Cost of Living Comparison Between Winnipeg and Quebec City Cost of Living Comparison Between Winnipeg and Quebec City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,196 in Winnipeg versus $1,992 in Quebec City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,175 in Winnipeg versus $2,880 in Quebec City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,154 in Winnipeg versus $3,769 in Quebec City.

Living in Winnipeg is roughly 10% more expensive than in Quebec City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Winnipeg 64% above, Quebec City 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.51 CA$23.14

$16.88 CA$23.67

-2.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.9 CA$92.3

$65.8 CA$92.2

0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.00 CA$15.43

$11.01 CA$15.44

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.43

$3.78 CA$5.30

2.65%

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

$2.32 CA$3.25

$2.05 CA$2.87

13.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.49

$1.45 CA$2.04

22.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.31

$6.05 CA$8.49

-13.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 CA$9.38

$6.17 CA$8.65

8.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 CA$2.18

$2.12 CA$2.97

-26.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 CA$3.23

$3.25 CA$4.56

-29.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.67

$4.48 CA$6.28

-25.67%

Eggs

$3.18 CA$4.47

$3.06 CA$4.29

3.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.05 CA$15.49

$12.95 CA$18.16

-14.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.19

$10.90 CA$15.28

5.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.41 CA$25.81

$14.15 CA$19.84

30.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.46

$3.94 CA$5.53

-1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.68 CA$2.36

-22.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.04

$4.23 CA$5.93

-14.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.82

$4.10 CA$5.75

-16.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.89

$1.88 CA$2.64

47.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.47

$2.43 CA$3.41

2.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.52

$2.69 CA$3.77

-6.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.18

$1.59 CA$2.24

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.38 CA$22.97

$12.92 CA$18.12

26.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.82 CA$16.57

$11.46 CA$16.07

3.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$3.18 CA$4.46

0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 CA$5.06

$3.94 CA$5.53

-8.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.26

$2.68 CA$3.76

-13.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$117

$68.4 CA$95.9

21.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CA$4.39

$3.79 CA$5.31

-17.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.76

$2.27 CA$3.18

-44.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.96 CA$37.79

$30.73 CA$43.08

-12.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 CA$1.44

$1.20 CA$1.69

-14.17%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

$24.8K CA$34.8K

0.36%

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

$21.6K CA$30.3K

$20.0K CA$28.0K

8.20%

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

$157 CA$220

$87.5 CA$123

79.09%

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

$42.15 CA$59.1

$38.52 CA$54.0

9.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 CA$88.0

$44.83 CA$62.8

40.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.84 CA$58.7

$42.10 CA$59.0

-0.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.28 CA$48.06

$14.71 CA$20.62

133.04%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.71

$11.00 CA$15.42

14.82%

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

$966 CA$1,354

$821 CA$1,151

17.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K CA$17.2K

$6,164 CA$8,641

99.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.22 CA$66.2

$60.5 CA$84.8

-21.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.99 CA$57.5

$53.9 CA$75.6

-23.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 CA$110

$113 CA$158

-30.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$156

$127 CA$178

-12.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 CA$1,327

$900 CA$1,261

5.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 CA$1,398

$823 CA$1,154

21.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,545 CA$2,166

$1,496 CA$2,098

3.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 CA$2,184

$1,193 CA$1,673

30.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,347 CA$3,290

$5,673 CA$7,954

-58.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,340 CA$3,280

$2,809 CA$3,938

-16.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,520 CA$3,534

$2,803 CA$3,929

-10.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.02

6.87

-12.37%

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

Last update for Winnipeg: July 12, 2026

Last update for Quebec City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Winnipeg and $900 in Quebec City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quebec City pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Winnipeg vs $66.0 in Quebec City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $374 per month, with Winnipeg 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

Winnipeg vs Quebec City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quebec City wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Winnipeg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Quebec City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Quebec City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Winnipeg versus $900 in Quebec City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,196 per month in Winnipeg versus $1,992 in Quebec City – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Quebec City runs roughly 22% less than in Winnipeg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,992 in Quebec City versus $2,196 in Winnipeg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quebec City but tight or insufficient in Winnipeg. The gap between the two cities makes Quebec City 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 Quebec City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Winnipeg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.