Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth, NH and Burnaby Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth, NH and Burnaby

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,785 in Portsmouth, NH versus $2,869 in Burnaby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,042 in Portsmouth, NH versus $4,015 in Burnaby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,298 in Portsmouth, NH versus $5,160 in Burnaby.

Living in Portsmouth, NH costs roughly 3% less than in Burnaby, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Portsmouth, NH 102% above, Burnaby 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.28 $20.28

$21.82 CA$30.27

-7.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$87.5 CA$121

14.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 $9.03

$9.54 CA$13.24

-5.35%

Cappuccino

$3.91 $3.91

$4.81 CA$6.67

-18.71%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$2.35 CA$3.27

8.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.80 CA$2.50

-17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.19 CA$9.98

-2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.49 $7.49

$6.10 CA$8.46

22.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$2.40 CA$3.33

-47.50%

White Bread (500g)

$5.20 $5.20

$2.92 CA$4.05

78.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$3.60 CA$4.99

18.06%

Eggs

$3.43 $3.43

$3.30 CA$4.58

3.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 $11.04

$14.34 CA$19.89

-23.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.10 $13.10

$14.01 CA$19.43

-6.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.82 $16.82

$25.31 CA$35.10

-33.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$4.56 CA$6.33

9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.30 CA$1.81

63.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.65 CA$6.45

-3.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.59 CA$6.36

-4.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.90 CA$4.02

-44.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.60 CA$4.99

-27.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.83 CA$3.93

-10.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.17 CA$3.01

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.98 $13.98

$14.60 CA$20.25

-4.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$13.78 CA$19.11

10.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.10 CA$2.91

-16.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.38 CA$3.30

-14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.9 CA$112

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 $6.08

$2.98 CA$4.13

104.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.11 $5.11

$1.47 CA$2.04

247.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.88 CA$37.28

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.33 CA$1.84

-39.10%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$28.3K CA$39.2K

28.23%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$19.7K CA$27.3K

27.57%

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

$193 $193

$125 CA$173

54.54%

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

$53.3 $53.3

$44.12 CA$61.2

20.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 $53.4

$54.1 CA$75.0

-1.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.69 $24.69

$31.15 CA$43.20

-20.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.89 CA$15.11

Cinema Ticket

$12.10 $12.10

$14.55 CA$20.18

-16.84%

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

$845 $845

$667 CA$925

26.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.4K $33.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.20 $25.20

$53.3 CA$73.9

-52.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.45 $37.45

$52.5 CA$72.8

-28.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.8 $51.8

$105 CA$146

-50.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 $78.7

$80.1 CA$111

-1.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 $2,156

$1,690 CA$2,344

27.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 $1,623

$1,550 CA$2,149

4.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,210 $4,210

$2,476 CA$3,434

70.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,478 $2,478

$2,189 CA$3,036

13.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,752 $4,752

$6,866 CA$9,523

-30.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,100 $3,100

$5,585 CA$7,746

-44.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,141 $6,141

$3,162 CA$4,386

94.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

4.76

28.15%

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

Last update for Portsmouth, NH: September 5, 2026

Last update for Burnaby: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,156 in Portsmouth, NH and $1,690 in Burnaby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portsmouth, NH pays 94% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $100 in Portsmouth, NH vs $88.0 in Burnaby. Groceries flip the comparison at $423 vs $438, with Portsmouth, NH 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

Portsmouth, NH vs Burnaby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portsmouth, NH and Burnaby differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,785 vs $2,869 including rent). Portsmouth, NH is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 94% higher in Portsmouth, NH, 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: $2,156 in Portsmouth, NH versus $1,690 in Burnaby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Burnaby. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,785 per month in Portsmouth, NH versus $2,869 in Burnaby – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Portsmouth, NH is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Safety-wise, Portsmouth, NH and Burnaby are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Portsmouth, NH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Burnaby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.