| Measure | OttawaOntario, Canada Remove Ottawa | LavalQuebec, Canada Remove Laval |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 7.2 | 6.7 |
| Connector Score | 8.4 | 8.8 |
| Safety | 7.8 | 7.9 |
| Affordability | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Transportation | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Walkability | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Things to do | 7.4 | 5.7 |
| Food & dining | 6.6 | 6.4 |
| Places to stay | 6.8 | 6.6 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 3.5 |
| Scenic value | 5.5 | 4.5 |
| Family friendliness | 5.1 | 6.6 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.8 | 5.5 |
| Nightlife | 5.4 | 4.3 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.3 | 6.2 |
| Road-trip convenience | 7.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.8 | 7.8 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 7.3 | 7.3 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $120 | $108 |
| Mid-range | $175 | $156 |
| Luxury | $315 | $250 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 100 | 100 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | CA$2,050 | CA$1,500 |
| Median home price | CA$687,500 | CA$625,000 |
| Population | 1.0M | 438K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Airport EV charging | Drive Train Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Ottawa | — | 2 h details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Road trips, Car-free travel | Car-free travel, History |
| Known for | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Shopping | Lakes & rivers, Historic sites, Food scene, Shopping, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: Late spring to early fall and Winterlud… | Peak: June to September and holiday weekends |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.