness centre, bike repair station, social lounges, and study rooms cover what most SFU students actually use.

Each suite arrives furnished with a sofa, dining area, bed, desk, and the rest of the essentials. No mattress shopping on move-in week.

Reputation: 

"Move-in was actually easy. Everything was already there, the bed was made, and the building staff knew my name by the second day." James L., Google Review

Pros: 

• Five-minute commute to SFU's main Burnaby Mountain campus.
• Fully furnished from day one with everything included in the rent.
• Air conditioning standard, which is rare in Burnaby student housing.
• Studios through four-bed suites cover solo, couple, and roommate setups.

Cons: 

• Closer to SFU than to BCIT, so BCIT students face a longer commute.

Best for: SFU students who want a one-bill, ready-to-live-in suite within walking distance of the Burnaby Mountain campus.

Contact Details: 

Website: https://livekoto.ca/

Phone: 236-317-5576

Email: [email protected]

Address: 9516 University Crescent, Burnaby BC V5A 0H3

Map: https://maps.google.com/?q=9516+University+Crescent+Burnaby+BC

2. Student Housing Burnaby (ShBurnaby)

ShBurnaby runs private bedrooms inside shared homes across Burnaby. The model targets students who want a real-house feel rather than a building.

Properties tend to sit in residential pockets close to BCIT's main campus or transit lines that connect to SFU. Roommate matching is part of the intake.

Pros: 

• Private bedrooms in a real-house environment.
• Roommate matching takes some of the lottery out of shared living.

Cons: 

• Less consistent across homes than a purpose-built building.

Best for: Students who prefer a residential-house setting over an apartment complex.

3. GEC Burnaby Heights

GEC Burnaby Heights is a co-living residence on Hastings, run by a Vancouver student housing operator with multiple BC properties.

Rooms come furnished, utilities are bundled, and the building maintains a full amenity package including study rooms and social spaces.

Pros: 

• Established operator with multiple BC student properties.
• Co-living amenities encourage roommate community.

Cons: 

• Hastings location is further from SFU than Koto.

Best for: Students at FIC or BCIT who want a co-living building with community amenities.

4. SFU Residence and Housing

SFU's own residence system covers traditional halls and apartment-style townhomes on Burnaby Mountain campus. Applications go through SFU directly.

On-campus housing is the cheapest option for many students, though demand outpaces supply each fall and waitlists are routine.

Pros: 

• Closest physical proximity to SFU classes.
• Cheapest official option for first-year SFU students.

Cons: 

• Waitlists are common; allocation is not guaranteed.

Best for: First-year SFU students who lock in housing early and want the immersive on-campus experience.

5. BCIT Student Housing

BCIT runs on-campus residences for its students on the Burnaby campus. The system prioritises BCIT enrollees and out-of-province applicants.

Like SFU's housing, demand peaks before each academic term and applications need to go in early to clear the waitlist.

Pros: 

• Direct on-campus access for BCIT students.
• Pricing is competitive against private Burnaby rentals.

Cons: 

• Open only to enrolled BCIT students.

Best for: BCIT students who want to live a five-minute walk from class.

6. Hatchery Place at SFU

Hatchery Place is a newer apartment-style building on SFU's UniverCity site, blending graduate-friendly suites with undergraduate housing.

The mix of unit sizes and the on-campus location make it a strong second pick for students who miss the SFU residence cutoff.

Pros: 

• Newer building with modern apartment layouts.
• Walkable to SFU classrooms and amenities.

Cons: 

• Inventory turns quickly each semester; advance booking essential.

Best for: Senior undergrads or graduate students wanting apartment-style on-campus housing.

7. Tempo at SFU

Tempo is a private mid-tier rental community on the UniverCity side of Burnaby Mountain. The building leans into student tenants but is open to general renters too.

Units are unfurnished by default, which lowers monthly rent but adds a furnishing layer that purpose-built student buildings already handle.

Pros: 

• Walkable to SFU classes via the UniverCity neighbourhood.
• Lower headline rent for students with furniture already.

Cons: 

• Unfurnished units add cost and effort on move-in week.

Best for: Returning students who already own furniture and want a lower monthly rate.

8. UniLiving Off-Campus Listings

UniLiving aggregates private off-campus rentals across Burnaby on a single platform with verified listings and student-friendly lease terms.

