Halifax/Dartmouth/Shearwater housing and COLA at a glance
Halifax/Dartmouth/Shearwater, Canada (DoD locality CA029). DTMO files these places under the same locality, so the same rates apply: Dartmouth, Shearwater.
An E-5 with dependents can rent up to $2,208 a month (3,064 CAD) and receives $505 for utilities and maintenance, $2,713 a month in total OHA at the ceiling. With two dependents and 6 years of service, COLA adds about $704 a month. Both are tax-free.
OHA rent ceilings for every grade
OHA reimburses your actual rent up to the ceiling for your grade, so renting below it means a smaller payment, not money kept. Without dependents, the ceiling is 90% of the with-dependents figure.
| Grade | With deps | Without deps | Ceiling (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,929 | $1,736 | 2,676 CAD |
| E-2 | $1,929 | $1,736 | 2,676 CAD |
| E-3 | $1,929 | $1,736 | 2,676 CAD |
| E-4 | $1,929 | $1,736 | 2,676 CAD |
| E-5 | $2,208 | $1,988 | 3,064 CAD |
| E-6 | $2,539 | $2,285 | 3,522 CAD |
| E-7 | $2,539 | $2,285 | 3,522 CAD |
| E-8 | $2,539 | $2,285 | 3,522 CAD |
| E-9 | $3,964 | $3,568 | 5,500 CAD |
| W-1 | $2,208 | $1,988 | 3,064 CAD |
| W-2 | $2,539 | $2,285 | 3,522 CAD |
| W-3 | $3,964 | $3,568 | 5,500 CAD |
| W-4 | $3,964 | $3,568 | 5,500 CAD |
| W-5 | $3,964 | $3,568 | 5,500 CAD |
| O-1E | $2,539 | $2,285 | 3,522 CAD |
| O-2E | $2,539 | $2,285 | 3,522 CAD |
| O-3E | $3,964 | $3,568 | 5,500 CAD |
| O-1 | $2,208 | $1,988 | 3,064 CAD |
| O-2 | $2,208 | $1,988 | 3,064 CAD |
| O-3 | $2,539 | $2,285 | 3,522 CAD |
| O-4 | $3,964 | $3,568 | 5,500 CAD |
| O-5 | $3,964 | $3,568 | 5,500 CAD |
| O-6 | $3,964 | $3,568 | 5,500 CAD |
Utilities and move-in
- Utility/recurring maintenance allowance: $505 a month with dependents, $378 without (700 CAD with dependents).
- Move-in housing allowance (MIHA) miscellaneous: $365, paid once when you sign a lease (506 CAD).
Rent ceilings effective 16 July 2026. Converted at DTMO's pay-system rate of 1 CAD = $0.720773 (October 1, 2026). DTMO revises it on the 1st and 16th of each month, so the dollar amount moves even when the ceiling does not.
COLA in Halifax/Dartmouth/Shearwater
The COLA index here is 124 (effective October 1, 2026), meaning goods and services cost about 24% more than in the U.S. COLA is paid on top of base pay and OHA. Estimated monthly COLA by grade and number of dependents:
| Grade (YOS) | No deps | 1 dep | 2 deps | 3 deps | 4 deps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-3 (2 yrs) | $634 | $669 | $704 | $739 | $774 |
| E-4 (4 yrs) | $634 | $669 | $704 | $739 | $774 |
| E-5 (6 yrs) | $634 | $669 | $704 | $739 | $774 |
| E-6 (10 yrs) | $634 | $669 | $704 | $739 | $774 |
| E-7 (14 yrs) | $634 | $669 | $704 | $739 | $774 |
| E-8 (18 yrs) | $679 | $716 | $754 | $792 | $829 |
| E-9 (22 yrs) | $765 | $808 | $850 | $893 | $935 |
| W-2 (8 yrs) | $634 | $669 | $704 | $739 | $774 |
| O-2 (3 yrs) | $657 | $694 | $730 | $767 | $803 |
| O-3 (6 yrs) | $722 | $762 | $802 | $842 | $882 |
| O-4 (12 yrs) | $826 | $872 | $918 | $964 | $1,010 |
| O-5 (18 yrs) | $923 | $975 | $1,026 | $1,077 | $1,129 |
| O-6 (22 yrs) | $1,012 | $1,068 | $1,124 | $1,180 | $1,236 |
Estimates use 2026 base pay at the years of service shown and DTMO's spendable-income table (CY2026 tables (effective Feb 1, 2026)). COLA = spendable income × (index − 100) ÷ 100 ÷ 12. Members without dependents living in government quarters receive a reduced rate. Run your exact grade, years of service and dependents in the OCONUS COLA calculator.
