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Ottawa
#50 of 124
North America

Ottawa

Canada

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Ottawa compare to San Francisco?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Ottawa is 39% worse off vs in San Francisco

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Ottawa compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$83,725
-$189K (-69%) vs San Francisco
Based on 319 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$58,607
-$114K (-66%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 30%

Community Insights

New

Ottawa offers a distinct trade-off: it sacrifices the "hustle" and vibrant nightlife of a major metropolis for stability, safety, and outdoor access.

The tech scene is unique because it is effectively split in two: the Kanata North private sector (telecom, SaaS, hardware) which operates much like any North American tech hub (English-only, suburban), and the Government sector (stable, pensioned, but often lower pay and requiring French).

For a software engineer, the median salary of ~$84k goes further here than in Toronto, but you must be prepared for a car-dependent lifestyle if you work in Kanata, and a very quiet social life if you live in the suburbs.

Resident Sentiment

Residents generally feel satisfied with the high quality of life, often describing it as a "big village" rather than a city. Transplants from Toronto often express relief at the lower stress levels and better housing market.

However, there is significant, vocal frustration regarding OC Transpo (the transit system) and the recent Return to Office mandates which have snarled traffic. The consensus is that Ottawa is a "golden cage"—comfortable and safe, but sometimes a bit dull.

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to San Francisco.

Rankings

Pollution Score

Top 8%

#10

of 124 cities

24/100

Current value (lower is better)

Safety Index

Top 26%

#32

of 124 cities

69.5/100

Current value

Home Affordability

Top 31%

#38

of 124 cities

≈5.4 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Ottawa compared to San Francisco?

Avg. Property Price
$3,958 / m²
61% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Ottawa to maintain the same standard of living.

$

Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
44% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Ottawa

Shopify logo
Shopify
Cisco logo
Cisco
Ford Motor logo
Ford Motor

The Good

  • Kanata North Tech Park: Often called "Silicon Valley of the North," this area hosts over 540 companies (Nokia, Ciena, Ericsson) and offers a high density of private-sector tech jobs without French language requirements.
  • Access to Nature & Outdoors: Unmatched access to outdoor activities, including skiing in the Gatineau Hills (20 mins away), cycling along the rivers, and skating on the Rideau Canal in winter.
  • Housing Affordability Relative to Toronto: While prices have risen, buying a detached home or townhome is still significantly more attainable here (Rank #35) than in Toronto or Vancouver.
  • Family-Friendly Environment: Consistently rated as one of the safest cities (#30 Safety Index) with excellent schools, clean air (#10 Pollution Index), and a quieter, slower pace of life ideal for raising children.
  • Shopify Headquarters: The presence of Shopify and other startups creates a modern developer culture that balances out the more traditional government/telecom vibe.

The Bad

  • "Sleepy" Nightlife: Frequently described as boring for young singles; the downtown core empties out after 5 PM, and the club/bar scene pales in comparison to Montreal or Toronto.
  • Unreliable Public Transit (OC Transpo): The LRT (Light Rail) is a major source of frustration due to frequent breakdowns and poor connectivity to the Kanata tech hub, making a car almost mandatory for tech workers.
  • Harsh Winters: The winter is long and brutal, with temperatures often dropping below -20°C and heavy snowfall that lasts for months, which can be a shock for newcomers.
  • Government RTO Traffic: Recent federal "Return to Office" mandates have significantly worsened traffic congestion and increased parking costs, frustrating commuters who previously enjoyed quieter roads.
  • Bilingualism Ceiling: While private tech jobs in Kanata rarely require French, moving into government or management roles within the public sector often hits a hard ceiling without bilingual status.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

Families and outdoor enthusiasts. If your ideal weekend involves skiing or hiking rather than clubbing, you will love it here.

It is also perfect for mid-career engineers looking to buy a home and settle down in a safe, clean environment without sacrificing job opportunities, as long as they are comfortable driving to work.

Skip it if...

Young, single career-chasers looking for a fast-paced city life. If you rely solely on public transit, you will struggle, especially if your job is in the Kanata tech park.

Additionally, those who despise the cold should avoid Ottawa, as the winter is a dominant part of life here for nearly 5 months of the year.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather3.1/10-64% vs San Francisco
Safety70+76%
Pollution24-51%
Events0-100%
3.1/10TechCities weather score vs 8.7/10 in San Francisco

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
11°C(vs 19°C in San Francisco)
Average Low
2°C(vs 12°C in San Francisco)
Sunshine Hours
2,060h/yr-1002h/yr(-33%)
Hottest Month High
26°C(vs 22°C in San Francisco)
Coldest Month Low
-14°C(vs 8°C in San Francisco)
Rainy Days
80/yr+32/yr(+65%)

Community & Quality

Ottawa community pulse

Ottawa has 0 Luma events listed.

100% fewer events than San Francisco.

Purchasing Power

Middle of the pack

#50

of 124 cities

Tax Rate

Middle of the pack

#51

of 124 cities

30%

Current value (lower is better)

Net Income

Middle of the pack

#52

of 124 cities

$58,607/yr

Current value

Cost of Living

Middle of the pack

#59

of 124 cities

50/100

Current value (lower is better)

Comfortable Weather

Bottom 23%

#97

of 124 cities

31/100 weather score

Current value

Community Events

Bottom 16%

#106

of 124 cities

0 events on luma

Current value

SWE Affordability
5.4 years
0.7 years longer than San Francisco
Muggy Days
15/yr+15/yr(+7400%)
Cloud Cover
54%(vs 34% in San Francisco)