Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Burnaby Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Burnaby

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,552 in Auckland versus $2,869 in Burnaby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,528 in Auckland versus $4,015 in Burnaby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,503 in Auckland versus $5,160 in Burnaby.

Living in Auckland costs roughly 11% less than in Burnaby, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Auckland 85% above, Burnaby 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.48 NZ$24.90

$21.82 CA$30.27

-33.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 NZ$120

$87.5 CA$121

-20.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 NZ$17.46

$9.54 CA$13.24

6.39%

Cappuccino

$3.51 NZ$6.03

$4.81 CA$6.67

-27.03%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 NZ$3.54

$2.35 CA$3.27

-12.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.11

$1.80 CA$2.50

0.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.25 NZ$12.47

$7.19 CA$9.98

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 NZ$12.04

$6.10 CA$8.46

14.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 NZ$3.38

$2.40 CA$3.33

-17.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 NZ$3.96

$2.92 CA$4.05

-21.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.37

$3.60 CA$4.99

-45.56%

Eggs

$6.67 NZ$11.47

$3.30 CA$4.58

102.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 NZ$15.40

$14.34 CA$19.89

-37.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 NZ$18.29

$14.01 CA$19.43

-24.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.97 NZ$30.90

$25.31 CA$35.10

-29.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 NZ$5.10

$4.56 CA$6.33

-35.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 NZ$3.77

$1.30 CA$1.81

68.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 NZ$5.23

$4.65 CA$6.45

-34.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.56 NZ$9.56

$4.59 CA$6.36

21.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 NZ$3.99

$2.90 CA$4.02

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$2.94

$3.60 CA$4.99

-52.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NZ$3.57

$2.83 CA$3.93

-26.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.98

$2.17 CA$3.01

-47.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.85 NZ$49.60

$14.60 CA$20.25

97.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.89 NZ$18.73

$13.78 CA$19.11

-20.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 NZ$4.88

$2.10 CA$2.91

35.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 NZ$6.17

$2.38 CA$3.30

50.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 NZ$4.59

$2.46 CA$3.42

8.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$126 NZ$217

$80.9 CA$112

55.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 NZ$4.06

$2.98 CA$4.13

-20.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 NZ$3.51

$1.47 CA$2.04

38.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.92 NZ$58.3

$26.88 CA$37.28

26.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.35

$1.33 CA$1.84

46.62%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.8K NZ$46.1K

$28.3K CA$39.2K

-5.10%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.4K NZ$40.2K

$19.7K CA$27.3K

18.77%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$193 NZ$331

$125 CA$173

54.64%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$28.25 NZ$48.57

$44.12 CA$61.2

-35.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$88.5

$54.1 CA$75.0

-4.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 NZ$77.5

$31.15 CA$43.20

44.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.37 NZ$31.58

$10.89 CA$15.11

68.69%

Cinema Ticket

$13.57 NZ$23.32

$14.55 CA$20.18

-6.74%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,188 NZ$2,042

$667 CA$925

78.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K NZ$34.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.2 NZ$138

$53.3 CA$73.9

50.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.95 NZ$72.1

$52.5 CA$72.8

-20.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 NZ$158

$105 CA$146

-12.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 NZ$198

$80.1 CA$111

43.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 NZ$2,251

$1,690 CA$2,344

-22.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 NZ$2,133

$1,550 CA$2,149

-19.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 NZ$4,074

$2,476 CA$3,434

-4.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 NZ$3,127

$2,189 CA$3,036

-16.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,576 NZ$13.0K

$6,866 CA$9,523

10.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,594 NZ$9,618

$5,585 CA$7,746

0.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 NZ$5,359

$3,162 CA$4,386

-1.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

4.76

13.45%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Auckland: September 6, 2026

Last update for Burnaby: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,309 in Auckland and $1,690 in Burnaby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burnaby pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Auckland vs $88.0 in Burnaby for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $438 per month, with Auckland cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Auckland vs Burnaby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Auckland wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Burnaby. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Auckland the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Burnaby. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,309 in Auckland versus $1,690 in Burnaby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,188 in Auckland versus $667 in Burnaby. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Burnaby. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,552 in Auckland versus $2,869 in Burnaby, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Auckland but tight or insufficient in Burnaby. The gap between the two cities makes Auckland the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Auckland delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,552 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Auckland hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Auckland and Burnaby are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Auckland gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Burnaby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.