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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Ottawa leads with a cost index of 113 and rent of $2,100/month.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Ottawa leads with a cost index of 113 and rent of $2,100/month.
Ottawa: cost index 113 (+7 vs national avg 106), rent $2,100/month.
Ontario region average cost index: 119. Ottawa is -6 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.
Strip away assumptions, and something unexpected emerges. 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 is where the math gets real for actual people.
On quality of life, Ottawa scores a composite score of 64/100 — reflecting its safety (72), healthcare (82), and walkability (65) metrics. Layer in taxes, though, and the math changes. 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. That's a strong position by any measure.
Ottawa — cost index 113, rent $2,100/mo, income $86,000, QoL 64/100.
Surrey — cost index 124, rent $2,420/mo, income $74,000, QoL 54/100.
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. Surrey: cost index 124, rent $2,420/mo, income $74,000/yr, QoL 54/100.
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.