Popular cities
Ottawa vs San Francisco cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐จ๐ฆ Ottawa
๐บ๐ธ San Francisco
At a glance
- Where Ottawa is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (56%โ), Entry ticket (52%โ), Haircut (42%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Ottawa is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: safety โ Ottawa 2 vs San Francisco 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Ottawa | San Francisco | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 20$14.7 | $ 25$25 | Ottawa โ41% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 13$9.56 | $ 15$15 | Ottawa โ36% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 45$33.1 | $ 55$55 | Ottawa โ40% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 5.5$4.04 | $ 6.5$6.5 | Ottawa โ38% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 8.5$6.25 | $ 9$9 | Ottawa โ31% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 17$12.5 | $ 17$17 | Ottawa โ26% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.5$1.84 | $ 2.5$2.5 | Ottawa โ26% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 3$2.21 | $ 3$3 | Ottawa โ26% |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 16$11.8 | $ 16$16 | Ottawa โ26% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | $ 11$11 | Ottawa โ33% |
| Transitone ride | C$ 4.1$3.01 | $ 2.85$2.85 | San Francisco โ5% |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 50$36.8 | $ 45$45 | Ottawa โ18% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 210$154 | $ 200$200 | Ottawa โ23% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,960$1,441 | $ 3,300$3,300 | Ottawa โ56% |
| Laundry | C$ 5$3.68 | $ 5$5 | Ottawa โ26% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | $ 25$25 | similar |
| Haircutcut | C$ 30$22.1 | $ 38$38 | Ottawa โ42% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 105$77.2 | $ 110$110 | Ottawa โ30% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 60$44.1 | $ 70$70 | Ottawa โ37% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 23$16.9 | $ 35$35 | Ottawa โ52% |
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, Ottawa or San Francisco?
Ottawa is 42% cheaper than San Francisco. Daily budget $275 vs $391; a month $5,131 vs $10,400.
Which is easier to travel, Ottawa or San Francisco?
Ottawa is easier: Ottawa 1.4/5 vs San Francisco 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Ottawa and San Francisco?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Ottawa is about $5,131 and San Francisco about $10,400 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.