Duplex vs Fourplex: Which Should You Buy? (2026)

Shopping for a brand-new multiplex home in Vancouver, you'll weigh different building sizes. Two of the most common are the duplex (a building with two homes) and the fourplex (a building with four). Each home is privately owned; the difference is how many neighbours share the building. Here's a plain comparison to help you choose.

The short answer

Neither is simply better. A home in a duplex usually means just one shared neighbour and the most house-like feel. A home in a fourplex is often a touch more attainable and has a small-community feel. What matters most is the individual home — its layout, light, and location count for more than the building's size.

How they compare

• Neighbours — a duplex gives you one immediate neighbour; a fourplex gives you a few. Fewer neighbours can mean more privacy.
• Price — within the same building footprint and location, fourplex homes are often a bit more attainable, since the lot is shared four ways rather than two.
• Space — duplex homes are often larger and more house-like, but this varies enormously by floor plan. Always compare actual square footage.
• Strata costs — more homes split shared costs more ways, which can keep each fourplex home's fee modest; a duplex has fewer people sharing decisions.
• Feel — a duplex feels closest to a house; a fourplex feels like a small, friendly community. Pick what fits you.

In our view, buyers over-weight the duplex-versus-fourplex label. A bright, well-laid-out fourplex home beats a dark, awkward duplex home every time.

Which suits which family

• A duplex may suit you if you want the fewest neighbours, the most house-like feel, and you're willing to pay a little more for it.
• A fourplex may suit you if you want a more attainable price, don't mind a few neighbours, and like a small-community feel.
• Either works for two-generation families — what matters is finding a home with the right number of bedrooms and, if needed, a layout that gives each generation privacy.

Cost: what actually drives the price

Across Greater Vancouver, the benchmark price for an attached home — the category covering townhouses and similar attached homes — was $1,043,400 in April 2026, down 5.1% from a year earlier, according to Greater Vancouver REALTORS, in what counts as balanced-market territory by the board's own measure.

Whether a specific home sits in a duplex or a fourplex matters far less to its price than its size, neighbourhood, and how new it is. Two homes of the same size in the same area price similarly whether the building holds two homes or four.

What to focus on instead

When you tour, judge each home on what you'll feel daily: light and orientation, the flow of the layout, storage, outdoor space, parking, and how private it feels. Those decide whether you'll love living there. Our compare tool helps you line up duplex and fourplex homes side by side.

What this comes down to

• A duplex has two homes; a fourplex has four — both are small buildings of privately owned homes.
• Duplex homes mean one neighbour and the most house-like feel; fourplex homes are often a bit more attainable.
• Within the same area and size, price is driven by the home, not the duplex-vs-fourplex label.
• Strata costs split more ways in a fourplex, which can keep individual fees modest.
• Judge the actual home — light, layout, storage, privacy — over the building type.

Frequently asked questions

Is a duplex or a fourplex a better buy?

Neither is universally better. A duplex home means one neighbour and the most house-like feel; a fourplex home is often a bit more attainable with a small-community feel. The right choice depends on your budget and how much you value privacy versus price.

Is a duplex home more expensive than a fourplex home?

Often slightly, within the same building footprint and location, because the lot is shared two ways instead of four. But size, neighbourhood, and newness drive price far more than the number of homes in the building.

Are duplex homes bigger than fourplex homes?

On average they can be a little larger and more house-like, but it varies enormously by floor plan. Always compare the actual square footage and layout of the specific homes you're considering.

Do fourplexes have higher strata fees than duplexes?

Not necessarily. More homes split shared costs more ways, which can keep each fourplex home's fee modest. A duplex has fewer owners sharing both costs and decisions. Always ask what a specific building's fee is and what it covers.

Which is more private, a duplex or a fourplex?

A duplex has just one immediate neighbour, which can mean more privacy, but it depends far more on the individual home — its layout, which walls it shares, and its orientation — than on the building type.

Which is better for a multigenerational family?

Either can work. The key is a home with enough bedrooms and, ideally, a layout that gives each generation privacy — such as a side-by-side duplex with separate floors. The floor plan matters more than the building type.

Can I buy just one home in a fourplex?

Yes. In almost all cases you buy a single, privately owned home within the building, with its own title — much like buying one townhouse in a row. You're not buying the whole fourplex.

Does a duplex or fourplex hold its value better?

Both track the wider attached-home market, which eased about 5% over the past year region-wide. Value over time depends more on location, condition, and the home itself than on whether the building holds two homes or four.

Is a duplex the same as a half-duplex?

A half-duplex is one of the two homes in a duplex building — which is what most buyers purchase. A full duplex is the whole building (both homes). When people shop for a 'duplex' to live in, they usually mean a half-duplex.

How do I choose between specific duplex and fourplex homes?

Tour them and compare what you'll feel daily: light, layout, storage, outdoor space, parking, and privacy. Use a compare tool to line them up, and weigh price against how each home fits your life — not the building label.

Trying to decide between a duplex and a fourplex home? Browse current listings or talk to our team and we'll help you compare real homes side by side.