Ottawa · CAD · high cost city

Savings rate in Ottawa — are you on track?

Ottawa is a high cost city. Ottawa median rent is C$1,900/month, driven by government and tech-sector employment in the national capital. Ottawa's stable public-sector incomes and moderate costs give mid-income earners a better savings outlook than Toronto or Vancouver.

Median rent

C$1,900/mo

Ottawa 2023

Typical other costs

C$1,600/mo

excl. housing

Savings benchmark

4–14%

mid-income CAD

Pre-set for Ottawa — adjust to your situation

Country
C$65,000
C$15,000C$232,500C$450,000+
C$1,900/mo
C$0C$4,000C$8,000+

Food, transport, subscriptions, going out — everything except rent

C$1,750/mo
C$0C$3,750C$7,500+

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What a good savings rate looks like in Ottawa

Using data from Statistics Canada SHS 2023, people at mid-range incomes in Canada typically save between 4–14% of gross income. In a high cost city like Ottawa, housing costs can compress that meaningfully — especially for renters.

Minimum
4%
floor — not building
Expected
8%
benchmark
Strong
20%
top tier

Source: Statistics Canada SHS 2023. Benchmarks shown for mid-income earners in Canada.

See full cost breakdown for Ottawa →

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Also in the Verdict suite

SalaryVerdict — Is your Ottawa salary competitive?SpendVerdict — Is your Ottawa rent too high?