A 3½ has one bedroom, not three.
It is the most common mistake, and it costs pointless viewings. In Quebec, the number in a listing does not count bedrooms: it counts rooms, and the "½" always means the bathroom.
If you are used to counting bedrooms
The rest of the country counts bedrooms. The correspondence is direct:
- 1½ or 2½ — studio or bachelor
- 3½ — 1 bedroom
- 4½ — 2 bedrooms
- 5½ — 3 bedrooms
The shortcut: bedrooms = advertised number − 2.
The rule in one sentence
Add up the main rooms — living room, bedrooms, kitchen — then add a half for the bathroom.
The kitchen counts as a full room. That is the detail that trips people up: it shifts everything by one compared to what you would expect.
What each size contains
- 1½ — one room with a kitchenette, plus the bathroom. No closed bedroom.
- 2½ — one living space, a separate kitchen, the bathroom. No closed bedroom.
- 3½ — living room, one bedroom, kitchen, bathroom.
- 4½ — living room, two bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom.
- 5½ — living room, three bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom.
- 6½ and up — living room, four or more bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom.
What the notation does not tell you
It counts rooms, not square feet. Two 4½ units can differ twofold in area — the number never says so.
It says nothing about the bathroom either: the "½" covers a full bathroom as much as a powder room. A unit with two bathrooms is still a 4½, not a 5.
And no law defines it. It is a convention, widely followed but not guaranteed. A landlord who has partitioned a living room may advertise a 4½ where most would see a 3½ with a divider.
What to check when viewing
- Does the bedroom have a window and a door? A room missing either is not a bedroom in the usual sense, even when it is counted as one.
- Is the kitchen a room or a corner of the living room? That is what separates a 2½ from a 3½, and the rent follows.
- Basement, sunroom and storage do not count toward the total, but they change how you live there.
Frequently asked questions
How many bedrooms is a 3 1/2?
One. The 3 counts the living room, the bedroom and the kitchen; the ½ is the bathroom.
What is the difference between a 1½ and a 2½?
A 2½ has the kitchen in its own room. In a 1½, everything shares one space.
Why is the bathroom half a room?
By convention, because you do not live in it the way you live in a bedroom or a living room. No written rule requires it; the usage settled on its own.
Is a 4½ always bigger than a 3½?
It has one more bedroom, not necessarily more floor area. A large 3½ can be roomier than a small 4½.
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