How Much Home Can You Afford in Ottawa?

Ottawa offers a rare combination for a major Canadian city: a stable, government-anchored job market and prices well below the Greater Toronto Area. Buyers here pay only Ontario's provincial land transfer tax — there is no municipal surtax like Toronto's — so closing costs are meaningfully lower for an equivalent purchase price. First-time buyers can still claim the provincial rebate of up to $4,000, which covers the tax on homes up to roughly $368,000.

The public sector and a growing tech corridor in Kanata keep demand steady through economic cycles, making Ottawa one of the lower-volatility markets in the country. Family buyers tend to look at Barrhaven, Orléans and Kanata for newer detached stock, while condos downtown and in the Glebe attract first-time buyers and downsizers. Use the affordability tool above with Ottawa's typical price point to see how much further your income stretches here versus the GTA.