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: $2,191 in Columbia, SC versus $2,117 in Winnipeg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,415 in Columbia, SC versus $3,134 in Winnipeg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Columbia, SC versus $4,151 in Winnipeg.

Living in Columbia, SC is roughly 4% more expensive than in Winnipeg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Columbia, SC 59% above, Winnipeg 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$14.18 CA$19.55

43.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 $59.6

$63.5 CA$87.5

-6.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$10.91 CA$15.05

10.91%

Cappuccino

$5.16 $5.16

$3.74 CA$5.16

37.97%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$2.25 CA$3.10

20.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.90 CA$2.62

16.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 $5.48

$5.88 CA$8.10

-6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 $6.53

$6.19 CA$8.54

5.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.39 CA$1.91

-38.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.43 CA$3.35

0.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$3.40 CA$4.69

38.24%

Eggs

$4.18 $4.18

$3.58 CA$4.94

16.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 $10.37

$10.10 CA$13.92

2.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 $11.06

$10.85 CA$14.96

1.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.06 $16.06

$17.23 CA$23.76

-6.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$4.04 CA$5.57

25.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.42 CA$1.95

16.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$3.46 CA$4.76

89.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$3.42 CA$4.71

73.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.58 CA$3.56

20.16%

Onion (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.72 CA$3.74

61.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.59 CA$3.58

-22.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.54 CA$2.12

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.44 $8.44

$16.88 CA$23.28

-50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 $16.12

$12.37 CA$17.06

30.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.95 CA$4.07

-38.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.91 CA$5.39

-29.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.47 CA$3.40

-21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.24 $39.24

$84.9 CA$117

-53.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.93 CA$4.05

-32.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.39 CA$1.91

12.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.21 $18.21

$24.88 CA$34.31

-26.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.14 CA$1.57

-19.30%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$28.2K CA$38.8K

25.29%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$20.5K CA$28.3K

20.88%

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

$280 $280

$168 CA$232

66.44%

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

$58.2 $58.2

$38.34 CA$52.9

51.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 $63.3

$56.3 CA$77.7

12.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.10 $37.10

$46.41 CA$64.0

-20.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 $17.96

$30.05 CA$41.44

-40.23%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$11.53 CA$15.91

30.53%

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

$1,154 $1,154

$1,090 CA$1,503

5.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K $22.5K

$19.0K CA$26.3K

18.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$44.11 CA$60.8

17.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.25 $39.25

$46.17 CA$63.7

-14.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 $81.7

$71.5 CA$98.5

14.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$99.2 CA$137

14.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$987 CA$1,361

24.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$854 $854

$1,009 CA$1,391

-15.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,118 $2,118

$1,646 CA$2,270

28.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$1,583 CA$2,183

9.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,091 $2,091

$2,410 CA$3,323

-13.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,651 $1,651

$2,466 CA$3,401

-33.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,194 $3,194

$2,569 CA$3,542

24.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

4.47

36.47%

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

Last update for Columbia, SC: August 31, 2026

Last update for Winnipeg: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,230 in Columbia, SC and $987 in Winnipeg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, SC 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: $60.0 in Columbia, SC vs $63.0 in Winnipeg. Groceries flip the comparison at $390 vs $351, 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

Winnipeg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 24% 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: $1,230 in Columbia, SC versus $987 in Winnipeg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Columbia, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Winnipeg – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $60.0 in Columbia, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,117 in Winnipeg versus $2,191 in Columbia, SC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Winnipeg but tight or insufficient in Columbia, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Winnipeg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Winnipeg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Columbia, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.