🇨🇦Cost of Living in Ottawa

Canada · Population: 1,000,000 · Cost Index: 69/100

Cost of Living in Ottawa

Canada · North America

Canada's bilingual national capital, Ottawa is a city of grand government buildings, world-class museums, and the famous Rideau Canal. Its strong public sector economy, affordable housing relative to Toronto, and high quality of life make it one of Canada's most stable and livable cities.

1,000,000

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $2,550 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in Ottawa

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$2,550

per month

Couple

$3,830

per month

Family of 4

$5,360

per month

Student

$1,910

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in Ottawa, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $1,700.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$1,450.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$1,050.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$2,500.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$1,800.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $12.89

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$16.00

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$72.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$10.50

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$2.65

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$3.00

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$3.30

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$4.00

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$11.80

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$3.90

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.75

Transportation

Avg: $21.41

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$98.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$2.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$3.50

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$1.55

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.40

Utilities

Avg: $84.33

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$145.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$52.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$56.00

Healthcare

Avg: $54.33

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$0.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$140.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$23.00

Entertainment

Avg: $17.93

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$48.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$13.00

Cappuccino(per cup)

$4.20

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$6.50

Clothing

Avg: $62.33

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$60.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$37.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$90.00

Popular Ottawa comparisons

Ottawa vs Toronto Ottawa vs Montreal Ottawa vs Calgary Ottawa vs Vancouver Ottawa vs New York Ottawa vs London Ottawa vs Tokyo Ottawa vs Singapore

Frequently asked questions about Ottawa

Is Ottawa expensive to live in?

Ottawa has a cost of living index of 69 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This puts it in the mid-range among the cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in Ottawa?

A single person needs an estimated $2,550 per month to live in Ottawa, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in Ottawa?

Ottawa's cost of living index is 69 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in Ottawa?

Ottawa scores 75 out of 100 for quality of life and 66 out of 100 for safety in our index.