Ottawa's condo and apartment rental market in 2026 was not defined by drama. It was defined by structure. The citywide median moved gradually, but the two-bedroom condo rental segment stood out as the part of the market where renters felt the strongest price step-up. This real estate market report uses Casakibo residential lease listing data for apartment-style rentals entered from January 1, 2026 through July 31, 2026, with 1,227 Ottawa listings.
Ottawa opened the year with a $2,170 median in January. February and March both sat at $2,200. April moved to $2,275, May reached $2,295, June was nearly unchanged at $2,278, and July landed at $2,250. For a rental market report, that is a controlled curve: gradual spring firmness, then a steady July.
Ottawa condo and apartment rental market by listing entry month:
The stronger story is by unit size. One-bedroom apartment-style rentals were stable around $2,000 to $2,144. Two-bedroom rentals sat consistently higher and reached $2,705 in July. Studios held around $1,700 from March through July. Three-bedroom apartment-style rentals appeared as a premium and more variable segment.
Ottawa condo rental market by unit size and listing entry month:
| Listing Entry Month | Studio | 1 Bed | 2 Bed | 3 Bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | $1,550 | $2,000 | $2,505 | n/a |
| February 2026 | n/a | $2,000 | $2,485 | n/a |
| March 2026 | $1,700 | $2,100 | $2,500 | $3,525 |
| April 2026 | $1,790 | $2,100 | $2,500 | n/a |
| May 2026 | $1,700 | $2,125 | $2,550 | $2,595 |
| June 2026 | $1,700 | $2,144 | $2,600 | $2,900 |
| July 2026 | $1,700 | $2,100 | $2,705 | $2,450 |
July is the best recent full-month snapshot. In July 2026, Ottawa had 260 condo and apartment-style rental listings. Studios had a $1,700 median, one-bedroom rentals had a $2,100 median, and two-bedroom rentals reached $2,705. That July spread makes the market easy to read: renters moving from one bedroom to two bedrooms were crossing into a very different budget band.
July 2026 Ottawa condo and apartment rental market by size:
| Unit Size | Rental Listings | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | 21 | $1,700 |
| 1 Bed | 104 | $2,100 |
| 2 Bed | 128 | $2,705 |
| 3 Bed | 6 | $2,450 |
The two-bedroom premium is the headline. In July, the median gap between one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartment-style rentals was about $605. For renters, that can change the search strategy. A household may need to decide whether the extra bedroom is worth the higher monthly payment, or whether location, building amenities, parking, and commute should take priority.
For landlords and realtors, Ottawa's rental market report points to a disciplined pricing approach. The citywide median is helpful, but unit size is the real comparable filter. A one-bedroom condo should compete against one-bedroom apartment-style rentals. A two-bedroom condo should be priced inside the deeper two-bedroom segment, where the July median was materially higher. In Ottawa real estate, the difference between a broad rental headline and a true comparable set can be hundreds of dollars per month.
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The Casakibo Data Labs prepare rental-market research using structured listing data, city-level comparisons, and property-type market checks. This report was prepared by the Casakibo Data Labs using thousands of active residential lease listings from participating Canadian real estate boards and CREA member feeds. For data questions, market research, or partnership inquiries, contact Casakibo.