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What is the Cost of Living in Ottawa? (2024 Local’s Guide)
The cost of living in Ottawa is something I am incredibly familiar with- it’s where I live! So, if you are thinking of moving here – which I highly recommend – you’ll need to know how much your monthly expenses will be.
In this post, I’ll share some of my personal experiences regarding how much it costs to live in Ottawa, as well as what it costs to live here versus some of the other cities you may be thinking about in Canada for easy comparison.
By the end of this post, you’ll be able to break down your monthly expenses so clearly, as you’ll know the cost of everything from major expenses – like buying a home – all the way down to minor daily expenses- like what buying a loaf of bread will cost you.
Let’s dive in!
Cost of Living in Ottawa [2022]
With Ottawa being Canada’s federal capital city, at the South Bank of the Ottawa river, there are plenty of reasons to relocate here.
There are fun festivals, incredible museums, and the Rideau Canal. Keeping mind when you move here, though, that it’s the world’s 7th coldest capital. Pack those hats and gloves!
Once you’ve decided to partake in the magic that is Ottawa, you’ll need to know exactly what your living expenses in Ottawa will be.
Here is a breakdown of everything you’ll need to know.
Housing Costs
Rent
My rent when I lived downtown was $1850 per month for a 1 bedroom apartment. However, when I moved to the suburbs of Kanata, I started paying $2,200 for a house with four bedrooms. I have a roommate who I split that cost with.
According to the National Rent Report, rental prices in Ottawa went up 8% in 2022, so let’s analyze if this is on par with the average monthly cost of rent in Ottawa. While these are the average prices, you can certainly find rentals that are both cheaper and more expensive depending on your tastes.
| Apartment Type | Average Monthly Rent |
| 1-bedroom apartment within city limits | $1708 CAD |
| 1-bedroom outside city limits | $1364 CAD |
| 2-bedroom within city limits | $1900 CAD |
| 2-bedroom outside city limits | $1700 CAD |
| 3-bedroom within city limits | $2723 CAD |
| 3-bedroom outside city limits | $2205 CAD |
Buying a House
Maybe you are newlyweds and looking for something for a couple, or you have a family of 4 or 5 you’d like to relocate. If your budget allows for it, buying a house may be the route for you. Let’s check out the average costs of buying a house in Ottawa.
Overall, the average house price in Ottawa is $650,200 as of October, 2022. You can also check out the fluctuations in the market and the source of these average prices here.
| House Type | Average Sale Price |
| Single Detached | $833,013 |
| Townhome | $631,095 |
| Bungalow | $741,647 |
| 1.5 Story | $743,528 |
| 2 Story | $751,638 |
| Split-level | $742,718 |
In order to figure out how this will factor into your monthly expenses you’ll need to figure out what percent down payment you can put on the house, subtract that from the overall cost, and then divide it by the 12 months of the year, keeping in mind whether or not you need mortgage insurance.
Utilities
Utilities in Ottawa include hydro (electric), gas, and water. In my personal experience, depending on the season, my roommate and I will split anywhere from $40 to $80 on hydro. Gas for energy ends up being around $40 to $50 for both of us, and water ends up being around $30 to $50.
Let’s see if this lines up with the average in the city, according to CityNews Ottawa!
| Utility | Average Cost Per Month in Ottawa |
| Hydro | $95.00 |
| Gas | $130 |
| Water | $81.60 |
Home Insurance Costs
Whether you are renting or own a home, you will need insurance on the property.
Tenant’s Insurance
If you are renting a house, your tenant’s insurance will be roughly $45 per month.
Tenant’s insurance for renting an apartment as a single person is actually not much cheaper at $40 per month for an apartment for one person.
Food Costs
My personal grocery bills vary from $150-250 per week for one person, but I am Celiac, and gluten free bread is expensive at about $8.50 per loaf!
Let’s take a look at what groceries will add to your cost of living in Ottawa per month on average, based on some of the items you are most likely to buy within a week. These prices are based on what is available at Loblaws, a local Ottawa grocery store, in October of 2022
| Grocery Item | Price/Unit |
| Milk (2%) | $5.49/100 ml |
| Bread (White) | $2.69/loaf |
| Eggs | $3.89/1 dozen |
| Chicken | $11.19/lb |
| Cheese | $9.79/100g |
| Tomatoes | $1.47/each |
| Apples (Red Delicious) | $1.15/each |
| Potatoes (Yellow) | $1.65/each |
| Water bottle (Pack of 24) | $3.99 |
Entertainment Costs
You need to budget a little fun into your life as you break down your cost of living in Ottawa!
