The digital nomad lifestyle is continuing to grow, with 35 million people now working remotely across the world. Catering to this, Canada has joined 30 countries in creating programmes to attract digital nomads, allowing visitors to stay in the country for up to 6 months without a work visa.2

With this in mind, Ontario Casinos sought to uncover the ultimate Canadian cities for digital nomads. To do so, the experts created a points-based index system evaluating a variety of metrics including: public internet speed, the cost of living and working, crime levels, weather conditions, overall happiness and airport access for each Canadian city.

For the full dataset, including additional variables, please see the methodology. *The Happiness Index monitors several metrics including: median after-tax income, poverty rate, perceived health, sense of belonging, commute time, rainfall and air quality. *The Crime Severity Index (CSI) monitors the severity level of police-reported crime, quantifying the relative number and severity of crimes in different parts of Canada, giving a severity-weighted statistic. Both indexes are scored out of 100.

Brampton is the best Canadian city for digital nomads
Ontario Casinos can reveal that Brampton, Ontario, is the best Canadian city for digital nomads, with a digital nomad suitability score of 7.79/10 – 0.29 higher than Canada’s capital, Ottawa (7.50/10). In Brampton, the cost of living for nomads stands at $2,591 per month, a fifth cheaper than in the neighboring city of Toronto, where the cost of living averages at $3,258 per month. Brampton is also considered the happiest Canadian city in the ranking, scoring 57.4/100 in the Happiness Index – 22% higher than Toronto (46.97/100). Not only this, Brampton is also the second safest Canadian city in the ranking, scoring 47.5 in the crime severity index between 2020 and 2021. Despite the city’s coworking hot desk prices standing at an average of $648.12 per month — the most expensive in the country — Brampton’s Airbnb rates ($3,012.32 per month) are 40% cheaper than in Vancouver ($5054.48 per month) making it an ideal city for long-term digital nomads.

Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, Ontario, ranks second, boasting a digital nomad suitability score of 7.50/10. The average monthly cost of living for nomads in Ottawa stands at $2,326, offering a 29% cost advantage over Toronto ($3,258). The average price for a coworking hot desk in Ottawa is $120.12 per month, the most budget-friendly option nationwide, creating an ideal working environment for digital nomads. While the average nightly expense for renting an Airbnb in the capital is higher at $3,331.24 per month, nomads in Ottawa will save on longer term stays, with the cost of renting a 1 bed studio 30% cheaper per month than in Vancouver ($2,548). Ottawa is considered one of the top 5 safest Canadian cities in the list with a crime severity index of 50.2/100, 1.6 points safer than Quebec (48.6), and achieves a notable score of 56.05/100 in the Happiness Index. This secures the capital’s position as the second happiest city in Canada, where residents benefit from a booming economy and a strong sense of community in the area.

Toronto, the capital city of Ontario, is in third place with an overall digital nomad suitability score of 7.47/10. Despite having the second-highest cost of living for a digital nomad at approximately $3,258 per month – 40% more expensive than the capital city, Ottawa ($2,326) – Toronto has numerous benefits for remote workers. The city offers an average coworking hot desk cost of $331.32 per month – almost half the price than in Brampton, GTA ($648.12) – and has a low crime severity index (56.7). Not only this, but Toronto scores highly in the Happiness Index (45.97/100) for having a high sense of community and belonging, high air quality and low perceived stress — making it a favorable place to live and work in Canada.

Banff is the tenth best Canadian city for digital nomads
In tenth place with a score of 7.03/10 is Banff, Alberta. Banff has the highest monthly Airbnb prices in the country, at ($17,080.98) and the 7th highest cost of living for digital nomads ($2,425 pcm) — not ideal for those looking for an affordable location to work remotely. For those who prefer an office setting, the city offers coworking hot seats at an average of $300.96 per month, however, a coffee in Banff may cost you an average of $6.60, the most expensive in the country. Despite this, Banff benefits from the fastest internet speed analyzed, averaging at 34Mbps, as well as a Happiness Index score of 47.75 — offering both a practical and enjoyable environment for nomads with a higher budget.