Anyone in/near Ottawa (preferably suburbs) that can help me out?.. (homeowners insurance, condo)

[Nitric]

I'm trying to piece together a budget using a comparison of costs between where we currently live and Ottawa. Can anyone provide me with their current monthly (or bi-monthly or annual.. just clarify) costs for each of these categories?

Water/Waste
Hydro
Gas
Car Insurance (preferably ~5-7 years old, full coverage)
Homeowners Insurance

Also, the property tax in the Ottawa area is right around 1%, correct?

[Acajack]

I answer a lot of the Ottawa questions here although I live across the river in Quebec. Costs for most of what you asked for are quite different between Ontario and Quebec so I can't give you a good idea.

But if you tell me where you are living right now I can give you a good general idea of whether Ottawa is more or less expensive overall.

[Nitric]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I answer a lot of the Ottawa questions here although I live across the river in Quebec. Costs for most of what you asked for are quite different between Ontario and Quebec so I can't give you a good idea.

But if you tell me where you are living right now I can give you a good general idea of whether Ottawa is more or less expensive overall.

I'm currently in the Toronto area. I'm under the impression that car insurance will be MUCH cheaper (some have said around half the cost annually). House utilities seem to be a little less in Ottawa as well. I'm trying to piece together a good estimate of numbers to get a budget together.

Housing prices are just amazing. In the GTA you can very easily spend ~$500k on a 2-2.5k sqft house whereas in Ottawa you can get the same for ~$300k.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Nitric

I'm currently in the Toronto area. I'm under the impression that car insurance will be MUCH cheaper (some have said around half the cost annually). House utilities seem to be a little less in Ottawa as well. I'm trying to piece together a good estimate of numbers to get a budget together.

Housing prices are just amazing. In the GTA you can very easily spend ~$500k on a 2-2.5k sqft house whereas in Ottawa you can get the same for ~$300k.

Thinking about what I overhear from people in Ottawa, auto insurance appears to cost about 1200 to 1500 dollars a year. I have no idea what it costs in Toronto so I don't know if this is a deal.

Utilities are likely quite similar. Even if they are a bit less keep in mind Ottawa is colder in the winter and more humid and perhaps even hotter than Toronto in the summer so you may pay more for heating and AC.

Gas prices in Ottawa vary like they do everywhere but they are generally around 1.10 per litre.

Housing is much less expensive it is true, and this is usually your biggest expense.

[Nitric]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Thinking about what I overhear from people in Ottawa, auto insurance appears to cost about 1200 to 1500 dollars a year. I have no idea what it costs in Toronto so I don't know if this is a deal.

Utilities are likely quite similar. Even if they are a bit less keep in mind Ottawa is colder in the winter and more humid and perhaps even hotter than Toronto in the summer so you may pay more for heating and AC.

Gas prices in Ottawa vary like they do everywhere but they are generally around 1.10 per litre.

Housing is much less expensive it is true, and this is usually your biggest expense.

Cool. I'll just chalk the utilities up the same then.

Any ideas on property tax? Is it higher in the Ottawa area?

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Nitric

Cool. I'll just chalk the utilities up the same then.

Any ideas on property tax? Is it higher in the Ottawa area?

I think your 1% estimate is quite close. A house listed for $450,000 will have a $4,500 tax bill approximately.

[Ottawa2011]

Acajack, I agree. My property tax is a wee bit less than 1% for a condo located downtown.