Cost of Living Comparison Between Burnaby and Winnipeg Cost of Living Comparison Between Burnaby and Winnipeg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,869 in Burnaby versus $2,132 in Winnipeg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,015 in Burnaby versus $3,186 in Winnipeg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,160 in Burnaby versus $4,241 in Winnipeg.

Living in Burnaby is roughly 35% more expensive than in Winnipeg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Burnaby 108% above, Winnipeg 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.82 CA$30.27

$14.60 CA$20.25

49.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 CA$121

$64.0 CA$88.8

36.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.54 CA$13.24

$10.93 CA$15.16

-12.72%

Cappuccino

$4.81 CA$6.67

$3.63 CA$5.03

32.51%

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

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.26 CA$3.14

3.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$1.85 CA$2.56

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.19 CA$9.98

$5.75 CA$7.98

25.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 CA$8.46

$6.49 CA$8.99

-6.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$1.42 CA$1.97

69.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$2.33 CA$3.23

25.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 CA$4.99

$3.37 CA$4.67

6.82%

Eggs

$3.30 CA$4.58

$3.58 CA$4.97

-7.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 CA$19.89

$10.22 CA$14.18

40.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.01 CA$19.43

$10.91 CA$15.12

28.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.31 CA$35.10

$17.46 CA$24.22

44.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.33

$4.01 CA$5.56

13.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.36 CA$1.89

-4.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.65 CA$6.45

$3.65 CA$5.06

27.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 CA$6.36

$3.48 CA$4.83

31.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$2.58 CA$3.57

12.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 CA$4.99

$2.72 CA$3.77

32.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 CA$3.93

$2.54 CA$3.52

11.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 CA$3.01

$1.60 CA$2.22

35.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.60 CA$20.25

$16.48 CA$22.85

-11.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 CA$19.11

$12.13 CA$16.82

13.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CA$2.91

$2.92 CA$4.05

-28.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 CA$3.30

$3.74 CA$5.19

-36.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.42

$2.48 CA$3.43

-0.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.9 CA$112

$85.6 CA$119

-5.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 CA$4.13

$2.81 CA$3.89

6.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.35 CA$1.87

8.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.88 CA$37.28

$24.53 CA$34.02

9.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.84

$1.13 CA$1.56

17.70%

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

$28.3K CA$39.2K

-0.09%

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

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$20.8K CA$28.8K

-5.25%

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

$125 CA$173

$171 CA$237

-27.02%

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

$44.12 CA$61.2

$39.12 CA$54.3

12.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 CA$75.0

$56.7 CA$78.6

-4.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.15 CA$43.20

$46.28 CA$64.2

-32.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.89 CA$15.11

$30.35 CA$42.10

-64.12%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.18

$11.69 CA$16.21

24.47%

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

$667 CA$925

$1,092 CA$1,515

-38.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K CA$26.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 CA$73.9

$43.80 CA$60.8

21.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 CA$72.8

$46.46 CA$64.4

12.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 CA$146

$71.6 CA$99.4

47.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 CA$111

$102 CA$141

-21.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 CA$2,344

$979 CA$1,358

72.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 CA$2,149

$1,005 CA$1,394

54.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,434

$1,688 CA$2,341

46.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,189 CA$3,036

$1,591 CA$2,207

37.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,866 CA$9,523

$2,359 CA$3,271

191.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,585 CA$7,746

$2,500 CA$3,468

123.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,162 CA$4,386

$2,543 CA$3,527

24.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.76

4.47

6.49%

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

Last update for Burnaby: September 7, 2026

Last update for Winnipeg: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,690 in Burnaby and $979 in Winnipeg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burnaby pays 24% 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: $88.0 in Burnaby vs $64.0 in Winnipeg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $438 vs $352 per month, with Winnipeg 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

Burnaby vs Winnipeg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burnaby and Winnipeg differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($2,869 vs $2,132 including rent). Winnipeg is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Burnaby, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,690 in Burnaby versus $979 in Winnipeg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $667 in Burnaby versus $1,092 in Winnipeg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Burnaby. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,132 in Winnipeg versus $2,869 in Burnaby, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Winnipeg but tight or insufficient in Burnaby. The gap between the two cities makes Winnipeg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Winnipeg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Burnaby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.