These 2 Canadian Cities Were Ranked As Having The Best Work-Life Balance In The Country

Two cities in Alberta have already been declared as having some of the most affordable housing markets in the world. Now, they've also topped the list for having the best work-life balance in Canada.

The Work / Life Balance Index by holiday search engine Holidu singled out Edmonton as the top city in Canada, followed immediately by its Albertan neighbour Calgary.

The ranking took many things into consideration when assessing the work-life balance of cities around the world: It looked at the average number of hours spent working each year, the average amount of sleep people tend to get per night, the minimum number of mandatory paid days off and the average number of trips taken each year per person in the country.

At the city level, it looked at happiness levels, average commute time and average monthly disposable income in each city.

The study states that on average, Canadians get 7 hours and 23 minutes of sleep every night and tend to work 1,689 hours per year.

Edmonton was the highest-ranking city in the country, with commute times of around 29 minutes and an average income of $3,200 per month after rent and bills. It came in number 53 on the global scale, right after Sydney, Australia; Belfast, Ireland; and Malaga, Spain.

Calgary was right behind at 54, with an average commute time of 30 minutes, and a slightly higher average monthly disposable income of around $3,430.

Vancouver came in at number 62 for its work-life balance with a 37-minute commute and $2,380 per month in disposable income. The next Canadian city to make the list was Ottawa, at number 65, with a 39-minute average commute and monthly disposable income of $2,430. Toronto came next at number 67 with a longer commute time of 45 minutes but a much higher average of $3,375 in disposable income. Montreal took the 68th spot at 39 minutes and $2,020.

According to the study, Copenhagen, Denmark, was the number-one city for work-life balance in the entire world. Those lucky Danes not only work just 1,380 hours a year on average, but they also get a minimum of 36 paid leave days per year (including public holidays) and a good night's rest with an average of 8 hours and 50 minutes of sleep per night.