Ottawa vs San Francisco Cost of Living
Ottawa (Canada) · Overall index 55.3 — San Francisco (United States) · Overall index 95.1
Summary
- Overall, San Francisco is 72% more expensive than Ottawa.
- Rent in San Francisco is 169% more expensive than in Ottawa.
- Transport in San Francisco is 61% more expensive than in Ottawa.
| Item | Ottawa | San Francisco | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +169% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,311 | $3,208 | +145% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,016 | $2,609 | +157% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,779 | $7,487 | +169% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,605 | $4,864 | +203% |
| Groceries | +44% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.02 | $1.31 | +28% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.86 | $4.2 | +47% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.59 | $5.82 | +62% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.7 | $4.57 | +24% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.77 | $16.3 | +67% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.69 | $12.6 | +30% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.1 | $22.3 | +48% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.95 | $5.88 | +49% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.65 | $2.46 | +49% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.5 | $4.54 | +30% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.79 | $5.5 | +45% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.01 | $3.06 | +52% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.04 | $2.72 | +33% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.83 | $2.75 | +50% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.66 | $2.41 | +45% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $10.4 | $15.4 | +48% |
| Transport | +61% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.77 | $3.1 | +75% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $72.4 | $139 | +92% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.42 | $4.48 | +85% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.4 | $1.91 | +36% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.67 | $0.99 | +48% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $19,628 | $27,640 | +41% |
| Dining out | +53% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $15.1 | $21.5 | +42% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $86.6 | $115 | +33% |
| Fast food combo meal | $8.93 | $11.6 | +30% |
| Cappuccino | $3.47 | $5.52 | +59% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.96 | $3.04 | +55% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.29 | $8.59 | +62% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.06 | $8.71 | +72% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.32 | $2.32 | +76% |
| Telecom | +55% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $43 | $68.5 | +59% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $44.6 | $71.8 | +61% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.24 | $0.37 | +54% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.9 | $15.8 | +45% |
| Utilities & household | +49% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $124 | $176 | +42% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.14 | $0.23 | +64% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.68 | $5.1 | +39% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.18 | $1.47 | +25% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $17.1 | $25.8 | +51% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $61.3 | $94.8 | +55% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $11.2 | $17.5 | +56% |
| Men's haircut | $24.4 | $33.2 | +36% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $17.2 | $29.6 | +72% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,402 | $2,199 | +57% |
3,333 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs