> Waterloo Region > Cost of Living Cost of Living
| The Waterloo Region is an affordable place to live, with a total cost of living substantially lower than international, national, and Ontario centres. |
International Cost of Living Index (2007)
| Location | |
|---|---|
| U.S. Average | 100 |
| Ontario Technology Corridor (southern Ontario, includes Waterloo Region) | 78 |
| Melbourne | 82 |
| Mumbai | 84 |
| Taipei | 85 |
| Los Angeles | 87 |
| Beijing | 95 |
| Rome | 97 |
| New York | 100 |
| Paris | 101 |
| Copenhagen | 110 |
| Tokyo | 122 |
| London | 126 |
| Moscow | 134 |
Source: Ontario Technology Corridor (referencing Mercer Human Resource Consulting)
Ontario Cost of Living Index (2006)
| Toronto | 100 |
| Ottawa | 83.3 |
| Kingston | 76.4 |
| Sudbury | 76 |
| Thunder Bay | 75 |
| Windsor | 74.2 |
| Oshawa | 74.1 |
| London | 74.1 |
| Waterloo Region (Kitchener CMA) | 73.8 |
| Hamilton | 72.5 |
| St. Catherines-Niagara | 72 |
Source: Canadian Business, “The Best Cities for Business”, September 26, 2006 - October 9, 2006.
Note: The Cost of Living Index is calculated using Toronto as a baseline of 100.0.
* Kitchener CMA includes: Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, North Dumfries, and Woolwich.
Median Monthly Payments for Rented Dwellings1 - $765 (Ontario - $801)
Median Monthly Payments for Owner Occupied Dwellings2 - $1135 (Ontario - $1046)
Source: Census Canada, 2006
1 Includes cost of monthly rent, electricity, heat, and municipal services
2 includes all shelter expenses paid by households that own their dwellings
Average Home Prices for Selected Canadian Urban Areas 2011:
| Cambridge | $289,003 |
| Guelph | $296,946 |
| Kitchener-Waterloo | $306,800 |
| Hamilton-Burlington & District | $326,453 |
| Ottawa | $347,642 |
| Ontario Average | $364,879 |
| Edmonton | $326,557 |
| Calgary | $398,836 |
| Greater Toronto Area | $456,147 |
| Victoria | $494,207 |
| Greater Vancouver | $786,311 |
| National Average | $371,286 |
Source: Canadian Real Estate Association, March 2011 Average Home Prices
Travel to Work
Commute times have a significant impact on the cost of living. In the Waterloo Region, more than 80% of workers live less than 30 minutes from their place of work.
| Median Distance: 5.8 km | Number of Commuters | % of Commuters |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 5 km | 89,335 | 42.8 |
| 5.0 - 9.9 km | 57,220 | 27.4 |
| 10.0 - 14.9 km | 21,090 | 10.1 |
| 15.0 - 24.9 km | 21,940 | 10.5 |
| 25 km or more | 19,275 | 9.2 |
| Total | 208,860 | 100 |
Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census, “Employed labour force 15 years and over having a usual place of work in occupied private dwellings by commuting distance, 2006 counts, for Canada, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations, and component census subdivisions (municipalities) – 20% sample data”, http://www.statscan.com
"There's a real yin and yang going on here. It's all very holistic, complementary, and powerful."
Jim Balsillie, RIM
Canadian Business, September 2008
Jim Balsillie, RIM
Canadian Business, September 2008
