Ottawa or San Jose

Based on 2026 cost of living data, Ottawa is more affordable than San Jose. Ottawa has a cost rating of 65/100, while San Jose has a cost rating of 84/100.

In terms of safety, Ottawa ranks higher with a safety score of 92/100, compared to San Jose at 82/100. Ottawa's safety score is 92/100 and San Jose's safety score is 82/100.

Average rent in Ottawa is typically $2,200 CAD per month, whereas typical rent in San Jose averages $2,300 - $3,100 per month.

For Ottawa, the visa process is rated as: Standard Federal (Standard Canadian immigration routes.). For San Jose, the process is rated as: World Epicenter for H-1B, O-1 & EB-1 Sponsorship (Unrivaled employer sponsorship by Nvidia, Apple, Google, Adobe, Cisco, and thousands of AI startups.).