There was a time when $1,000 secured you a one bedroom apartment in high rises across Toronto. Now you're lucky if you can find a relatively central basement at this price. It's scary out there. Still, even if the new $1K normal is subterranean spaces, some are much nicer than others.

Here's what a $1,000 apartment looks like in Toronto right now.

$1,000 for an open concept studio on the East Danforth

There's over 800 square feet of space on offer at this studio apartment near Woodbine and Danforth, but there's no dedicated bedroom area, which will be a deal breaker for some. I could see this as a solid live/work studio for an artist who needs to keep rent costs under control.

$1000 for a garden walk-out in Forest Hill Village

As the listing says, location, location, location. In this case, we're talking about Forest Hill Village, which means $1,000 gets you a cozy basement near the main drag. The bonus here is the backyard space, which looks like a great warm weather hangout.

$980 for a reasonably bright basement on the Queensway

You might not find many above-ground apartments for $1,000 in Toronto, but not all basements are created equally. This Queensway apartment gets lots of light and has been recently renovated, but really needs a few carpets to warm up the cold tiles that comprise the floor.

$1,000 to get almost above ground near South Humber Park

Here's a one bedroom apartment that's about as close to above ground as you're going to get for this price in today's market. Located in South Etobicoke, it's not very friendly to non-drivers, but with lots of green space nearby and limited furnishings already in place, it could work for some students.

$950 for a renovated basement near Eglinton West

This is one of those basements that's hard to slag on, especially for the price. It's been recently renovated, features nice appliances, a huge shower, lots of space, and good subway proximity. This is about as good as you can do for under $1K in Toronto these days.