Cost of Living Comparison Between Wichita, KS and Barrie Cost of Living Comparison Between Wichita, KS and Barrie

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,141 in Wichita, KS versus $2,533 in Barrie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,119 in Wichita, KS versus $3,498 in Barrie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,097 in Wichita, KS versus $4,463 in Barrie.

Living in Wichita, KS costs roughly 15% less than in Barrie, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wichita, KS 56% above, Barrie 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.36 $17.36

$14.63 CA$20.24

18.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 $59.1

$58.5 CA$80.9

0.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$11.50 CA$15.92

-14.61%

Cappuccino

$5.27 $5.27

$3.71 CA$5.14

42.05%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$1.93 CA$2.66

23.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.51 CA$2.09

13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.94 $4.94

$5.13 CA$7.10

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 $5.95

$5.66 CA$7.83

5.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$2.09 CA$2.89

-55.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.51 CA$3.47

52.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$2.65 CA$3.66

95.85%

Eggs

$4.16 $4.16

$3.01 CA$4.17

38.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 $9.92

$9.70 CA$13.43

2.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.98 $8.98

$14.52 CA$20.09

-38.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.79 $16.79

$23.35 CA$32.32

-28.09%

Apples (1kg)

$6.18 $6.18

$4.23 CA$5.85

46.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.18 CA$1.64

38.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$3.13 CA$4.34

78.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$4.06 CA$5.62

26.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.13 CA$1.56

160.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.33 CA$1.84

96.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.22 CA$3.08

2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.64 CA$2.28

32.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.60 $9.60

$11.63 CA$16.10

-17.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$10.53 CA$14.58

39.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.59 CA$3.58

-13.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.19 CA$3.03

74.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.49 CA$3.45

-28.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.3 $54.3

$66.7 CA$92.3

-18.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.52 CA$4.87

-27.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.11 CA$1.54

41.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.71 $39.71

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.12 CA$1.56

-23.21%

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

$37.6K $37.6K

$28.4K CA$39.4K

32.14%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

18.01%

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

$268 $268

$237 CA$328

12.92%

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

$81.5 $81.5

$35.62 CA$49.29

128.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$76.6 CA$106

-8.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.79 $26.79

$40.70 CA$56.3

-34.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.03 $20.03

$36.27 CA$50.2

-44.78%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$13.01 CA$18.01

16.30%

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

$934 $934

$1,426 CA$1,973

-34.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.50 $42.50

$63.7 CA$88.1

-33.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 $40.54

$45.04 CA$62.3

-9.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$151 CA$209

-33.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 $151

$84.9 CA$117

77.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$987 $987

$1,485 CA$2,054

-33.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 $779

$1,265 CA$1,751

-38.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,158 CA$2,986

-26.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 $1,282

$1,840 CA$2,547

-30.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,536 $1,536

$5,164 CA$7,145

-70.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 $1,502

$4,282 CA$5,925

-64.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,452 $3,452

$3,170 CA$4,387

8.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

4.68

31.84%

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

Last update for Wichita, KS: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barrie: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $987 in Wichita, KS and $1,485 in Barrie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wichita, KS pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Wichita, KS vs $58.0 in Barrie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $374 per month, with Barrie cheaper across the board.

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

Wichita, KS and Barrie differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($2,141 vs $2,533 including rent). Wichita, KS is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 9% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $987 in Wichita, KS versus $1,485 in Barrie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Wichita, KS runs roughly 23% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $934 in Wichita, KS versus $1,426 in Barrie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,141 in Wichita, KS versus $2,533 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.

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.

Expats usually find Wichita, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Barrie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.