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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 108 and rent of $1,900/month.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Ottawa leads with a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,900/month.
Ottawa ranks #1 with a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,900/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 97 (-4 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 64/100. Top: Ottawa at 65/100.
Safest city: Ottawa (72/100 safety score).
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ottawa | 108 | $1,900 | $82,000 |
| 2 | Saint John | 86 | $1,100 | $56,000 |
Strip away assumptions, and something unexpected emerges. 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 ratio is hard to beat anywhere else.
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.
Ottawa — cost index 108, rent $1,900/mo, income $82,000, QoL 65/100.
Saint John — cost index 86, rent $1,100/mo, income $56,000, QoL 63/100.
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. Saint John (#2) has index 86 and rent $1,100/mo — a 22-point gap.
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.