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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ottawa vs Surrey in 2026: cost index 108 vs 118, rent $1,900 vs $2,200, income $82,000 vs $70,000, QoL 65 vs 56.
Ottawa vs Surrey in 2026: cost index 108 vs 118, rent $1,900 vs $2,200, income $82,000 vs $70,000, QoL 65 vs 56.
Ottawa ranks #1 with a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,900/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 113 (+12 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 61/100. Top: Ottawa at 65/100.
Safest city: Ottawa (72/100 safety score).
Let's cut to what actually matters here. 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's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Ottawa leads with a composite score of 65/100 — reflecting its safety (72), healthcare (82), and walkability (65) metrics. Here's where it gets complicated: 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. Surrey (#2) has index 118 and rent $2,200/mo — a 10-point gap.