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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ottawa vs Quebec City in 2026: cost index 108 vs 92, rent $1,900 vs $1,200, income $82,000 vs $60,000, QoL 65 vs 71.
Ottawa vs Quebec City in 2026: cost index 108 vs 92, rent $1,900 vs $1,200, income $82,000 vs $60,000, QoL 65 vs 71.
Ottawa ranks #1 with a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,900/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 100 (-1 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 68/100. Top: Ottawa at 65/100.
Safest city: Quebec City (78/100 safety score).
Strip away assumptions, and something unexpected emerges. 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. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Quebec City leads with a composite score of 71/100 — reflecting its safety (78), healthcare (78), and walkability (68) metrics. Zooming out, 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. Quebec City (#2) has index 92 and rent $1,200/mo — a 16-point gap.