Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wichita, KS and Barrie

For one person, living is cheaper in Wichita, KS: $2,195 a month against $2,504 in Barrie, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barrie outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Wichita, KS
🇺🇸 United States
$2,195
/mo nomad
Barrie
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,504
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Wichita, KS and in Barrie

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Wichita, KS and in Barrie actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,195 in Wichita, KS versus $2,504 in Barrie.

  • Wichita, KS $2,195
  • Barrie $2,504

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,219 in Wichita, KS versus $3,480 in Barrie.

  • Wichita, KS $3,219
  • Barrie $3,480

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,243 in Wichita, KS versus $4,456 in Barrie.

  • Wichita, KS $4,243
  • Barrie $4,456

Living in Wichita, KS costs roughly 12% less than in Barrie, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wichita, KS 62% above, Barrie 85% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Wichita, KS
Barrie
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.98 $17.98
$13.94 CA$19.71
28.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.7 $59.7
$56.0 CA$79.2
6.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.81 $10.81
$11.31 CA$15.99
-4.42%
Cappuccino
$5.30 $5.30
$3.53 CA$4.99
50.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 $2.51
$1.96 CA$2.77
28.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 $1.82
$1.42 CA$2.00
28.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.04 $5.04
$4.89 CA$6.91
3.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.10 $6.10
$5.55 CA$7.84
9.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Wichita, KS
Barrie
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$2.03 CA$2.87
-57.64%
White Bread (500g)
$3.82 $3.82
$2.54 CA$3.59
50.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.66 $4.66
$2.64 CA$3.74
76.52%
Eggs
$4.07 $4.07
$2.97 CA$4.20
37.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.56 $11.56
$9.69 CA$13.69
19.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.13 $10.13
$14.30 CA$20.22
-29.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.14 $18.14
$22.75 CA$32.16
-20.26%
Apples (1kg)
$5.98 $5.98
$4.09 CA$5.78
46.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 $1.73
$1.13 CA$1.60
53.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.06 $5.06
$3.12 CA$4.41
62.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.26 $5.26
$3.80 CA$5.37
38.42%
Potato (1kg)
$2.82 $2.82
$1.11 CA$1.57
154.05%
Onion (1kg)
$2.75 $2.75
$1.36 CA$1.92
102.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.30 $2.30
$2.18 CA$3.08
5.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.30 $2.30
$1.62 CA$2.29
41.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.51 $9.51
$11.36 CA$16.07
-16.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.79 $14.79
$10.09 CA$14.26
46.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$2.57 CA$3.63
-15.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 $3.78
$2.15 CA$3.04
75.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Wichita, KS
Barrie
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.70 $1.70
$2.51 CA$3.55
-32.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 $54.1
$64.7 CA$91.5
-16.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.51 $2.51
$3.44 CA$4.87
-27.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 $1.52
$1.09 CA$1.54
39.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.29 $40.29
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.12 CA$1.59
-12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K $28.2K
$26.0K CA$36.8K
8.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$22.1K CA$31.3K
16.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wichita, KS
Barrie
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$277 $277
$236 CA$334
17.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$82.3 $82.3
$34.85 CA$49.26
136.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$75.8 CA$107
-7.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Wichita, KS
Barrie
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.57 $30.57
$39.56 CA$55.9
-22.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.66 $19.66
$34.95 CA$49.41
-43.75%
Cinema Ticket
$15.26 $15.26
$12.99 CA$18.36
17.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Wichita, KS
Barrie
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$922 $922
$1,406 CA$1,987
-34.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K $16.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Wichita, KS
Barrie
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.32 $47.32
$62.6 CA$88.5
-24.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.83 $30.83
$45.04 CA$63.7
-31.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 $110
$151 CA$214
-27.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$141 $141
$82.3 CA$116
71.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Wichita, KS
Barrie
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$994 $994
$1,429 CA$2,020
-30.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$784 $784
$1,250 CA$1,767
-37.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,575 $1,575
$2,125 CA$3,003
-25.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,289 $1,289
$1,788 CA$2,527
-27.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,510 $1,510
$4,974 CA$7,032
-69.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,508 $1,508
$4,227 CA$5,975
-64.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Wichita, KS
Barrie
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,571 $3,571
$3,035 CA$4,290
17.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.65
4.68
42.09%

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

Last update for Wichita, KS: October 19, 2026

Last update for Barrie: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Wichita, KS
$784
Barrie
$1.3K 59.4% $466
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wichita, KS
$429
Barrie
$347 19.2% $82
Groceries & Markets
Wichita, KS
$407
Barrie
$367 9.8% $40
Eating Out
Wichita, KS
$295
Barrie
$237 19.6% $58
Clothing & Footwear
Wichita, KS
$148
Barrie
$154 3.9% $5.7
Getting Around
Wichita, KS
$71
Barrie
$84 17.8% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Wichita, KS
$61
Barrie
$66 7.3% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Wichita, KS and $1,429 in Barrie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wichita, KS pays 18% 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 Wichita, KS vs $56.0 in Barrie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $367 per month, with Barrie cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Wichita, KS
🇨🇦 Barrie
🕒 Local time
19:52 7:52 PM
20:52 8:52 PM
1 h ahead of Wichita, KS
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
357,698
141,434
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Wichita, KS Barrie 1,650 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Wichita, KS
  • Barrie

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Wichita, KS vs Barrie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Wichita, KS and in Barrie?
Wichita, KS and Barrie differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,195 vs $2,504 including rent). Wichita, KS is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Wichita, KS or Barrie?
Average pay runs 18% higher in Wichita, KS, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Wichita, KS and in Barrie?
Rent for a central apartment: $994 in Wichita, KS versus $1,429 in Barrie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Wichita, KS and in Barrie?
A monthly transit pass in Wichita, KS runs roughly 20% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Wichita, KS and Barrie?
Childcare runs $922 in Wichita, KS versus $1,406 in Barrie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $2,195 in Wichita, KS versus $2,504 in Barrie, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wichita, KS but tight or insufficient in Barrie. The gap between the two cities makes Wichita, KS the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Wichita, KS and Barrie?
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.
Where should expats move: Wichita, KS or Barrie?
Expats usually find Wichita, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Barrie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Wichita, KS vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?