Canada’s capital has the best quality of life in North America, according to a new report. Numbeo’s 2026 Quality of Life Index ranks Ottawa as the best city in Canada and North America for quality of life, and 28th in the world. The survey looked at quality of life in 304 cities around the world, based on several factors, including cost of living, property price to income ratio, commute time, pollution index, health care and safety. Ottawa is the only city outside of Europe in the top 30 for the Quality of Life Index. “We’re very lucky to live in Ottawa. And now, new data confirms Ottawa is the most livable city not just in Canada, but all of North America,” Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said in a social media post. “In a new quality of life study, we rate very high in almost every category, including safety, cost of living, purchasing power, commute time, air quality, and the ratio of property prices to income.” Ottawa residents say the city has a lot to offer. “I think it’s a marvelous thing. I grew up here, I love it. There’s I have so many memories here,” said Valerie Elliott. “I love the outdoor rinks, the canal and all that. Being a figure skater, there’s always something to do outside with like exercise and nature and stuff,” resident Morgan McMillan said. Nanaimo, BC ranks second in Canada and 66th in the world, Victoria ranked 84th, Quebec City 86th and Vancouver 87th. Montreal ranked 126th and Toronto is 143rd. Stephan Jacob, visiting from B.C., said he loves the old buildings everywhere in the capital. “I noticed a lot of people jogging in the snow, which is kind of freaky, but they like it. I guess it speaks about the quality of living,” he said. “Public transportation for four bucks... it’s a bit steep, but other than that, I think it’s a nice city and lots of green space from what I can see.” The top five cities on the index are in the Netherlands, with The Hague first, followed by Utrecht, Eindhoven, Groningen and Rotterdam. Tampa, Florida is the top American city on the Quality of Life Index at 45, followed by Jacksonville at 46 and Orlando at 48. New York ranked 222nd on the list, while Washington, DC is 105th. Numbero is a user-generated and a crowdsourced global resource cost-of-living statistics website. With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Camille Wilson