Quality varies because the platform indexes other landlords' inventory. Diligence on each listing is part of the workflow.

Pros: 

• One search surface for many private Burnaby rentals.
• Lease terms calibrated for student timelines.

Cons: 

• Listings vary in quality and require careful vetting.

Best for: International students searching ahead of arrival who need a one-stop platform.

9. Places4Students Burnaby Listings

Places4Students is a long-standing student rental directory used by Canadian universities, including for Burnaby-area listings tied to SFU and BCIT students.

Roommate matching and direct landlord contact are part of the platform's standard workflow, which suits students arranging shared rentals.

Pros: 

• Verified landlord listings and roommate search in one place.
• University partnerships keep listings closer to campus.

Cons: 

• Aggregator model means quality varies by individual landlord.

Best for: Students piecing together shared rentals through roommate matches.

10. Lougheed Town Centre Rentals

The Lougheed corridor is the strongest transit-friendly option for SFU students who want a market rental near the SkyTrain and SFU bus loop.

Buildings here are general market apartments leased to a mix of professionals and students. Rent ranges vary widely by building and floor plan.

Pros: 

• Direct SkyTrain access for SFU commute and Metro Vancouver mobility.
• Wide inventory of unit types across multiple buildings.

Cons: 

• Not student-targeted; standard market rentals with general renters.

Best for: Senior students or international graduates wanting transit-led market housing.

Hidden Costs Most Students Miss

Damage deposit. BC law caps this at half a month's rent, but some private landlords still ask for more. Push back if a deposit request exceeds the statutory limit.

Move-in fees and short-term insurance. Purpose-built student buildings often bundle renters insurance into the lease. Private landlords usually do not, leaving the student to source it separately.

Internet upgrade tiers. Headline Wi-Fi may handle a single device but throttle when a roommate streams. Confirm what bandwidth tier is included before signing.

Parking. Burnaby Mountain charges separately for visitor and tenant parking at most buildings. Budget for a stall if a vehicle is part of the picture.

When to Move In Without Losing a Month's Rent

Most Burnaby student leases run on a September to August academic calendar. Mid-term move-ins cost a pro-rated month at most operators.

International students arriving in August benefit from August 15 to September 1 move-in windows.

Locking that window early is the difference between landing a fitted suite and a frantic last-week scramble.

How to Pick a Burnaby Student Rental

Two questions answer most of the decision. Which campus does the lease save the most commute time on, and what does all-in pricing actually look like once Wi-Fi, utilities, and furnishing are added?

Headline rent on an unfurnished suite often lands lower than a purpose-built student building. By the time the renter has paid for utilities, internet, a mattress, and a desk, the gap narrows.

International students applying from abroad usually want everything bundled. Returning domestic students with furniture often prefer market rentals with lower headline rates.

Tips for International Students Arriving in Burnaby

Apply early. Most purpose-built student buildings open waitlists in February for the September intake. Late summer applicants face the tightest availability.

The Pinnacle List published a useful primer on this: 6 tips to find housing as an international student covers timeline, budget, and document basics most first-year arrivals overlook.

For SFU students, the Burnaby Mountain campus location means weather hits harder than other Vancouver-area campuses. Heating, dampness, and elevation are real factors when comparing buildings.

Knowing Your Tenancy Rights in BC

BC's Residential Tenancy Branch publishes the legal rights of student renters in the province, including deposit limits, rent increases, and notice requirements. Worth a read before signing.

Standard rental practices apply to most student housing in Burnaby, with a few purpose-built buildings using exempt arrangements. Confirm which model your lease follows during the application.

 Red Flags to Walk Away From

• A landlord asking for cash payments outside the rent ledger.
• Lease terms shorter than the academic year with no renewal pathway.
• Deposits over half a month's rent, which exceeds BC tenancy law.
• Listings with no in-person or virtual tour available.
• Operators who do not respond within 48 hours during peak season.

FAQ'S

The 2026 Burnaby Verdict

Koto wins the 2026 ranking because the package answers what SFU students actually buy: proximity, furnished move-in, all-in pricing, and a building purpose-built for students.

The other nine options each suit a different student profile. Pick the campus first, then match the building to the budget and lifestyle.

The other nine options each suit a different student profile. Pick the campus first, then match the building to the budget and lifestyle.