What is the estimated monthly cost of living in Winnipeg?

The latest single-person Market Basket Measure is about CAD 2,325.58 per month. Advertised rent is shown separately when published.

What salary is typically needed in Winnipeg?

A balanced planning estimate is around CAD 43,900 gross per year.

Are these exact prices?

No. These are planning baselines and should be adjusted to your neighborhood and lifestyle.

City snapshot

Cost of living in Winnipeg

Winnipeg offers affordable housing, diverse culture, and a central location in Canada.

Planning baseline refreshed: May 2026Winnipeg CMA

3-category planning baseline

$1,732

Total annual: $20,784

Balanced salary needed

$43,900

Balanced

Population

951,758

2025 · Winnipeg (CMA), Manitoba · Statistics Canada

Crime Severity Index

124.4

Winnipeg CMA

Official Basic-Needs Budgets

1 person$2,326

2 people$3,289

Family of 4$4,651

Market Basket Measure totals and advertised rent answer different questions. Rent is not added to the budget total because the MBM already includes a shelter component.

Data coverage: 100% (A) · 2025

Advertised Rent

Bachelor apartment$1,030

2026-01 · Winnipeg, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

1-bedroom apartment$1,300

2026-01 · Winnipeg, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

2-bedroom apartment$1,650

2026-01 · Winnipeg, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

3+ bedroom apartment$1,980

2026-01 · Winnipeg, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

Full-time centre-based childcare$258

2025 · Manitoba

Local Indicators

Employed people510,800

Median after-tax income$71,800

Crime Severity Index124.4

Winnipeg, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

3-category planning baseline

Planning rent estimate (1bd)$1,232

Groceries$390

Transport$110

Total monthly$1,732

Compact estimated baseline for cross-city planning. The observed advertised rent above is the canonical market-rent value.

Move-in costs

First month of rent$1,300

Generic deposit assumption (1x rent)$1,300

Furniture for a 1-bedroom$2,500

Basic household setup$600

Estimated setup total$5,700

Generic planning assumption only. Provincial rules and your lease may permit a different deposit.

Plan the next step

Run income calculator See salary needed Rent affordability Mortgage affordability Compare cities Car costs Province tax calculator After-tax income guide

City profile

GeographyWinnipeg CMA

Common languagesEnglish, Tagalog, Punjabi

Community contextFilipino, South Asian, Indigenous

Housing and rent

Often more affordable than Ontario and coastal markets, with older housing stock.

Planning rent estimate (1bd): $1,232 · Total monthly: $1,732

Commute and daily life

Bus network and car commuting across a wide urban footprint

Safety context

Winnipeg's safety snapshot uses the Crime Severity Index for Winnipeg CMA. CSI compares police-reported crime volume and seriousness; it is not a neighbourhood-level risk score.

Crime Severity Index: 124.4
Violent CSI: 186.8
Non-violent CSI: 100.5

How this city compares

Winnipeg ranks #39 of 47 tracked cities by the 3-category planning baseline and is -$432 versus the cross-city average.

Average city baseline$2,164

Largest cost driverPlanning rent estimate (1bd)

Salary guide for this city

Use these gross salary ranges as planning targets before running a detailed after-tax scenario for Winnipeg.

Essentials$33,000

Balanced$43,900

Comfortable$55,500

Best for

Winnipeg is strongest for most affordable housing and a lower baseline than the tracked-city average.

Watch out for

Planning rent estimate (1bd) is the largest cost driver in the baseline. Plan around $1,732 per month before discretionary spending, plus about $5,700 for a basic move-in setup.

Local reality check

Rent represents about 71% of the baseline essentials shown here. Compared with the tracked-city average, this city is -$432.

Living in Winnipeg: what to budget for

Use this page as a starting point for Winnipeg: monthly essentials, move-in cash, salary targets, local population context, housing notes and safety data are shown together so you can move from research to a concrete budget.

Winnipeg is Manitoba's capital, known for its extreme weather and affordable cost of living.

The city offers some of Canada's lowest housing costs while maintaining urban amenities.

Major industries include manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, and healthcare.

The city celebrates its Indigenous and multicultural heritage through arts and festivals.

Highlights

Most affordable housing
Central Canadian location
Diverse cultural scene
Strong arts community
Affordable daily costs

Common questions

What is included in Winnipeg's monthly baseline?: The baseline includes a 1-bedroom rent estimate, groceries and transport for one adult. It is a planning baseline, not a quote.
Why do some metrics use a CMA or province?: National public datasets often publish city data by census metropolitan area, census agglomeration, province or territory. The geography is shown beside each metric.
How should I use the Winnipeg salary estimate?: Use it as a gross-income target, then run the income calculator with your province, city and real costs.

Sources and methodology

Population: Statistics Canada table 17-10-0148-01, latest annual estimate; Census Profile fallback when noted.
Crime Severity Index: Statistics Canada table 35-10-0026-01, latest published year.
Basic-needs budgets: MBM tables 11-10-0066-01 and 11-10-0104-01. Advertised rent: Quarterly Rent Statistics table 46-10-0092-01.

Sources and methodology

Cost transparency

Data used on this page

Advertised rent, basic-needs budgets, and local indicators each retain their own period, geography, and method.

Advertised rent

January 2026 · Winnipeg, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

Planning baseline

Estimated rent + groceries + local transport

Not used

Tax rules and mortgage rates do not determine these costs

Advertised rent and the MBM answer different questions and are not added together.

Sources and methodology