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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ottawa for remote workers: DN score 70/100, internet 88 Mbps, walk score 65/100, rent $2,100/mo. Compared to 4 other Ontario cities below.
Ottawa for remote workers: DN score 70/100, internet 88 Mbps, walk score 65/100, rent $2,100/mo. Compared to 4 other Ontario cities below.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ottawa | 113 | $2,100 | $86,000 |
| 2 | Toronto | 126 | $2,750 | $82,000 |
| 3 | Hamilton | 110 | $1,880 | $76,000 |
| 4 | Mississauga | 118 | $2,450 | $80,000 |
| 5 | London | 101 | $1,660 | $68,500 |
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.
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%. Financially, that's significant.
Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. 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. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Ottawa scores a composite score of 64/100 — reflecting its safety (72), healthcare (82), and walkability (65) metrics. And here's the trade-off: 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.
Hamilton — cost index 110, rent $1,880/mo, income $76,000, QoL 56/100.
Mississauga — cost index 118, rent $2,450/mo, income $80,000, QoL 59/100.
London — cost index 101, rent $1,660/mo, income $68,500, QoL 60/100.
Ottawa scores 64/100 on the relevant index for remote workers — with rent of $2,100/month and cost index 113 (7 points above the national average of 106).
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.