UNBC Student Centre

By Nathan Jordan

Affordability

Prince George post-secondary students struggle with runaway cost of living, despite ‘most affordable’ title awarded to city

Feb 9, 2023 | 5:35 PM

PRINCE GEORGE- With Prince George listed as the #1 most affordable city in the province, a lot of us here in the Northern Capital have questions about who is really reaping the benefits of that title. With property values on the rise, and inflation a hot new household term, local property manager and Owner/Operator of Nest property Management and Real Estate Services, Blake Buckham, says the rising rents, may be here to stay.

That sentiment is echoed by Karl Schafer, who had sought out a UNBC education in the north 20 years ago, due to prices in the lower-mainland that even then, saw prospective young students priced out of their homes, in much the same way major metropolitan centers have been experiencing a mass exodus of youth, who leave looking for better opportunities elsewhere.

Even with local rental rates on par with the broader market value, and no end in sight to runaway inflation on everything from gas to groceries, Prince George is still a destination that draws people in globally, for the simple fact that: as rough as it may be now, the cost of living could certainly be a lot worse by comparison…