Luckily, Ottawa is less expensive than many of the other places you could live in Canada, so you can afford to do this a little more frequently!
| Type of Entertainment | Average Cost/Unit |
| Dining Out | Inexpensive Chain/fast food: $12/mealMidrange Restaurant: $40/meal |
| Clubbing | $5/beer$12/cocktail |
| Movies (Cineplex) | $10.99 – $12.99/adult ticket |
| Sports Games | $61/1 hockey game ticket |
Find the best things to do in Ottawa here!
Transportation
The public transportation system will certainly get you where you need to go in Ottawa. It is the main mode of transportation most folks use and is reliable. There are a few forms, so we’ll break down the costs of each.
If you prefer your own vehicle, that’s doable too, you’ll just have to factor gas and car insurance into your monthly budget.
Lastly, if you are visiting while deciding on your move, fly frequently, need a quick ride, or are having friends and family visit, you may also want to take rides in Ubers and taxis into consideration.
Public Transportation
The great thing about Ottawa Public Transportation is that it is all connected when you use the OC Transpo network. If you purchase a “Presto” card to use across the system, your fares will be slightly cheaper than the averages listed here, based on the OC Transpo Website.
Your rates could also vary slightly depending on your age, so be sure to look if you are traveling with children or seniors! All prices listed are based on one adult riding.
| Type of Ride | Average Cost |
| Per Ride | $3.75 |
| Per Day (3,5, and 7 day passes also available) | $11.25 |
| Per Month (must have Presto Card) | $125.50 |
Gas
Gas for vehicles has varied slightly throughout 2022, from $2.10/L to $1.40/L. As of October, it is currently about $1.50/L, and pre-gas crisis, it was $1.25/L.
Car Insurance
Car insurance in Ottawa is relatively affordable, at $1,150 on average annually, which breaks down to $95.83 per month.
Taxis/Ubers
The flat rate for an uber in Ottawa, for their base service, is $1.50 for its conventional UberX service, plus 15 cents per minute and 75 cents per kilometre. As for taxis, in 2022, the minimum fare is $3.33 CAD, and you’ll pay an additional $1.72 per kilometre after that.
Healthcare Costs
Much like in Toronto, insurance will not cover dental, physiotherapy, and psychology, so your visits aren’t free.
Even prescriptions can cost a lot. Therefore, you need to have health insurance to cover these miscellaneous items that might fall outside the scope of what national healthcare will get for you. For families, it will cost around $157 CAD on average, whereas if you are a single person, it should cost somewhere between $47 and $80 per month.
Education
If you’d like to relocate to Ottawa as a student, you’ll need to evaluate your expenses a little differently than what we’ve discussed so far.
More than likely, you’ll be attending University of Ottawa or Carelton since they are both in the city, so let’s break down what your costs will look like per month as the life of a student is accounted for in your cost of living in Ottawa.
Tuition
For students who entered the program this year (Fall 2022), the tuition for four years will be around $164,732. Broken down by year, this equates to $41,183 per year, or $3,431 per month.
Books
On top of tuition, you’ll also need to think about general living expenses and the extra materials in order to be successful in your classes. This includes the cost of textbooks, which will run you, on average, $1200 for the year, or $100 per month if you are budgeting that way. Obviously, this will be an upfront cost as you begin each semester, so be sure to keep that in mind.
Fitness
The Health Club in Westin Ottawa, being a high-end gym drives up the average price of gym memberships in Ottawa, at $65.79. However, this club is $135 monthly and you can find gyms that are as low as $30.99 monthly.
Most gyms will cost you around $55 a month, so about $10 less than the average with the more expensive gym factored in.
Phone + Internet Costs
My internet, with Rogers, costs me $90/mo. Most people will pay between $30 and $170 depending on their internet speed, service, and provider, which makes sense as my $90 falls almost directly in the middle of that.
Taxes
2022 Provincial Tax Rates
| Income Tax Brackets | Provincial Tax Rate |
| $0 – $46,226 | 5.05% |
| $46,226.01 – $92,454 | 9.15% |
| $92,454.01 – $150,000 | 11.16% |
| $150,000.01 – $220,000 | 12.16% |
| Over $220,000 | 13.16% |
2022 Federal Tax Rates
| Income Tax Brackets | Federal Tax Rate |
| $0 – $50,197 | 15% |
| $50,197.01 – $100,392 | 20.5% |
| $100,392.01 – $155,625 | 26% |
| $155,625.01 – $221,708 | 29% |
| Over $221,708 | 33% |
Alcohol
At the LCBO, you can grab a bottom shelf Cabernet Sauvignon for just $5.00, but they also carry bottles that can cost thousands. Here’s a breakdown of some of the more popular beverages you can purchase at LCBO:
| Beverage | Highest Price | Lowest Price | Average Bottle |
| Wine (Entertaining) | $119 | $4.64 | $16.95 |
| Whisky | $95,000 | $3.40 | $60.25 |
| Rum | $1999.45 | $3.50 | $47.20 |
| Gin | $169.00 | $9.45 | $44.95 |
| Vodka | $300.70 | $3.75 | $51.95 |
| Beer (6-pack) | $10.20 | $29.95 | $14.95 |
Coffee
If you go to a local coffee shop, like The Happy Goat, a regular cup of coffee will set you back about $2.86, with higher-priced specialty drinks available if you fancy a latte or cappuccino instead.
