Is $20,000 a good salary in Burnaby, British Columbia?

Is $20,000 a good salary in Burnaby, British Columbia?

$20,000 is $31,500 less than the average yearly salary of $51,500 in Burnaby. A salary of $20,000 per year means that you would be taking home about $18,435 per year after taxes, or $1,536 per month to pay for things like housing, transportation, groceries, and entertainment. The average household income in Burnaby is $105,100.

Burnaby, British Columbia
Updated: December 1, 2024

Average Cost of Living per Month in Burnaby

The average cost of living in Burnaby is $4,235/month for a single person who rents.This average is based on many factors including the cost of housing, transportation, groceries, and entertainment.
Average cost of living
$4,235/month

Monthly net income of $20,000/year
$1,536/month
Average total income in 2020
$51,500

Average total household income in 2020
$105,100

Average Salary in Burnaby

The average salary in Burnaby is $51,500, which is 5.4% lower than the Canadian average salary of $54,450. A person making $20,000 a year in Burnaby makes 61.2% less than the average working person in Burnaby and will take home about $18,435.
Net Annual Pay:
$18,435
Income tax breakdown
Hourly Salary:
$10.26
Salary breakdown

Cost of Living Calculator

Below are the details used to generate the average Cost of Living for Burnaby. Change the inputs to match your lifestyle and see how it compares to the average cost of living and a salary of $20,000.
Renter
Homeowner
Housing

Housing

The average monthly cost of rental housing in Burnaby is $2,350.
Product Avg. Min. Max.
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre, Rent Per Month
$2,825
$2,500
$3,200
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre, Rent Per Month
$2,350
$2,200
$2,500
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre, Rent Per Month
$5,500
$4,500
$7,000
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre, Rent Per Month
$3,667
$3,500
$4,000
Updated: 2024-12-01 (47 contributors in the last 12 months)
Transit
Driver
Transportation

Transportation

The average monthly cost for a driver in Burnaby is $664.
Product Avg. Min. Max.
Gasoline (1 liter), Transportation
$1.85
$1.60
$2.03
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car), Transportation
$33,978
$33,978
$33,978
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car), Transportation
$27,224
$27,000
$27,383
Updated: 2024-12-01 (47 contributors in the last 12 months)
Groceries

Groceries

The average person spends $417 on groceries per month in Burnaby.
Product Avg. Min. Max.
Milk (regular), (1 liter), Markets
$3.08
$1.50
$5.00
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g), Markets
$3.29
$2.60
$5.00
Eggs (regular) (12), Markets
$4.37
$3.00
$6.50
Local Cheese (1kg), Markets
$13.20
$10.00
$30.40
Water (1.5 liter bottle), Markets
$1.49
$0.85
$3.50
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range), Markets
$18.00
$10.00
$40.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle), Markets
$3.36
$2.00
$4.00
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle), Markets
$3.50
$2.50
$9.00
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro), Markets
$20.00
$20.00
$22.00
Apples (1kg), Markets
$4.23
$2.40
$7.00
Chicken Fillets (1kg), Markets
$13.83
$6.00
$22.05
Oranges (1kg), Markets
$3.61
$2.00
$6.99
Potato (1kg), Markets
$3.40
$1.25
$8.99
Lettuce (1 head), Markets
$2.62
$1.50
$4.50
Rice (white), (1kg), Markets
$4.43
$2.00
$11.02
Tomato (1kg), Markets
$5.70
$2.00
$7.00
Banana (1kg), Markets
$1.91
$1.50
$5.00
Onion (1kg), Markets
$3.38
$2.50
$6.00
Beef Round (1kg) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat), Markets
$16.37
$7.50
$33.07
Updated: 2024-12-01 (47 contributors in the last 12 months)
Utilities

Utilities

The average monthly cost of utilities in Burnaby is $147.
Product Avg. Min. Max.
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment, Utilities (Monthly)
$179.40
$121.99
$300.00
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL), Utilities (Monthly)
$76.43
$50.00
$95.00
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data, Utilities (Monthly)
$65.17
$35.00
$75.00
Updated: 2024-12-01 (47 contributors in the last 12 months)
Leisure & Entertainment

Leisure & Entertainment

The average person in Burnaby spends $128 on leisure & entertainment per month.
Product Avg. Min. Max.
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult, Sports And Leisure
$43.00
$18.00
$130.00
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend), Sports And Leisure
$7.50
$15.00
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat, Sports And Leisure
$20.00
$17.00
$25.00
Updated: 2024-12-01 (47 contributors in the last 12 months)
Clothing

Clothing

The average person in Burnaby spends $36 on clothing per month.
Product Avg. Min. Max.
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar), Clothing And Shoes
$65.00
$29.99
$85.00
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...), Clothing And Shoes
$46.00
$29.99
$70.00
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range), Clothing And Shoes
$123.75
$100.00
$150.00
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes, Clothing And Shoes
$125.00
$98.00
$220.00
Updated: 2024-12-01 (47 contributors in the last 12 months)
Restaurants

Restaurants

The average person in Burnaby spends $343 on restaurants per month.
Product Avg. Min. Max.
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant, Restaurants
$25.00
$15.00
$40.00
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course, Restaurants
$101.00
$70.00
$130.00
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal), Restaurants
$14.00
$12.00
$15.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught), Restaurants
$8.00
$4.00
$10.00
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle), Restaurants
$7.50
$5.00
$13.00
Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle), Restaurants
$2.58
$1.50
$3.50
Water (0.33 liter bottle) , Restaurants
$1.92
$1.00
$3.00
Cappuccino (regular), Restaurants
$5.42
$4.00
$7.00
Updated: 2024-12-01 (47 contributors in the last 12 months)
Other

Other

The average person in Burnaby spends $150 on miscellaneous goods and services per month.
Product Avg. Min. Max.
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child, Childcare
$1,275
$950
$1,700
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child, Childcare
$15,000
$15,000
$15,000
Updated: 2024-12-01 (47 contributors in the last 12 months)
General Disclaimer: This tool is designed for approximation purposes only and should not be used to replace a legal or accounting authority. To simplify the process, some variables are assumed to calculate the numbers included on this page. The results of this calculator should not be relied upon to determine career or tax decisions.

Your Results

Disclaimer: These numbers estimate what it costs to live in Burnaby based on Numbeo data. People can live in the city for much less, while others may need much more to fund their lifestyle.
Your cost of living
$4,235/month

Monthly net income of $20,000/year
$1,536/month

Jobs paying $20,000+/year