Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbia, SC and Winnipeg Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbia, SC and Winnipeg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,160 in Columbia, SC versus $2,188 in Winnipeg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,066 in Columbia, SC versus $3,222 in Winnipeg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,971 in Columbia, SC versus $4,257 in Winnipeg.

Living in Columbia, SC costs roughly 1% less than in Winnipeg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Columbia, SC 61% above, Winnipeg 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.02 $18.02

$16.34 CA$22.62

10.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 $60.1

$65.7 CA$91.0

-8.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 $11.90

$11.17 CA$15.46

6.54%

Cappuccino

$3.78 $3.78

$3.92 CA$5.43

-3.57%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$2.23 CA$3.09

3.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.86 CA$2.58

1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.46 CA$7.56

-17.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 $5.37

$6.44 CA$8.92

-16.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.53 CA$2.12

-40.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.21 CA$3.06

21.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.33 CA$4.61

5.41%

Eggs

$4.18 $4.18

$3.34 CA$4.63

25.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 $9.66

$10.68 CA$14.78

-9.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.71 $12.71

$11.80 CA$16.34

7.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.47 $22.47

$18.49 CA$25.60

21.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$4.00 CA$5.55

25.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.37 CA$1.90

27.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$3.61 CA$5.00

44.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.43 CA$4.75

-8.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.69 CA$3.72

23.42%

Onion (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.53 CA$3.50

81.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.43 CA$3.36

-18.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.52 CA$2.10

23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.84 $8.84

$16.09 CA$22.28

-45.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.33 $15.33

$13.09 CA$18.13

17.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.22 CA$4.46

-39.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$3.54 CA$4.91

-23.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.43 CA$3.36

-16.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.48 $40.48

$84.5 CA$117

-52.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.25 CA$4.50

-39.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.25 CA$1.73

17.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.23 $18.23

$26.62 CA$36.86

-31.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.03 CA$1.43

-27.18%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$24.9K CA$34.4K

20.68%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$21.8K CA$30.1K

17.39%

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

$223 $223

$155 CA$215

43.97%

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

$53.7 $53.7

$42.48 CA$58.8

26.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 $59.2

$61.5 CA$85.2

-3.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.79 $39.79

$41.10 CA$56.9

-3.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.10 $7.10

$33.74 CA$46.72

-78.96%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 $15.03

$12.87 CA$17.82

16.78%

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

$1,453 $1,453

$978 CA$1,355

48.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K $22.9K

$12.1K CA$16.7K

89.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$48.12 CA$66.6

13.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.82 $34.82

$42.40 CA$58.7

-17.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 $78.0

$81.1 CA$112

-3.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$114 CA$158

0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 $1,325

$945 CA$1,309

40.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$918 $918

$1,010 CA$1,399

-9.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,217 $2,217

$1,497 CA$2,072

48.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 $1,307

$1,533 CA$2,123

-14.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,103 $2,103

$2,372 CA$3,285

-11.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,640 $1,640

$2,416 CA$3,345

-32.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,216 $3,216

$2,586 CA$3,581

24.35%

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 Columbia, SC: June 1, 2026

Last update for Winnipeg: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,325 in Columbia, SC and $945 in Winnipeg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, SC pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Columbia, SC vs $66.0 in Winnipeg. Groceries flip the comparison at $394 vs $361, with Winnipeg cheaper for home cooking.

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

Columbia, SC vs Winnipeg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Columbia, SC is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Columbia, SC pays 24% more on average, 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: $1,325 in Columbia, SC versus $945 in Winnipeg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Winnipeg pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Columbia, SC – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $66.0 in Winnipeg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,160 in Columbia, SC versus $2,188 in Winnipeg, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Columbia, SC but tight or insufficient in Winnipeg. The gap between the two cities makes Columbia, SC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Columbia, SC is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Winnipeg, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Columbia, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Winnipeg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.