Average rent in Ottawa and Gatineau

The National Capital Region is filled with rental options, from single-family homes and townhomes to condos and high-rise apartment buildings. The highest concentration of renters are found in the downtown core.

This past year, rent in Ottawa has increased by 2 per cent, which is still lower than the government advised increase of 2.5 per cent. The conservative increase reflects the high vacancy rate. Similarly, rent on the Gatineau side has decreased by 0.9 per cent. 2 bedroom units in Gatineau rent, on average, for only $744. And yet, the market doesn’t have the tenants, which means the rent prices have had to come down.

The largest rent increase was among bachelor units, especially those located in New Edinburgh, which rose 5.2 per cent. It’s also interesting to note that this neighbourhood has seen a drop in its vacancy rate from 1.7 per cent to 0.8 per cent. Despite the higher priced bachelor apartments, more tenants are moving to New Edinburgh because it’s the new hot spot in the city.

The most expensive place to rent an apartment or condo is in the downtown area (Byward Market, Golden Triangle, Centretown), at a whopping average of $1392 for a 2 bedroom unit. Luxury condos in the downtown core rent for roughly $1650, which is more expensive than anywhere else in the city. But, the numbers show, not many renters are looking to spend that kind of money. These units have a high vacancy rate of 2.6 per cent.

Rent in Sandy Hill, the Glebe, and New Edinburgh average in at $1100, and Westboro averages at $950. The cheapest place to rent in the city is Vanier, at just over $800. In fact, Vanier and Hintonburg had the lowest increase of only 0.7 per cent.

The highest increase in rent is in Carlington, which rose by roughly 3 per cent. This area is quickly becoming a great spot for families to rent single-family and detached homes. But you’ll pay well over $1500.

In comparison to the rest of the country, Ottawa is still doing pretty well. In all of Ontario, the average rent is for a 2 bedroom is $1059, and the highest is in Alberta at $1157. Subsequently, Calgary has one of the highest average rentals at $1224, but that doesn’t beat Vancouver’s $1281. And Ottawa is still well under Toronto’s average of $1213.