Temperature
July has the warmest monthly average (20.6°C); January is coolest (-11.3°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.
Canada · Visit or make it home
Ottawa, Canada
Ottawa is a city in Canada. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.
Get to know Ottawa
A sense of the place
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southeastern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core of the Ottawa–Gatineau census metropolitan area and the National Capital Region . As of 2021, Ottawa had a city population of 1,017,449 and a metropolitan population of 1,488,307, making it the fourth-largest city and fourth-largest metropolitan area in Canada. Ottawa is the political centre of Canada and the headquarters of the federal government. The city houses numerous foreign embassies, key buildings, organizations, and institutions of Canada's government; these include the Parliament of Canada, the Supreme Court, the residence of Canada's viceroy, and the Office of the Prime Minister. Founded in 1826 as "Bytown", incorporated in 1850, and renamed "Ottawa" in 1855, its original boundaries were expanded through numerous annexations and were ultimately replaced by a new city incorporation and amalgamation in 2001.
Weather through the year
When to visit Ottawa
Rain and outdoor plans
June averages about 104 mm of rain, compared with 55 mm in February. Rainfall alone does not identify a single best month; compare temperatures with the activities you plan.
Planning time outdoors
May, July, August, September combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.
January, February, March, April, November, December have monthly means below 5°C. For a stay then, compare accommodation heating and keep indoor options in your itinerary. These figures do not establish snow cover or ski conditions.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average °C | -11.3 | -10.1 | -3.7 | 5.0 | 12.6 | 17.8 | 20.6 | 19.7 | 15.7 | 8.1 | 1.0 | -6.8 |
| Rain, mm | 61 | 55 | 64 | 85 | 85 | 104 | 98 | 88 | 87 | 99 | 73 | 80 |
Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.
Places around Ottawa
Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.
Beach
Mooneys Bay Beach
5 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityBotanical garden
Dominion Arboretum
2.3 km from the city centre
Compare with another citySki area
Camp Fortune
16.1 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityMuseum
Canadian Museum of Nature
Less than 1 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityPark
Dundonald Park
Less than 1 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityAverage rent in Ottawa
What is the average rent in Ottawa?
987.6 €/month is the recorded central one-bedroom rent reference for Ottawa, dated 2025. This is a dated comparison measure, rather than a home available today. Check current listings in your chosen neighbourhood, then add utilities, the deposit and commuting to make a budget for your own move.
Source: Statistics Canada / CMHC — Average rents for areas with 10,000+ population · Reference date: 2025 · Statistics Canada Open Licence
Average salary in Ottawa
What is the average salary in Ottawa?
4,121.3 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2025. It describes Canada, not average salary in Ottawa. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.
Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2025 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)
How should I compare Ottawa with another city?
Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.
- Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
- Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
- Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.
Data sources, licences & reuse terms
Plan your stay
Budget and everyday decisions
A holiday budget
Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Ottawa, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.
Compare holiday preferences →A relocation budget
The recorded central one-bedroom rent is 987.6 €/month (2025). Compare it with properties in your chosen neighbourhood.
Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.
Compare with another city →Average gross monthly earnings — country reference
4,121.3 USD/month
Average employee pay before tax and deductions, in US dollars. This country reference is not a city-specific salary or personal take-home pay.
Data period: 2025. Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)Compare with another city →Average one-bedroom rent — wider rental area
1,593 CAD/month
Average one-bedroom rent across the wider rental area, in Canadian dollars. Covers existing row and apartment rental stock, not just central properties or new listings.
Data period: 2025. Source: Statistics Canada / CMHC — Area-wide one-bedroom average rents · Statistics Canada Open LicenceCompare with another city →Your relocation planning budget
Build a monthly budget for Ottawa in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Rent starts from the recorded 2025 figure; edit it for your chosen home.
Monthly total:
First month including move:
Compare with another city →Compare the details
Ottawa at a glance
Annual precipitation
982 mm/year
Annual precipitation gives a broad climate comparison. Its distribution through the year matters more for a short visit.
Source: NASA POWER — climatology (T2M temperature; PRECTOTCORR precipitation) · NASA scientific-data policy; source-specific notices applyCompare with another city →Average annual temperature
5.8 C
Long-term average including days and nights. Use the monthly breakdown to choose dates; this is not a weather forecast.
Source: NASA POWER — climatology (T2M temperature; PRECTOTCORR precipitation) · NASA scientific-data policy; source-specific notices applyCompare with another city →Nearest listed airport (straight-line distance)
6.9 km
Straight-line distance to a listed airport, not transfer time or confirmation of scheduled flights. Check the airport serving your actual route before booking.
Data period: 2026-08-30. Source: OurAirports — airport locations · Public domainCompare with another city →Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre
987.6 €/month
Existing-contract median rent
A dated reference for a one-bedroom home in the centre, not a current listing. Compare actual properties, deposits, utilities and neighbourhoods before setting your budget.
Data period: 2025. Source: Statistics Canada / CMHC — Average rents for areas with 10,000+ population · Statistics Canada Open LicenceCompare with another city →Average one-bedroom rent — wider rental area
1,593 CAD/month
Average one-bedroom rent across the wider rental area, in Canadian dollars. Covers existing row and apartment rental stock, not just central properties or new listings.
Data period: 2025. Source: Statistics Canada / CMHC — Area-wide one-bedroom average rents · Statistics Canada Open LicenceCompare with another city →Canada: the wider context
These are country-level figures, not measurements of Ottawa. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.
See 10 national indicators
Average gross monthly earnings — country reference
4,121.3 USD/month
Average employee pay before tax and deductions, in US dollars. This country reference is not a city-specific salary or personal take-home pay.
Data period: 2025. Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)Compare with another city →Income level — GNI per capita, PPP (gross)
66,820 international dollars (PPP)
Purchasing-power-adjusted national income per person is not a salary or take-home pay.
Data period: 2025. Source: World Bank — GNI per capita, PPP (NY.GNP.PCAP.PP.CD) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Fixed broadband / internet quality
94.4 percent
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank / ITU — Individuals using the Internet, % (IT.NET.USER.ZS) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Healthcare / health outcome (life expectancy at birth)
82.1 years
Life expectancy describes population health outcomes; it does not measure the quality or availability of a particular hospital.
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank — Life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →English / language accessibility
100 ordinal_0_100
Data period: 2026-08-30. Source: Wikidata — coordinates, population, timezone, ISO codes, official languages · CC0 1.0Compare with another city →Overall tax burden (taxes + social contributions, % of GDP)
13.7 percent_gdp
Taxes and social contributions as a share of the economy, not your personal income-tax rate.
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank — Tax revenue % of GDP (GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Intentional homicide rate
2 per 100,000 people
Homicide rates are a narrow safety indicator. They do not describe petty crime or the safety of an individual neighbourhood.
Data period: 2023. Source: World Bank / UNODC — Intentional homicides per 100k (VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Comparative price level (household consumption)
119.7 (EU average = 100)
Data period: 2025. Limited confidence. Source: World Bank — Price level index, household consumption (PA.NUS.PRVT.PLI) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Air quality — annual mean PM2.5
6.6 µg/m³
Data period: 2023. Limited confidence. Source: World Bank — PM2.5 mean annual exposure (EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Education system (national)
153 points (0–188)
Data period: 2025. Estimate. Source: World Bank HCI+ education pillar (2025) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Other places to compare in Canada
What to check before deciding
Comparable figures are not available here for: Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Annual sunshine hours. Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.
Compare Ottawa with other cities
Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.
All maintained comparisons →