Not a great example. An Air Canada student pass is 6 flights for for $1200 (not terrible value).. so $400 a round trip. With classes twice a week that's $800/week, $2400 a month, or $9600 for a 12 week semester (the shortest in Canada, many are 14).. excluding finals (+1 return flight, + hotel nights or inconveniencing friends)

4 months of rent in Vancouver at $2000 is... $8000. $1600 more, plus the utilities he pays his parents, plus time wasted travelling, plus bonus flight at finals and hotel nights (possibly offset by skipping a day during the semester).