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: $2,188 in Winnipeg versus $1,960 in Quebec City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,222 in Winnipeg versus $2,898 in Quebec City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,257 in Winnipeg versus $3,837 in Quebec City.

Living in Winnipeg is roughly 12% more expensive than Quebec City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Winnipeg 63% above, Quebec City 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.34 CA$22.62

$16.70 CA$23.12

-2.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 CA$91.0

$65.4 CA$90.5

0.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 CA$15.46

$11.15 CA$15.44

0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.43

$3.79 CA$5.25

3.43%

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

$2.23 CA$3.09

$2.04 CA$2.83

9.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.58

$1.46 CA$2.02

27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 CA$7.56

$5.93 CA$8.22

-7.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.92

$6.28 CA$8.70

2.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 CA$2.12

$2.11 CA$2.92

-27.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 CA$3.06

$3.31 CA$4.58

-33.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.61

$4.27 CA$5.91

-22.01%

Eggs

$3.34 CA$4.63

$3.11 CA$4.30

7.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 CA$14.78

$12.79 CA$17.71

-16.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.80 CA$16.34

$10.80 CA$14.96

9.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 CA$25.60

$14.15 CA$19.59

30.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.55

$3.98 CA$5.51

0.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.68 CA$2.32

-18.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.00

$4.22 CA$5.84

-14.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 CA$4.75

$4.11 CA$5.68

-16.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$1.89 CA$2.61

42.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.50

$2.51 CA$3.48

0.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CA$3.36

$2.64 CA$3.66

-7.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.10

$1.58 CA$2.19

-3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.09 CA$22.28

$12.86 CA$17.81

25.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.09 CA$18.13

$11.59 CA$16.05

12.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 CA$4.46

$3.13 CA$4.34

2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 CA$4.91

$3.92 CA$5.42

-9.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.36

$2.82 CA$3.90

-13.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.5 CA$117

$68.9 CA$95.5

22.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.50

$3.78 CA$5.24

-14.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$2.26 CA$3.13

-44.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.62 CA$36.86

$31.35 CA$43.41

-15.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 CA$1.43

$1.24 CA$1.72

-16.94%

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

$24.9K CA$34.4K

$24.9K CA$34.5K

-0.18%

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

$21.8K CA$30.1K

$19.7K CA$27.3K

10.36%

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

$155 CA$215

$86.9 CA$120

78.36%

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

$42.48 CA$58.8

$38.53 CA$53.4

10.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 CA$85.2

$44.57 CA$61.7

38.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.10 CA$56.9

$42.03 CA$58.2

-2.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.74 CA$46.72

$14.63 CA$20.26

130.62%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 CA$17.82

$10.88 CA$15.07

18.29%

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

$978 CA$1,355

$845 CA$1,170

15.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$16.7K

$6,217 CA$8,609

93.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.12 CA$66.6

$61.4 CA$85.0

-21.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.40 CA$58.7

$53.6 CA$74.2

-20.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 CA$112

$113 CA$156

-28.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$128 CA$178

-10.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 CA$1,309

$905 CA$1,253

4.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 CA$1,399

$829 CA$1,148

21.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,497 CA$2,072

$1,505 CA$2,083

-0.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 CA$2,123

$1,157 CA$1,602

32.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,372 CA$3,285

$5,881 CA$8,142

-59.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,416 CA$3,345

$2,842 CA$3,934

-14.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 CA$3,581

$2,832 CA$3,921

-8.67%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Quebec City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $945 in Winnipeg and $905 in Quebec City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quebec City 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: $66.0 in Winnipeg vs $65.0 in Quebec City. Groceries flip the comparison at $361 vs $373, 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

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

Quebec City wins on cost – living expenses run 12% 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, Quebec City earns 9% less. 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: $945 in Winnipeg versus $905 in Quebec City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,188 per month in Winnipeg versus $1,960 in Quebec City – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,960 in Quebec City versus $2,188 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 12% less than in Winnipeg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.