A recent poll ranked Canada’s happiest cities, with Brampton and Mississauga in the top ten—but how much does it cost to live in these communities?
The Leger’s 2026 City of Happiness report ranked Montreal first among Canada’s 10 largest cities, with a happiness score of 72.7 out of 100. Brampton followed at 71.7, while Toronto placed third at 69.4. Vancouver, Hamilton and Mississauga rounded out the top six.
However, a high happiness score doesn’t necessarily mean a city is affordable, a new report from real estate brokerage Zoocasa notes.
“Some urban centres offer access to employment, transit and cultural amenities at a higher housing cost, while others provide comparatively lower rents and different lifestyle trade-offs,” Zoocasa said.
To help Canadians understand the financial side of these rankings, Zoocasa compared average asking rents across the country’s happiest major cities, using the latest available comparable rental data from Statistics Canada.
In the second quarter of 2026, the average asking rent for a two-bedroom apartment across Canadian census metropolitan areas was $2,130 per month, down 3.6 per cent from the same period in 2025, according to Statistics Canada’s Quarterly Rent Statistics report.
Canada’s happiest city, Montreal, is also one of the least expensive in the group.
According to Statistics Canada, the average asking rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Montreal was $1,820 per month in the second quarter of 2026. That amounts to approximately $21,840 annually before utilities, insurance and other household expenses, Zoocasa notes.
Montreal may appeal to people seeking a major-city lifestyle with access to restaurants, cultural activities, public transit and established residential neighbourhoods.
Second on the list, Brampton tends to be less expensive than Toronto, but still pricey. The Statistics Canada report doesn’t provide data for Brampton, but the latest National Rent Report put a two-bedroom at $2,334 per month in September.
Brampton offers residents access to regional employment opportunities, shopping, parks and connections to the wider Toronto market, Zoocasa notes.
Toronto is third on the Leger ranking, and the city offers a wide range of employment opportunities, cultural attractions, restaurants, educational institutions and public transit connections. These amenities can make Toronto appealing to people who value an urban lifestyle, but housing remains a significant expense.
Statistics Canada reported an average asking rent of $2,650 per month for a two-bedroom apartment in the Toronto metropolitan area in the second quarter of 2026. That works out to $31,800 annually before other living expenses, Zoocasa notes.
Zoocasa used Toronto’s average rent for Mississauga and Brampton. Chart: Zoocasa
Vancouver ranked fourth in Leger’s 2026 happiness index, and with outdoor recreation, green space, coastal scenery and urban amenities, the city may appeal to residents who value that combination of city living and nature.
Statistics Canada’s second-quarter data put Vancouver’s average asking rent for a two-bedroom apartment at $3,030 per month, equivalent to $36,360 annually.
That is $900 more per month than Toronto’s average asking rent, Zoocasa notes.
Hamilton ranked fifth among Canada’s 10 largest cities for happiness, and the city offers a mix of urban neighbourhoods, green spaces and access to the broader Greater Golden Horseshoe region.
With an average asking rent of $2,150 per month for a two-bedroom apartment, Hamilton may be the most economical among the happiest cities in Ontario. That equals approximately $25,800 annually.
Mississauga, number six on the happiest ranking list, has a mix of urban areas and green spaces. For commuters to Toronto, it is a shorter trip than for those living in Brampton or Hamilton. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment was $2,423 in September, according to the National Rent Report.
See the full report from Zoocasa here.
Lead photo: Vitaly Gariev
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