City Comparison
Burnaby vs Watertown
Cost of living, salaries, climate and quality of life compared side by side.
VS
Massachusetts, USA
View Watertown profile
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Burnaby scores higher overall
Performance
Score Breakdown
Burnaby
Watertown
Livability
Affordability
Business
Growth
Expenses
Cost of Living
| Metric | Burnaby | Watertown | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Rent | $2,300 | $0 | 0% |
| Groceries | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Utilities | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Transport | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Healthcare | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Monthly Total | $2,300 | $0 | 0% |
| Cost Index | 69 | out of 100 |
Income
Salary & Income
Burnaby offers similar average salaries.
| Metric | Burnaby | Watertown |
|---|---|---|
| Average Salary | $0 | $0 |
| Salary Needed | $77,712 | $0 |
Weather
Climate Comparison
Both cities share a similar average temperature, within 0°F of each other.
| Metric | Burnaby | Watertown |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | °F | °F |
| Summer High | °F | °F |
| Winter Low | °F | °F |
| Rainfall | in | in |
| Snowfall | in | in |
| Sunny Days | ||
| Humidity | 75.00% | % |
Mobility
Commute & Transport
Watertown has the shorter commute — saving residents roughly
11,500 minutes (192 hours) per year compared to Burnaby.
| Metric | Burnaby | Watertown |
|---|---|---|
| Commute Time | 23 min | min |
| Transit Score | — | — |
| Walkability | — | — |
| Traffic Index | 23.00 | |
| Car Dependency | Medium |
Population
Economy & Demographics
Burnaby is the larger city
.
From a growth perspective, Burnaby is expanding faster, signaling stronger demand for housing, jobs, and services.
On the employment side, Watertown has a lower unemployment rate, reflecting a tighter and more competitive job market.
| Metric | Burnaby | Watertown |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 249,125 | 0 |
| Pop. Growth | 7.00% | — |
| Median Age | 42.0 | |
| Unemployment | 6.91% | % |
| GDP | — | — |
At a Glance
Pros & Cons
Burnaby
Advantages
Burnaby's crime rates are 28% lower than the British Columbia average.
The city has an exceptional Livability Score of 84/100.
Burnaby has one of the highest ratios of park land to residents in North America, with 25% of its land designated as parks and open spaces.
The city is a major employment center within the Lower Mainland, with significant job growth in professional, scientific, and technical services.
Burnaby offers convenient public transit with 11 SkyTrain stations and an extensive bus system.
Drawbacks
Burnaby has some of the highest rents in Canada, second only to Vancouver.
Despite a decline in 2024, rents are still 16.8% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The competitive housing market and high cost of living can be challenging for residents.
The average days on market for detached homes in Burnaby jumped to 51 days in December 2024, up from 19 in November.
While the infrastructure is dependable, the pace of life is more functional than cosmopolitan.
Watertown
Explore
Dive Deeper
Key figures side by side — see which city wins each category at a glance.
Burnaby
#23British Columbia, Canada
67.6 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$2,300
Avg Salary
$0
Cost Index
69
Commute
23 min
Transit Score
—
Walkability
—
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
7.00%
Unemployment
6.91%
Livability
84
Business
0
Watertown
Massachusetts, USA
0.0 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$0
Avg Salary
$0
Cost Index
Commute
min
Transit Score
—
Walkability
—
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
%
Unemployment
%
Livability
0
Business
0
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