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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ottawa vs Hamilton in 2026: cost index 108 vs 105, rent $1,900 vs $1,700, income $82,000 vs $72,000, QoL 65 vs 58.
Ottawa vs Hamilton in 2026: cost index 108 vs 105, rent $1,900 vs $1,700, income $82,000 vs $72,000, QoL 65 vs 58.
Ottawa ranks #1 with a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,900/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 107 (+6 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 62/100. Top: Ottawa at 65/100.
Safest city: Ottawa (72/100 safety score).
Here's the finding that keeps coming up in different analyses: Ottawa stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 108 and median income of $82,000, it offers competitive value despite costs slightly above the national median. That ratio is hard to beat anywhere else.
On quality of life, Ottawa leads with a composite score of 65/100 — reflecting its safety (72), healthcare (82), and walkability (65) metrics. Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
The country average QoL score is 63/100. Ottawa leads with 65/100, 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.
Ottawa (ranked #1) has a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,900/mo. Hamilton (#2) has index 105 and rent $1,700/mo — a 3-point gap.