Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ottawa digital nomad score: 70/100 — internet 88 Mbps, walk score 65/100, safety 72/100, rent $2,100/mo, nightlife 62/100. Full breakdown vs Ontario peers.
Ottawa digital nomad score: 70/100 — internet 88 Mbps, walk score 65/100, safety 72/100, rent $2,100/mo, nightlife 62/100. Full breakdown vs Ontario peers.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income | DN Score | Internet (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ottawa | 113 | $2,100 | $86,000 | 70 | 88 |
| 2 | Toronto | 126 | $2,750 | $82,000 | 70 | 92 |
| 3 | Hamilton | 110 | $1,880 | $76,000 | 63 | 75 |
| 4 | Mississauga | 118 | $2,450 | $80,000 | 63 | 88 |
| 5 | London | 101 | $1,660 | $68,500 | 63 | 70 |
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.
Here's the finding that keeps coming up in different analyses: 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%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
But here's the flip side: 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 stands out as genuinely impressive.
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.
For digital nomads specifically, Ottawa earns a DN score of 70/100, powered by 88 Mbps internet, walkability of 65/100, and a nightlife score of 62/100. This is an advantage that compounds over time.
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 earns a digital nomad score of 70/100 — internet 88 Mbps, walk score 65/100, safety 72/100, rent $2,100/month.
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.