Living-cost signal
Toronto has the lower current midpoint
Source scenarios differ by institution, so use this as a directional city signal rather than a guaranteed personal budget.
Compare
Compare cities
Canada city comparison
Ottawa vs Toronto
Compare named-city student living, transport, work rules and CampCareer's reviewed program set for the 80 target careers. Verified location records remain a separate source-backed layer.
Student living
Indicative monthly reference · tuition excluded where the source permits separation
Ottawa$3,125–$4,500 / month
Toronto$1,988–$3,230 / month
Student transport
Student products use source-native periods and eligibility rules; monthly and term products are not directly equivalent.
Ottawa$234.80 / 4-month term
Toronto$128.15 / month
Student work rule
National IRCC off-campus rule during regular academic sessions; this is not a city differentiator.
Ottawa24 h / week
Toronto24 h / week
Published target programs
Public programs in CampCareer's reviewed Canada 80-career set; this is not each institution's full catalogue.
Ottawa62
Toronto159
Institutions with published programs
Distinct institutions represented in the published target-program set.
Ottawa1
Toronto4
Verified location records
Source-backed location links remain separate from program publication eligibility.
Ottawa2
Toronto3
City population
Named-city / census-subdivision geography, not CMA population
Ottawa1.02M
Toronto3.27M
Career context
Official city economic guidance, not occupation-shortage rankings
OttawaTechnology and ICT · Life sciences and health · Clean technologies · Defence and aerospace · Public administration
TorontoFinancial services · Technology · Life sciences · Film and creative industries · Green economy
Published program coverage
Toronto has more published target programs
Ottawa: 62 · Toronto: 159 published target-career programs.
Target careers in both
37 shared target careers
This compares reviewed target-career coverage across published programs; it does not require the same program identity to exist in both cities.
How to use this comparison
Use living, transport, local career context and published target-program coverage to choose the city environment that fits you. The work-hours row is a national rule, not a city differentiator. Then verify the actual institution, location, admission evidence and PGWP status before applying.