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: $2,190 in Columbia, SC versus $2,196 in Winnipeg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,083 in Columbia, SC versus $3,175 in Winnipeg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,975 in Columbia, SC versus $4,154 in Winnipeg.

Monthly costs are close between Columbia, SC and Winnipeg; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Columbia, SC 64% above, Winnipeg 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.24 $18.24

$16.51 CA$23.23

10.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 $60.8

$65.9 CA$92.7

-7.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 $11.78

$11.00 CA$15.48

7.09%

Cappuccino

$3.67 $3.67

$3.88 CA$5.45

-5.41%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$2.32 CA$3.26

-0.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.78 CA$2.50

9.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.22 CA$7.34

-13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 $5.54

$6.69 CA$9.42

-17.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.55 CA$2.19

-39.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.30 CA$3.24

16.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.33 CA$4.69

4.80%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$3.18 CA$4.48

29.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 $9.27

$11.05 CA$15.55

-16.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$11.55 CA$16.25

10.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.19 $22.19

$18.41 CA$25.90

20.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.89 CA$5.48

35.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.31 CA$1.85

33.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$3.60 CA$5.06

43.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.44 CA$4.84

-8.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.77 CA$3.90

20.58%

Onion (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.48 CA$3.48

82.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.51 CA$3.54

-19.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.56 CA$2.19

17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.52 $8.52

$16.38 CA$23.05

-47.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.59 $15.59

$11.82 CA$16.63

31.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.20 CA$4.50

-38.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.61 CA$5.08

-23.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.32 CA$3.27

-15.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.71 $39.71

$83.2 CA$117

-52.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.13 CA$4.40

-37.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.26 CA$1.77

21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.07 $18.07

$26.96 CA$37.93

-32.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.03 CA$1.45

-19.42%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$24.9K CA$35.0K

21.24%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$21.6K CA$30.4K

16.69%

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

$222 $222

$157 CA$220

41.45%

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

$54.3 $54.3

$42.15 CA$59.3

28.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 $59.5

$62.8 CA$88.3

-5.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.66 $39.66

$41.84 CA$58.9

-5.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.14 $7.14

$34.28 CA$48.23

-79.17%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$12.63 CA$17.78

17.42%

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

$1,436 $1,436

$966 CA$1,359

48.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.6K $22.6K

$12.3K CA$17.3K

83.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 $56.9

$47.22 CA$66.4

20.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.36 $34.36

$40.99 CA$57.7

-16.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 $78.8

$78.3 CA$110

0.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$111 CA$156

1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$947 CA$1,332

35.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 $897

$997 CA$1,403

-10.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,176 $2,176

$1,545 CA$2,174

40.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$1,558 CA$2,192

-18.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,135 $2,135

$2,347 CA$3,302

-9.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,693 $1,693

$2,340 CA$3,292

-27.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,191 $3,191

$2,520 CA$3,546

26.60%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Winnipeg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,287 in Columbia, SC and $947 in Winnipeg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, SC pays 27% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $61.0 in Columbia, SC vs $66.0 in Winnipeg. Groceries flip the comparison at $394 vs $359, 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

Average pay runs 27% higher in Columbia, SC, 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: $1,287 in Columbia, SC versus $947 in Winnipeg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Columbia, SC runs roughly 110% less than in Winnipeg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Winnipeg pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,190 in Columbia, SC versus $2,196 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.

It comes down to priorities – Columbia, SC wins on affordability, Winnipeg on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.