Childcare
Childcare in Ottawa, Canada for infants through preschoolers is charged by the day. The daily rate, on average, is $35.24, landing monthly at around $1,092.44.
Average Salary in Ottawa Ontario
The average salary a person makes in Ottawa currently is $37,297 per year, or $19.13 per hour. This breaks down to $3,108 per month.
How much money do you need to live comfortably in Ottawa?
Between CA$43,000 and CA$60,000 yearly, or between $3,583 and $5,000 monthly is needed to live comfortably in Ottawa, and this is slightly above what the average person brings home.
Average cost to live in Ottawa Per Month
The average cost of living in Ottawa is $2241.86 per month, which will fluctuate depending on your personal circumstances, so let’s break those down now.
Cost of Living for a Single Person in Ottawa
The cost of living for a single person in Ottawa per month, on average, is around $891. This is before rent, so be sure to factor that in when doing your monthly budget as it will take a large chunk of your overall money.
Cost of Living in Ottawa for a Family of 4
The cost of living for a family of 4 per month in Ottawa is estimated to be $3,237.
Cost of Living in Ottawa for a Student
The average cost of living for a student would be around $1300 per month. Take note that this is slightly higher than a single person moving here, as you would need to account for tuition within your expenses.
Compared to Canada
Cost of living in Ottawa vs. Montreal
Montreal is 7.1% cheaper than in Ottawa. However, if you are looking for the best place to relocate, Ottawa gives you more of the overall Canadian experience, albeit for a bit larger of a price tag when looking at the cost of living in Ottawa vs. Montreal.
Cost of living in Ottawa vs. Toronto
Let’s take a look at the cost of living in Ottawa vs. Toronto. Ottawa is 18% less expensive than Toronto – that’s a large chunk of money you will save!
Cost of living in Ottawa vs. Vancouver
Similarly, the cost of living in Ottawa is 19% less expensive than in Vancouver. When comparing the cost of living in Ottawa vs. Vancouver, there really is no contest in terms of which one is more wallet-friendly!
Conclusion: Is living in Ottawa expensive?
There you have it! The monthly breakdown of what it will cost you to live in Ottawa, Canada, which is not considered overly expensive.
As you figure out your cost of living in Ottawa, Canada, keep in mind that it is 18% lower than the national average, so a great choice if you are looking for a budget-friendly city that still offers many of the amenities of living in Canada and getting that full experience.
I can’t wait to hear all about what you do when you get here!
Learn More About Living in Ottawa:
- Living in Ottawa vs. Toronto: Which City is Right for You? [2022]
- 25 Pros and Cons of Living in Ottawa, Ontario
- 19 Best Places to Go Kayaking in Ottawa + Where to Rent Kayaks [Local’s Guide 2022]
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Canada Travel Planning Guide
🚑 Should I buy Canada travel insurance?
100% YES! — Canada has “free” healthcare but it’s only for citizens! Foreigners visiting need travel insurance in case anything happens on their visit. I recommend World Nomads – starting at just $5 a day!
💧Can you drink the water in Canada?
Yes — In all major cities in Canada, you can drink the tap water. There are very few, rural areas that you can’t. However, you should never drink river or lake water anywhere in the country! I recommend a Brita Water Bottle for long hikes and backcountry camping to stay safe and hydrated.
🚙💨 Is it safe to rent a car in Canada?
Yes — Renting a car is a necessity in most of Canada! If you want to go on road trips or adventures outside of the major cities, you’ll need to rent a car. (Read more)
📲 Will my phone work in Canada?
Maybe — Some American companies work in Canada, but many will not. If your phone doesn’t work in Canada, I recommend getting a Canadian SIM card so you can get around and stay in contact with loved ones. We don’t have a lot of free WIFI in Canada, so you’ll need your phone for maps.
🏩 What’s the best way to book my Canada accommodations?
My go-to for Canadian hotels is Booking.com. For hostels, I use Hostel World. If you want a home-y feeling, check out VRBO (which is cheaper and safer than Airbnb).
Or get free accommodations with Trusted Housesitters!
✈️ What’s the best site to buy Canada flights?
For finding cheap Canadian flights, I recommend Skyscanner.
🎫 Do I need a visa for Canada?
Likely Not — US, UK, and EU passport holders don’t need Canadian visas. However, some other countries do (check here!). And if you plan to stay for more than 4 weeks (an average tourist visa length), you will need to look into visas to live in Canada.
