I've been granted my IEC and planning to move out next year. However, I have no idea where would be the best place for me to go to.
I had initially thought Vancouver but have been scared off with stories of expensive cost of living and unmanageable rent.

I'm open to other ideas of places to stay and they don't need to be one of the big cities.

I have a arts and design degree but most of my work experience has been in admin or with children. I don't like to live a lavish lifestyle but I do like to be able to go eat out and buy the odd coffee etc. I'm mostly interested in moving somewhere where I can make friends and socialise. It's important I can afford to eat good food and that my rent won't cripple me. I like to save money as well so I'm really just hoping to live hand to mouth during my time in Canada. I'd like to be somewhere a bit 'hip' and relaxed and lots of nature.

Just throw ideas at me, I'm open to anything, feeling a bit lost at the moment...

You claim that you don't need to be moving to one of the big cities, but I disagree. I think you will only be happiest in Canada's most urban environments. You claim you desire to be able to go out and eat out, and buy the odd coffee, and easily make friends, easily socialise, and easily eat good food, while living somewhere that's hip. You're not going to find this lifestyle easily in Canada's surburban spawl or rural communities.

My advice is to look into Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood, Toronto's Queen Street West area, Calgary's Beltline, Vancouver's Commerical Drive neighbourhood, Winnipeg's Osborne Village, or Victoria's Cook Street Village. Ottawa or Halifax may also appeal.

Edit: The request to have access to lots of nature would put Vancouver and Victoria in the forefront and Toronto at the back of the list.

+ Connaught, Mission, Bankview, Kensington, Bridgeland, and Inglewood.

Okay, but why does "hip" have to be the deciding factor?

The OP mentioned a number of 'desirables' one of which was avoiding crippling rent costs and another was saving money.

Swap hip for affordable rent costs and many of those recommendations likely fall by the wayside with 90% of Canada coming back into play without relying on rural or suburban sprawl.

I'd guess money was probably more important so long as there was a degree of city living involved and there are likely many places outside of Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto that would suit.

To be fair, you did mention other places too but I'm sure there are a whole lot more.

One might, of course, compromise by being in all those places where most things can be had with 'hip' being obtained by visits to Toronto instead of living there just as one could visit London without living rurally in the UK.

Hamilton.

Simples.

Pubs, clubs, coffee shops, art crawls, live music, festivals, concerts, restaurants, parks, Royal Botanical Gardens, cycle ways, 45m-1 hr from Toronto by public transport. Uni city so lots of young people, 2 streets of just pubs (Augusta Street and Hess Village)..

Rents probably half of Toronto.

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Calgary has lots of green space and nature. People are friendly and the Rockies are only an hour away. Weather is ..... diferent and exciting are the only words I can give to describe it lol! Let's say it's not predictable. Fish Creek Park is part of Calgary so if can't travel it's there on your doorstep. And we have the best Mayor EVER😀

Anywhere there is a university or large college - more likely to be able to find cheaper accommodation, perhaps a room in a a shared house to kickstart making friends and learning about the area. Student areas also tend to have lots of what you've described as desirable.

TrishP seems to be talking a lot of sense! Perhaps a town with a University which has decent transport connections to a major city, if you're not planning on getting a car? Over here in Ontario I wonder if it might be worthwhile loking at Guelph. Or Hamilton. Or perhaps Peterborough.

I agree that sharing a place with other young people is a good idea and it's true that local amenities and night life tend to spring up in areas where there are large numbers of students. However, having thousands of university/college students and staff looking for accommodation doesn't necessarily mean lower rents If anything, it's more likely to drive rents up unless enough construction/renovation has happened to open up a large number of places to live. Basic supply and demand rules still apply. University/college towns attract real estate investors because of the steady demand and they are there to make money.

Guelph and Hamilton have GO train/bus connections to Toronto, it's possible to commute and certainly possible to go a concert or sports event by public transit. Peterborough not so much.

No Hamilton, stay away, its comparable to Grimsby or Luton in the UK. Burlington & Oakville however are amazing cities.

For a young person? Granted, they're pleasant enough suburbs, if you like the suburban thing, but, good grief, if you don't have 2.4 children to Chelsea tractor to football practise, why would you live there? That's like sending a young Canadian to experience the fun of Ruislip.

Oakville is a town, not a city. It is very nice and I loved the four years spent living there but I wouldn't describe it as amazing.

Have you ever actually been to Hamilton (in the last decade or two)?

Burlington???? Just an expensive suburb.

Valid point! I know that when I was in university I paid extortionate rate for a really crappy place sharing with 4 others in a not so great area. I'm a little older too so I don't really feel like living like a squatter any more!