Moving from Washington DC to Ottawa

Leafy capital with a skateable canal and Gatineau Park. Here's how life in Ottawa compares with Washington DC, and what changes when you cross the border.

Ottawa is roughly 12°C colder than Washington DC in January (about 2°C → -10°C), with about 185 cm more snow a year and around 102 more sunny days. A typical home costs roughly 17% less in Ottawa (about US$600,000 vs C$680,000, compared at a sample exchange rate), and everyday costs in Ottawa are close to the Canadian average. Income tax goes from a high state income tax in District of Columbia to a medium provincial income tax in Ontario. For lifestyle, you gain skiing, hiking and lake life and leave behind nightlife, food scene and live music. (Approximate figures.)