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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Cost of living in Ottawa, Canada (2026): cost index 113 (+7 vs national avg), rent $2,100/mo, median income $86,000/yr. Rent takes 29% of gross income. Full breakdown vs Ontario peers below.
Cost of living in Ottawa, Canada (2026): cost index 113 (+7 vs national avg), rent $2,100/mo, median income $86,000/yr. Rent takes 29% of gross income. Full breakdown vs Ontario peers below.
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.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ottawa | 113 | $2,100 | $86,000 |
| 2 | London | 101 | $1,660 | $68,500 |
| 3 | Hamilton | 110 | $1,880 | $76,000 |
| 4 | Mississauga | 118 | $2,450 | $80,000 |
| 5 | Toronto | 126 | $2,750 | $82,000 |
One stat flips the usual narrative: 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.
Context matters here. looking at Ontario as a whole, the spread across all 5 cities is 13 points on the cost index. Toronto sits at the other end with index 126 and rent of $2,750/mo. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Ottawa scores a composite score of 64/100 — 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.
Ottawa — cost index 113, rent $2,100/mo, income $86,000, QoL 64/100.
London — cost index 101, rent $1,660/mo, income $68,500, QoL 60/100.
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.
Toronto — cost index 126, rent $2,750/mo, income $82,000, QoL 56/100.
Ottawa has a cost index of 113 (national avg: 106), rent $2,100/mo, median income $86,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 64/100.
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. London: cost index 101, rent $1,660/mo, income $68,500/yr, QoL 60/100.
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.