Here's how much it costs to rent an apartment in Ottawa

A for rent sign is displayed on a house in a new housing development in Ottawa on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Ottawa renters saw a double-digit increase in the cost to rent an apartment in the capital to start the new year.

The February 2023 national rent report from Rentals.ca shows the average rent in Ottawa was $2,034 last month, up 11.5 per cent from January 2022.

The average rent in Ottawa was $1,584 for a bachelor apartment, $1,928 for a one-bedroom apartment, $2,249 for a two-bedroom apartment and $2,435 for a three-bedroom apartment.

In Gatineau, the average rent for all properties increased 1.3 per cent in January to $1,733 a month. A one-bedroom apartment costs an average of $1,652 in Gatineau.

The report from Rentals.ca shows the annual rate of rent inflation increased 10.7 per cent in January, the ninth consecutive month with a double-digit increase.  The average rent for all properties in Canada was $1,996 in January.

Vancouver has the highest average rent in Canada at $3,151 a month, followed by Burnaby at $2,947 and Toronto at $2,763 a month.

Rents drop from December to January

While the report from Rentals.ca shows rental rates in Ottawa increased 11.5 per cent from January 2022 to January 2023, the report does have some good news for renters.

According to the report, the average cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment and two-bedroom apartment decreased in the capital from December 2022 to January 2023.

The cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment dropped from $1,939 in December to $1,921 in January.

Rent for a two-bedroom apartment was $2,243 in January, down from $2,308 in December.

In Gatineau, the cost to rent a one-bedroom dropped 1.1 per cent in January to $1,641. The average rent in Gatineau in December was $1,721 for a one-bedroom.