Ottawa housing and COLA at a glance
Ottawa, Canada (DoD locality CA053).
An E-5 with dependents can rent up to $1,882 a month (2,611 CAD) and receives $505 for utilities and maintenance, $2,386 a month in total OHA at the ceiling. With two dependents and 6 years of service, COLA adds about $763 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 | $1,603 | $1,443 | 2,224 CAD |
| E-2 | $1,603 | $1,443 | 2,224 CAD |
| E-3 | $1,603 | $1,443 | 2,224 CAD |
| E-4 | $1,603 | $1,443 | 2,224 CAD |
| E-5 | $1,882 | $1,694 | 2,611 CAD |
| E-6 | $2,523 | $2,270 | 3,500 CAD |
| E-7 | $2,523 | $2,270 | 3,500 CAD |
| E-8 | $2,523 | $2,270 | 3,500 CAD |
| E-9 | $3,031 | $2,728 | 4,205 CAD |
| W-1 | $1,882 | $1,694 | 2,611 CAD |
| W-2 | $2,523 | $2,270 | 3,500 CAD |
| W-3 | $3,031 | $2,728 | 4,205 CAD |
| W-4 | $3,031 | $2,728 | 4,205 CAD |
| W-5 | $3,424 | $3,081 | 4,750 CAD |
| O-1E | $2,523 | $2,270 | 3,500 CAD |
| O-2E | $2,523 | $2,270 | 3,500 CAD |
| O-3E | $3,031 | $2,728 | 4,205 CAD |
| O-1 | $1,882 | $1,694 | 2,611 CAD |
| O-2 | $1,882 | $1,694 | 2,611 CAD |
| O-3 | $2,523 | $2,270 | 3,500 CAD |
| O-4 | $3,031 | $2,728 | 4,205 CAD |
| O-5 | $3,424 | $3,081 | 4,750 CAD |
| O-6 | $3,424 | $3,081 | 4,750 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 Ottawa
The COLA index here is 126 (effective October 1, 2026), meaning goods and services cost about 26% 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) | $686 | $725 | $763 | $801 | $839 |
| E-4 (4 yrs) | $686 | $725 | $763 | $801 | $839 |
| E-5 (6 yrs) | $686 | $725 | $763 | $801 | $839 |
| E-6 (10 yrs) | $686 | $725 | $763 | $801 | $839 |
| E-7 (14 yrs) | $686 | $725 | $763 | $801 | $839 |
| E-8 (18 yrs) | $735 | $776 | $817 | $858 | $899 |
| E-9 (22 yrs) | $829 | $875 | $921 | $967 | $1,013 |
| W-2 (8 yrs) | $686 | $725 | $763 | $801 | $839 |
| O-2 (3 yrs) | $712 | $751 | $791 | $830 | $870 |
| O-3 (6 yrs) | $782 | $825 | $869 | $912 | $956 |
| O-4 (12 yrs) | $895 | $945 | $995 | $1,044 | $1,094 |
| O-5 (18 yrs) | $1,000 | $1,056 | $1,112 | $1,167 | $1,223 |
| O-6 (22 yrs) | $1,096 | $1,157 | $1,218 | $1,279 | $1,339 |
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 Ottawa compares
The COLA index of 126 is the 6th-highest of 20 Canada localities DTMO prices for OHA, and in the bottom 48% of the 624 locations worldwide that pay COLA.
Its E-5 rent ceiling ranks 2nd of 20 in Canada.
Where the ceiling steps up with rank (with dependents): enlisted $1,603 for E-1 to E-4, $1,882 at E-5 (+$279), $2,523 from E-6 to E-8 (+$641), and $3,031 at E-9 (+$508); officers $1,882 for O-1 to O-2, $2,523 at O-3 (+$641), $3,031 at O-4 (+$508), and $3,424 from O-5 to O-6 (+$393). 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 $3,149 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 124 (December 16, 2025) to 126 (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 | 126 | $763 |
| July 1, 2026 | 122 | $645 |
| April 1, 2026 | 126 | $763 |
| December 16, 2025 | 124 | $704 |
*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 2,611 CAD is worth $1,882 today against $1,812 then, so the dollar amount on your LES rose by $70 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 |
| Halifax/Dartmouth/Shearwater | $2,208 | 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 |
| 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.