How Halifax/Dartmouth/Shearwater compares
The COLA index of 124 is the 13th-highest of 20 Canada localities DTMO prices for OHA, and in the bottom 41% of the 624 locations worldwide that pay COLA.
Its E-5 rent ceiling ranks 1st of 20 in Canada, the highest in the country.
Where the ceiling steps up with rank (with dependents): enlisted $1,929 for E-1 to E-4, $2,208 at E-5 (+$279), $2,539 from E-6 to E-8 (+$331), and $3,964 at E-9 (+$1,425); officers $2,208 for O-1 to O-2, $2,539 at O-3 (+$331), and $3,964 from O-4 to O-6 (+$1,425). A promotion that lands before you sign a lease raises what you can rent.
At the ceiling, an E-5 with two dependents draws about $3,417 a month here in OHA and COLA combined, tax-free. The same member receives $2,061 in BAH at the median U.S. housing area. Treat that as a rough guide: OHA pays your actual rent rather than a flat amount, and COLA exists because everyday prices here run higher.
How these rates have moved
The COLA index has moved from 122 (December 16, 2025) to 124 (October 1, 2026). At 2026 pay, that is +$59 a month for an E-5 with two dependents.
| Effective | COLA index | E-5, 2 deps* |
|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | 124 | $704 |
| July 1, 2026 | 120 | $587 |
| April 1, 2026 | 124 | $704 |
| December 16, 2025 | 122 | $645 |
*Monthly COLA at 2026 base pay (6 years of service), so the column isolates the effect of the index.
Exchange rate: DTMO's pay-system rate was 1 CAD = $0.694011 on July 16, 2026 and $0.720773 on October 1, 2026 (+3.9%). The E-5 ceiling of 3,064 CAD is worth $2,208 today against $2,126 then, so the dollar amount on your LES rose by $82 a month without the ceiling itself changing.
From DTMO's published COLA indices and OHA exchange rates as recorded by this site each pay period.
Other Canada localities
E-5 with dependents. Your OHA follows the locality of your duty station, so these apply only if you are assigned there.
| Locality | OHA rent ceiling | COLA index |
|---|---|---|
| Argentia | $1,452 | 124 |
| Calgary | $811 | 128 |
| Cold Lake | $1,362 | 116 |
| Comox) | $714 | 130 |
| Gagetown | $1,114 | 124 |
| Greenwood | $1,452 | 124 |
| Kingston | $1,052 | 126 |
| London, Canada | $924 | 126 |
| Masset | $1,452 | 130 |
| Montreal | $1,452 | 126 |
| North Bay | $1,757 | 118 |
| Other (Canada) | $1,452 | 126 |
| Ottawa | $1,882 | 126 |
| ST. Hubert | $375 | 124 |
| Toronto | $1,501 | 126 |
| Trenton | $1,114 | 126 |
| Vancouver | $1,452 | 130 |
| Victoria | $1,615 | 130 |
| Winnipeg | $1,443 | 116 |
Using these numbers
- Your exact OHA by grade and dependents: OHA calculator. Your exact COLA: OCONUS COLA calculator.
- Planning the move: PCS calculator for DLA, per diem and weight allowance.
- Coming home: COLA stops the day you leave. The COLA trap shows how to plan for it.
Sources: DTMO OHA rate tables and OCONUS COLA indices, refreshed each pay period. Estimates for planning; your finance office's figure is the one that pays.