Calgary Rental Market: Calgary Rent Report: 3-Bedroom Units Hit $3,040 as Family Housing Tightens
Family-sized rentals hit $3K while 4-bedroom inventory flatlines
CALGARY — Rental prices for 3-Bedroom units in Calgary hit $3,040 this week, a number that tells you everything about who's still got the upper hand when it comes to family-sized housing. The broader market might be catching its breath thanks to a construction boom, but landlords aren't exactly loosening their grip on the units that matter most.
The Entry-Level Grind
Studios are running $2,025 a month. 1-Bedrooms clock in at $2,102. These are the numbers for anyone trying to get a toehold in the city without signing their life away. It's not cheap, but it's the price of admission.
The Family Fortress
Mid-range 2-Bedrooms sit at $2,892, but the real story is in that $3,040 figure for 3-Bedrooms. That's the toll for families trying to avoid sleeping in shifts. And if you need a 4-Bedroom? Good luck. There's no available inventory. Zero. Larger households are getting funneled into a 3-Bedroom market that's already stretched thin and priced like a luxury good.
The Vacancy Mirage
The city's purpose-built rental vacancy rate has climbed to roughly 5-6% for early 2026, a sharp jump from the suffocating 1-2% rates that choked tenants during 2023-2024. New construction completions are flooding the market, and on paper, that should mean relief. But vacancy rates don't mean much when you've got three kids and nowhere to put them.
The No-Limit Game
Alberta's rent control policy remains the same: there isn't one. The provincial government insists this free-market approach keeps developers building. What it also keeps is landlords' ability to jack up rent without a ceiling. The higher vacancy rate might be nudging the market toward balance, but uncapped increases mean tenants are still one lease renewal away from getting priced out.
The squeeze is sharpest where families live. The missing 4-Bedroom inventory isn't just a data point—it's a bottleneck that turns every available 3-Bedroom into a bidding war with no rules. Next rent checks are due April 1st.
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