Montreal vs. Ottawa: Where to Go

by Francis Underwood

The most famous cities in Canada are Montreal and Ottawa. But these cities have different histories, cultures, and spoken languages. That’s why travelers who are visiting Canada for the first time, after finding where to rent a car, ask: “Where should I go first?”. In fact, there`s no simple answer to that question. Each tourist pursues their own traveling goal. And that’s the thing that matters when choosing between Montreal and Ottawa. For this reason, we decided to create this article. Here we’ll provide you with the pros and cons of each city. And considering this information, you`ll be able to decide which city to visit on your first journey to Canada.

Climate

Every traveler has their unique weather preferences. Some tourists like cold weather. Others are into hot weather. In fact, the weather in Montreal and Ottawa is similar in winter and spring. Yet, summer and fall temperatures vary. The average temperature in winter in both cities is 14°F. In spring, the temperature in Montreal and Ottawa will be 44°F. The summer climate is a bit colder in Montreal. Averagely it’s about 69°F, while in Ottawa, the common temperature in summer is 71°F. The same situation is with autumn. The average Montreal temperature for this season is 46°F, while in Ottawa, it`s 48°F.

As you can see, the climate in Montreal and Ottawa is similar. But, it has some differences. In a nutshell, if you prefer a bit colder summers, then Montreal will be better for you. Yet, if you`re into hot climates, then choose Ottawa.

Transport

The development of the transportation sphere is another crucial feature for tourists. As travelers aren’t local to their destination, it could become a problem for them to navigate in a foreign city. That’s why we decided to add this criterion to our comparison.

But after analysis, our team came to the conclusion that both Montreal and Ottawa have a well-developed transportation system. And we`re talking not only about public transport. Both Montreal and Ottawa are filled with different varieties of taxi services, rental services, etc. Yet, there are differences. Montreal services, as it`s a bigger city, offer a wider list of propositions. For example, we picked 14CARS.com, a service available in Montreal and Ottawa. This service offers luxury car rental Montreal, while there`s no such offer in Ottawa. But in Ottawa, the cost of car rental, according to 14CARS.com, is lower than in Montreal. You can easily check it, as 14CARS.com offers an easy-to-use filter and price comparison tool. In a nutshell, a comparison of transportation development showed that Montreal has a bigger list of available offers, including Canada car rental. But the price of transportation is also higher in Montreal than in Ottawa.

Cost of living

While planning your trip, always consider how much you can spend on a vacation. That’s why it’s important to check the average cost of living in your city of destination. For this reason, we added this point to our article. The sums you`ll find in this part are based on average expenses for basic facilities, including:

food;
living;
entertainment;
public transport;
cost of cars for rent.

After research, we found out that Ottawa is less costly to live in than Montreal. On average, the cost of staying in Montreal for one day is about 170$. But, the cost of daily living in Ottawa is about 100$.

As you can see, Ottawa, even though it`s the capital city of Canada, is cheaper than Montreal. We think that the reason for this difference is the difference between the sizes of cities. All in all, if you aren’t ready to spend an arm and a leg on your first trip to Canada, choose Ottawa as your destination.

Entertainment

No matter what age the tourists are, they`re always seeking entertainment on vacation. That’s why it’s important to understand how much tourists can do in the city you plan to visit. Considering our task, we did such research for you. Our team compared available entertainment in Ottawa and Montreal and came to the conclusion that Montreal has more to offer than Ottawa.

Actually, Montreal wins in almost every category when it comes to leisure activities. There`re more stadiums, museums, cinemas, and nightclubs in Montreal than in Ottawa.

But don’t underestimate the beauty of Ottawa. Even though it has less entertainment, Ottawa is full of beautiful 19-th century architecture and nature, like Rideau Canal, which is included in the list of heritage protected by UNESCO.

As you can see, both cities have something to offer. Yet, when it comes to choosing, it always depends on your preferences. If you’re into nightlife and entertainment, Montreal is your choice. But if you like sightseeing and enjoying nature, then Ottawa will be better.

Conclusion

Montreal and Ottawa are both beautiful cities. And as you can see, both Montreal and Ottawa have advantages and disadvantages. Only you can decide which city is better to visit as it’s a subjective thing. Our task was to give useful information to reduce the time travelers spend on research. And we believe that our team did this job well.