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: $2,777 in Burnaby versus $2,196 in Winnipeg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,049 in Burnaby versus $3,175 in Winnipeg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,321 in Burnaby versus $4,154 in Winnipeg.

Living in Burnaby is roughly 26% more expensive than in Winnipeg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Burnaby 108% above, Winnipeg 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 CA$20.80

$16.51 CA$23.14

-10.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 CA$105

$65.9 CA$92.3

13.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.25 CA$12.97

$11.00 CA$15.43

-15.91%

Cappuccino

$4.24 CA$5.95

$3.88 CA$5.43

9.28%

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

$1.80 CA$2.52

$2.32 CA$3.25

-22.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.78 CA$2.49

-24.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 CA$8.34

$5.22 CA$7.31

13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 CA$7.96

$6.69 CA$9.38

-15.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 CA$3.51

$1.55 CA$2.18

61.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$2.30 CA$3.23

19.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 CA$6.53

$3.33 CA$4.67

39.94%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.58

$3.18 CA$4.47

2.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 CA$17.47

$11.05 CA$15.49

12.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.71 CA$16.41

$11.55 CA$16.19

1.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.40 CA$30.01

$18.41 CA$25.81

16.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 CA$4.71

$3.89 CA$5.46

-13.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.31 CA$1.84

1.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.25

$3.60 CA$5.04

-15.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.40

$3.44 CA$4.82

11.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.08

$2.77 CA$3.89

5.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.30

$2.48 CA$3.47

23.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$2.51 CA$3.52

-1.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.67

$1.56 CA$2.18

22.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.77

$16.38 CA$22.97

-9.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 CA$18.16

$11.82 CA$16.57

9.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 CA$3.49

$3.20 CA$4.48

-22.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$3.61 CA$5.06

-29.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 CA$3.18

$2.32 CA$3.26

-2.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.6 CA$109

$83.2 CA$117

-6.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$3.13 CA$4.39

-12.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.90

$1.26 CA$1.76

7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.16 CA$36.68

$26.96 CA$37.79

-2.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CA$1.93

$1.03 CA$1.44

33.01%

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

$25.4K CA$35.6K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

1.84%

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

$20.1K CA$28.2K

$21.6K CA$30.3K

-6.88%

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

$136 CA$191

$157 CA$220

-13.08%

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

$41.79 CA$58.6

$42.15 CA$59.1

-0.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 CA$76.8

$62.8 CA$88.0

-12.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.21 CA$43.75

$41.84 CA$58.7

-25.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.36 CA$7.52

$34.28 CA$48.06

-84.36%

Cinema Ticket

$16.13 CA$22.62

$12.63 CA$17.71

27.71%

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

$534 CA$749

$966 CA$1,354

-44.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,169 CA$11.5K

$12.3K CA$17.2K

-33.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 CA$76.9

$47.22 CA$66.2

16.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 CA$75.5

$40.99 CA$57.5

31.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$132

$78.3 CA$110

20.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.6 CA$133

$111 CA$156

-14.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 CA$2,642

$947 CA$1,327

99.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,650 CA$2,313

$997 CA$1,398

65.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,117 CA$5,772

$1,545 CA$2,166

166.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 CA$3,754

$1,558 CA$2,184

71.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,680 CA$9,366

$2,347 CA$3,290

184.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,538 CA$7,764

$2,340 CA$3,280

136.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,116 CA$4,369

$2,520 CA$3,534

23.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.02

8.64%

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

Last update for Burnaby: July 12, 2026

Last update for Winnipeg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,884 in Burnaby and $947 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: $75.0 in Burnaby vs $66.0 in Winnipeg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $359 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 26% in total monthly costs ($2,777 vs $2,196 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: $1,884 in Burnaby versus $947 in Winnipeg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $534 in Burnaby versus $966 in Winnipeg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Burnaby. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,196 in Winnipeg versus $2,777 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 26% less than in Burnaby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.