How to compare your rent
Start with homes that have a similar number of bedrooms, size and location. Compare the full monthly cost, including services charged separately.
An advertised rent is an asking price. A rent submission is an amount someone reports paying. A FairRent estimate combines the sources described beside the result. These figures are useful for different reasons.
Check the source dates and local data coverage before drawing a conclusion.
Browse neighbourhood estimates when comparing listings. Submit a rent only when you are reporting what you actually pay.
A worked example, step by step
Here is how an estimate is built for a 1 bedroom in an Ottawa area with no reports yet, and with no neighbourhood adjustment set for it. Every figure below is produced by the same code that builds a result on the site. The example holds the local reports at none, so it shows the widest case rather than any one neighbourhood.
| Step | Figure | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| City baseline, 1 bedroom in Ottawa | $1,860 | Public market data from CMHC and Statistics Canada, last reviewed October 2026. |
| Neighbourhood adjustment | None set | No adjustment is set for an area like this, so the city baseline stands as it is. Where FairRent has set one, it is an input to the estimate, not a measured difference. |
| Estimate | $1,860 | The baseline, with no adjustment to apply. |
| Estimated rent range | $1,550 to $2,150 | More data needed: fewer than 5 recent renter reports, so the range comes from public data only and stays at its widest. |
If you paid $1,850 a month for a 1 bedroom in an area like that, the comparison would place that rent within the estimated range. The FairRent Score then summarises that position on a scale of 1 to 10. It does not say whether the home is in good condition, whether the rent is lawful or whether it fits your budget.
Once 5 or more recent reports exist for the same area and type of home, their median is blended into the baseline and the range narrows. The result page says which case applies. Each neighbourhood page shows its own area's figure, which is tighter where renters have reported.
What the comparison cannot tell you
- Whether the home is in good condition or was recently renovated.
- Whether an increase your landlord proposed is allowed. The rent rules for your province are shown beside the result. Working out the increase is up to you and the tribunal.
- Whether the rent fits your household budget.
- Whether a listing is genuine or still available.
Before you decide
- Ask for the full monthly cost, including anything charged separately.
- Compare the same type of home across two or three nearby neighbourhoods.
- Check the source date on the page. The market data date is printed beside every estimate.
- Visit the home, or see it by live video, before paying anything.
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