East York and the Danforth corridor offer the best rental value on Line 2 subway — 1-bedrooms typically $1,800 to $2,400, character streets, Greek and increasingly Asian dining, and walkable to Riverdale Park. Real neighbourhoods (not just condo lobbies), family-friendly, dog-friendly, quieter evenings.
This is where I'd recommend to renters who want to be a subway ride from downtown but come home to actual street-level neighbourhood life. I know which streets flood, which century homes have modernized properly and which look updated but have terrible insulation, and which independent landlords are reasonable to work with.
15-minute call to run through your target neighbourhood, budget, and timeline. No commitment.