Canadian city ranks number one in North America for quality of life
A city in Canada has taken the top spot as the most livable one in North America.
Cost of living database Numbeo released its 2026 quality of life index, ranking how livable 304 cities are around the world. It considered several factors that contribute to urban living standards, including cost of living and purchasing power, housing affordability, pollution, crime rates, healthcare quality, and traffic and commute times.
The country’s capital, Ottawa, ranks as the number one city in Canada and North America for quality of life.
According to Numbeo’s data, it received a score of 198.1 out of 200 for overall quality of life. It ranks 28th in the world and is the only city in Canada and North America to crack the top 30.
It scored 162.4 for purchasing power, 69 for safety, 68.7 for healthcare, 61.7 for cost of living, 5.1 for property price to income ratio, 32.7 for traffic commute time, 24.1 for pollution, and 44.5 for climate.
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe shared his response to making the top spot.
“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,” he shared on X. “Let’s keep working together to sustain and improve quality of life for our residents.”
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. In a new quality of life study, we rate very high in almost every category, including safety, cost of living, purchasing power, commute… pic.twitter.com/pwanPwmWyB
— Mark Sutcliffe (@_MarkSutcliffe) January 10, 2026
While some people agree with these findings, others in Sutcliffe’s replies don’t.
Some Montrealers love Ottawa 🙋♂️
— Dave Jones (@misterjonesmtl) January 11, 2026
Some Montrealers love Ottawa 🙋♂️
— Dave Jones (@misterjonesmtl) January 11, 2026
“Commute time”? Is this a joke? Worst public transit of any G7 capital and it’s not close.
— Stewart Green 🇨🇦 (@StewartGreen81) January 11, 2026
The next most livable Canadian city on the list is Nanaimo, B.C., with an overall quality of life score of 185.6, followed by Victoria in 34th place, Quebec City in 35th place, and Vancouver in 37th.
View the full rankings on Numbeo.
Do you agree with these rankings? Let us know in the comments.