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Los Angeles vs Ottawa cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐บ๐ธ Los Angeles
๐จ๐ฆ Ottawa
At a glance
- Where Ottawa is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (41%โ), Entry ticket (40%โ), Taxi (35%โ)
- Where Los Angeles is clearly cheaper: Transit (42%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Ottawa is easier to travel (1.4 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Los Angeles 2 vs Ottawa 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Los Angeles | Ottawa | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | $ 18$18 | C$ 20$14.7 | Ottawa โ18% |
| Street food1 item | $ 11$11 | C$ 13$9.56 | Ottawa โ13% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | $ 48$48 | C$ 45$33.1 | Ottawa โ31% |
| Coffeeone cup | $ 5.5$5.5 | C$ 5.5$4.04 | Ottawa โ26% |
| Beerone bottle | $ 9$9 | C$ 8.5$6.25 | Ottawa โ31% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | $ 17$17 | C$ 17$12.5 | Ottawa โ26% |
| Bottled water | $ 2$2 | C$ 2.5$1.84 | Ottawa โ8% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | $ 3$3 | C$ 3$2.21 | Ottawa โ26% |
| Taxi5 km in town | $ 18$18 | C$ 16$11.8 | Ottawa โ35% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | $ 10$10 | C$ 10$7.35 | Ottawa โ26% |
| Transitone ride | $ 1.75$1.75 | C$ 4.1$3.01 | Los Angeles โ42% |
| Scooter rentalper day | $ 35$35 | C$ 50$36.8 | Los Angeles โ5% |
| Hotel night3-star | $ 200$200 | C$ 210$154 | Ottawa โ23% |
| Studio rent (month) | $ 2,100$2,100 | C$ 1,960$1,441 | Ottawa โ31% |
| Laundry | $ 4$4 | C$ 5$3.68 | Ottawa โ8% |
| SIM card1 week data | $ 26$26 | C$ 35$25.7 | similar |
| Haircutcut | $ 30$30 | C$ 30$22.1 | Ottawa โ26% |
| Massage1 hour | $ 75$75 | C$ 105$77.2 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | $ 75$75 | C$ 60$44.1 | Ottawa โ41% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | $ 28$28 | C$ 23$16.9 | Ottawa โ40% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Los Angeles or Ottawa?
Ottawa is 27% cheaper than Los Angeles. Daily budget $368 vs $275; a month $7,222 vs $5,131.
Which is easier to travel, Los Angeles or Ottawa?
Ottawa is easier: Ottawa 1.4/5 vs Los Angeles 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Los Angeles and Ottawa?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Los Angeles is about $7,222 and Ottawa about $5,131 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.