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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Average salary in Ottawa: $86,000/year — $14,167 above the Canada median. Cost index 113, purchasing power 76106/100. Compare incomes across Ontario below.
Average salary in Ottawa: $86,000/year — $14,167 above the Canada median. Cost index 113, purchasing power 76106/100. Compare incomes across Ontario below.
Ottawa: cost index 113 (+7 vs national avg 106), rent $2,100/month.
Ontario region average cost index: 114. Ottawa is -1 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 64/100 — safety 72, healthcare 82, walkability 65.
Safety score: 72/100 (crime rate 40.5/1k). National average: 63/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ottawa | 113 | $2,100 | $86,000 |
| 2 | Toronto | 126 | $2,750 | $82,000 |
| 3 | Mississauga | 118 | $2,450 | $80,000 |
| 4 | Hamilton | 110 | $1,880 | $76,000 |
| 5 | London | 101 | $1,660 | $68,500 |
Most comparisons stop at rent. We didn't. Ottawa has a cost index of 113 — 7 points above the Canada national average of 106. Median income is $86,000 with rent at $2,100/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 29%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
Context matters here. looking at Ontario as a whole, the spread across all 5 cities is 12 points on the cost index. London sits at the other end with index 101 and rent of $1,660/mo. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Ottawa scores a composite score of 64/100 — reflecting its safety (72), healthcare (82), and walkability (65) metrics. Layer in taxes, though, and the math changes. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
Ottawa — cost index 113, rent $2,100/mo, income $86,000, QoL 64/100.
Toronto — cost index 126, rent $2,750/mo, income $82,000, QoL 56/100.
Mississauga — cost index 118, rent $2,450/mo, income $80,000, QoL 59/100.
Hamilton — cost index 110, rent $1,880/mo, income $76,000, QoL 56/100.
London — cost index 101, rent $1,660/mo, income $68,500, QoL 60/100.
The median gross income in Ottawa is $86,000/year — above the Canada national average of $71,833.
The Ontario region of average QoL score is 59/100. Ottawa leads with 64/100, reflecting safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA.
Ottawa: cost index 113, rent $2,100/mo, income $86,000/yr, QoL 64/100. Toronto: cost index 126, rent $2,750/mo, income $82,000/yr, QoL 56/100.
This analysis uses data from Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA to rank cities in Canada. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.