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Ottawa vs Seattle 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 Seattle
At a glance
- Where Ottawa is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (55%โ), Half-day tour (41%โ), Haircut (37%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Ottawa is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Ottawa 1 vs Seattle 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Ottawa | Seattle | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 20$14.7 | $ 22$22 | Ottawa โ33% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 13$9.56 | $ 14$14 | Ottawa โ32% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 45$33.1 | $ 50$50 | Ottawa โ34% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 5.5$4.04 | $ 6$6 | Ottawa โ33% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 8.5$6.25 | $ 8$8 | Ottawa โ22% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 17$12.5 | $ 16$16 | Ottawa โ22% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.5$1.84 | $ 2.3$2.3 | Ottawa โ20% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 3$2.21 | $ 2.8$2.8 | Ottawa โ21% |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 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 | $ 3$3 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 50$36.8 | $ 40$40 | Ottawa โ8% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 210$154 | $ 180$180 | Ottawa โ14% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,960$1,441 | $ 2,100$2,100 | Ottawa โ31% |
| Laundry | C$ 5$3.68 | $ 4.5$4.5 | Ottawa โ18% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | $ 25$25 | similar |
| Haircutcut | C$ 30$22.1 | $ 35$35 | Ottawa โ37% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 105$77.2 | $ 100$100 | Ottawa โ23% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 60$44.1 | $ 75$75 | Ottawa โ41% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 23$16.9 | $ 38$38 | Ottawa โ55% |
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 Seattle?
Ottawa is 27% cheaper than Seattle. Daily budget $275 vs $355; a month $5,131 vs $7,424.
Which is easier to travel, Ottawa or Seattle?
Ottawa is easier: Ottawa 1.4/5 vs Seattle 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Ottawa and Seattle?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Ottawa is about $5,131 and Seattle about $7,424 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.