> Waterloo Region > Cost of Living Index Cost of Living Index
The Waterloo Region is an affordable place to live, with a total cost of living substantially lower than international, national, and Ontario centres.
Source: Ontario Technology Corridor (referencing Mercer Human Resource Consulting)
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
Source: MLS Residential Average Sale Price, Canadian Real Estate Association, 2007. http://www.crea.ca.
Note: Numbers are grouped according to each Real Estate Board, rather than political boundaries.
Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census, “Employed labour force1 15 years and over having a usual place of work in occupied private dwellings by commuting distance2, 2006 counts, for Canada, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations, and component census subdivisions (municipalities) – 20% sample data”, http://www.statscan.com
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 2004 to 2007
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Vancouver | $373,877 | $425,745 | $428,772 | $570,795 |
| Oakville-Milton | $371,414 | $390,697 | $428,772 | $433,647 |
| Calgary | $222,860 | $250,832 | $346,675 | $414,066 |
| Toronto | $315,226 | $336,176 | $352,388 | $377,029 |
| Mississauga | $295,268 | $311,079 | $319,416 | $339,636 |
| Ottawa | $238,152 | $248,358 | $257,481 | $273,058 |
| Hamilton-Burlington | $215,922 | $229,753 | $248,754 | $268,857 |
| Guelph & District | $215,511 | $236,140 | $245,676 | $262,186 |
| Kitchener-Waterloo | $205,639 | $220,511 | $237,913 | $252,429 |
| Cambridge | $208,760 | $224,479 | $230,752 | $242,752 |
Source: MLS Residential Average Sale Price, Canadian Real Estate Association, 2007. http://www.crea.ca.
Note: Numbers are grouped according to each Real Estate Board, rather than political boundaries.
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 | 19,275 | 10.5 |
| 25 km or more | 208,860 | 9.2 |
| Total | 100 |
Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census, “Employed labour force1 15 years and over having a usual place of work in occupied private dwellings by commuting distance2, 2006 counts, for Canada, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations, and component census subdivisions (municipalities) – 20% sample data”, http://www.statscan.com
“The Waterloo Region has had a long tradition of technical excellence and entrepreneurial spirit that goes back more than a century with companies like Seagrams, Electrohome and Schneiders. And this trend continues today with the Waterloo Region as home to some of the top technology companies in the world.”
Tom Jenkins
Chairman of the Board
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Tom Jenkins
Chairman of the Board
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