Moving from Winnipeg to Victoria

If you're reading this from Winnipeg, there's a good chance it's cold outside. We're Harrison Siemens and Corey Lister, REALTORS® with Caliber Property Group and Coldwell Banker Oceanside Real Estate. We both made our own moves to Victoria, and we help people relocate here from across Canada. For Winnipeggers, the reason is almost always the same: winter.

The short version

• January: Winnipeg averages −11°C by day and −21°C at night. Victoria averages 8°C and 2°C.
• Snow: Winnipeg gets about 126 cm a year over 54 days. Victoria gets about 39 cm over 7 days.
• The trade-off: a Victoria house costs more, and the rest of this page shows how people make that work.

A year of weather, month by month

From November to March, an average Victoria afternoon is 10 to 19 degrees warmer than Winnipeg's. In summer it flips: Winnipeg is 2 to 3 degrees warmer, and Victoria stays in the low 20s with cool nights.

Average daily highs and lows, Environment and Climate Change Canada 1991–2020 climate normals: Winnipeg Richardson International Airport and Victoria International Airport, via Wikipedia (Winnipeg, Victoria). Blue cells are below freezing.

The other thing the table shows: Victoria's average overnight low stays above freezing in every month of the year. Winnipeg's average afternoon stays below zero for four months of the year.

The coldest days, side by side

Averages hide the worst of a prairie winter. The extremes tell the real story.

Records and 1991–2020 normals from Environment and Climate Change Canada, via Wikipedia (Winnipeg, Victoria).

In Victoria, snow is an event, not a season. When it does fall, it usually melts within a day or two, and kids get excited instead of reaching for snow pants.

Things you'll never do again

• Plug in the block heater before bed.
• Start the car 10 minutes early so the seats don't hurt.
• Shovel the driveway before work, then again after.
• Check the wind chill before deciding whether the kids walk to school.
• Pack the parka, toque, mitts and boots away in April and pull them out again in October.

What January looks like instead

• A walk on the Dallas Road waterfront in a light jacket, with the Olympic Mountains across the water.
• A round of golf or a bike ride on the Galloping Goose trail. Both keep going all winter.
• Early flowers. Snowdrops and crocuses come up in February, and Greater Victoria holds an annual Flower Count to celebrate it.
• Skiing when you want it. Mount Washington is a few hours up-island for a weekend trip, then you come home to green grass.

After a first winter here, a lot of people realize how much of the year they used to spend bracing for the cold.

Home prices: the honest numbers

This is the biggest price jump of any move we write about. A detached house in Victoria's core costs roughly $817,000 more than an average Winnipeg sale, and a condo about $258,000 more.

September 2026. Winnipeg figures are average sale prices from the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board; Victoria figures are MLS® HPI benchmark prices from the Victoria Real Estate Board. The two measures differ slightly but give a fair picture of the gap.

Rent is a similar story while you look: a two-bedroom averages $2,640 a month in Victoria versus $1,660 in Winnipeg. (Statistics Canada, Q2 2026)

Why people still make the move, and why it holds up

• You're buying a climate, not just a house. Nowhere else in Canada gives you mild winters, a mid-sized city and ocean on three sides.
• Victoria can't sprawl. Ocean, the Malahat and protected farmland limit new land, while Winnipeg can keep growing outward across the prairie.
• Demand keeps coming from across the country every year, which has given Victoria a strong long-term track record of appreciation. No one can promise any single year, but limited supply has historically worked in owners' favour.

How Winnipeggers make it work

• Condos and townhouses. Many people sell a Winnipeg house and buy a Victoria condo or townhouse for a similar total cost.
• Look a little further out. Langford, Colwood and Sooke offer newer homes and more space for less, 20 to 40 minutes from downtown.
• Retire into it. A paid-off Winnipeg house plus savings is how a lot of retirees get here.
• Buy on value. Harrison spent six years as a property appraiser, so we can show you exactly how a home's price compares to recent sales before you offer.

The move itself

Getting here. It's about 2,300 km by road, west across the prairies and through the Rockies, then the BC Ferries crossing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay. Most people take three days and book the ferry ahead. Flying, WestJet runs non-stop flights between Winnipeg and Victoria a couple of times a week, about 3 hours. (Directflights.com)

Some things will feel familiar.

• Public car insurance. You're used to Manitoba Public Insurance; in BC it's ICBC, so the system works much the same way. Exchange your Manitoba licence through ICBC within 90 days. Out-of-province vehicles need a BC inspection before you can register them. (ICBC)
• Land transfer tax. Both provinces charge one. On a $1,280,100 home, Manitoba's would be about $23,250 and BC's is about $23,600, so there's no surprise at closing. (Manitoba, Zealty)

One thing to plan for.

• Health coverage. BC's MSP starts after the rest of the month you arrive plus two months. Check with Manitoba Health about coverage during that gap, and consider short-term private insurance. (BC Government)
• Family doctor. Sign up with BC's Health Connect Registry once you arrive.

Victoria is 2 hours behind Winnipeg, so a 9 a.m. call with family back home is at 7 a.m. here.

From your Winnipeg neighbourhood to ours

Frequently asked questions

How much warmer is Victoria than Winnipeg in winter?

In January, Victoria's average high is about 8°C versus −11°C in Winnipeg, and its average low is 2°C versus −21°C. From November to March, Victoria is 10 to 19 degrees warmer on an average afternoon.

Does Victoria get snow?

A little. Victoria averages about 39 cm a year on 7 days, compared with 126 cm on 54 days in Winnipeg, and it usually melts within a day or two.

Is Victoria colder than Winnipeg in summer?

Slightly. July highs average about 23°C in Victoria versus 26°C in Winnipeg, with cool nights that make air conditioning optional in many homes.

What's the coldest it gets in Victoria?

Victoria's record low is −15.6°C. Winnipeg's is −47.8°C.

How much more does a home cost in Victoria than in Winnipeg?

In September 2026, a detached house averaged $462,689 in Winnipeg, while Victoria's core benchmark was $1,280,100. Condos averaged $289,388 in Winnipeg versus a $547,800 benchmark in Victoria.

Are there direct flights from Winnipeg to Victoria?

Yes. WestJet flies non-stop a couple of times a week, about 3 hours.

Can I buy a Victoria home before I move?

Yes. We can send video walkthroughs and recent comparable sales, then you visit for a focused weekend of showings.

Ready to trade the parka for a rain jacket?

Call or text Harrison at 778-966-1078 or Corey at 250-709-3753, or email harrison@caliberpropertygroup.ca. We'll talk through neighbourhoods, budget and timing, ideally before your next Winnipeg winter.

Prices last updated October 2026. Photos via Unsplash: Ronin, Jessy Ross, M M.