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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Ontario for 2026. London leads with a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,500/month.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London | 96 | $1,500 | $65,000 |
| 2 | Hamilton | 105 | $1,700 | $72,000 |
| 3 | Ottawa | 108 | $1,900 | $82,000 |
| 4 | Mississauga | 112 | $2,200 | $76,000 |
| 5 | Toronto | 120 | $2,500 | $78,000 |
London ranks #1 with a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,500/month.
The median city is Ottawa — cost index 108, rent $1,900/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 108 (+7 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 60/100. Top: London at 61/100.
Safest city: Ottawa (72/100 safety score).
Strip away assumptions, and something unexpected emerges. London stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 96 and median income of $65,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Canada. Financially, that's significant.
And there's one more thing: the spread across all 5 cities is 24 points on the cost index. Toronto sits at the other end with index 120 and rent of $2,500/mo. That's a difference you notice every single month.
On quality of life, Ottawa leads with a composite score of 65/100 — reflecting its safety (72), healthcare (82), and walkability (65) metrics. And there's one more thing: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
London — cost index 96, rent $1,500/mo, income $65,000, QoL 61/100.
Hamilton — cost index 105, rent $1,700/mo, income $72,000, QoL 58/100.
Ottawa — cost index 108, rent $1,900/mo, income $82,000, QoL 65/100.
Mississauga — cost index 112, rent $2,200/mo, income $76,000, QoL 60/100.
Toronto — cost index 120, rent $2,500/mo, income $78,000, QoL 58/100.
London ranks #1 in Ontario for this analysis with a cost index of 96 and median income of $65,000.
The region average QoL score is 63/100. London leads with 61/100, reflecting its 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.
London (ranked #1) has a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,500/mo. Toronto (#5) has index 120 and rent $2,500/mo — a 24-point gap.
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.