Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Saint John Island

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $6,201 in Saint John Island, rent and utilities included – about $47,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index
297

Cost of Living Index in Saint John Island
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Saint John Island Living Index

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Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

Saint John Island

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$6,201

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Saint John Island

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calgary and in Saint John Island actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,232 in Calgary versus $6,201 in Saint John Island.

Calgary $2,232
Saint John Island $6,201

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,363 in Calgary versus $8,382 in Saint John Island.

Calgary $3,363
Saint John Island $8,382

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,493 in Calgary versus $10.6K in Saint John Island.

Calgary $4,493
Saint John Island $10.6K

Living in Calgary costs roughly 64% less than in Saint John Island, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 67% above, Saint John Island 363% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 CA$24.54

$69.9 $69.9

-75.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$101

$150 $150

-52.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 CA$15.06

$15.14 $15.14

-30.25%

Cappuccino

$3.77 CA$5.38

$9.16 $9.16

-58.84%

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

$1.91 CA$2.73

$3.41 $3.41

-43.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.63

$3.48 $3.48

-47.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 CA$6.93

$5.13 $5.13

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 CA$7.91

$6.87 $6.87

-19.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 CA$2.68

$3.15 $3.15

-40.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.89

$7.96 $7.96

-65.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 CA$7.61

$12.02 $12.02

-55.57%

Eggs

$3.77 CA$5.37

$12.07 $12.07

-68.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 CA$16.09

$32.43 $32.43

-65.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.34

$33.00 $33.00

-65.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.26 CA$26.03

$24.11 $24.11

-24.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.62

$21.82 $21.82

-78.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.05

$3.91 $3.91

-63.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$6.02

$17.29 $17.29

-75.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.50

$11.89 $11.89

-67.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.74

$7.74 $7.74

-66.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.79

$7.86 $7.86

-66.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.69

$4.95 $4.95

-47.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CA$2.19

$3.55 $3.55

-56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.26 CA$20.32

$8.86 $8.86

60.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 CA$21.76

$23.36 $23.36

-34.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.44

$4.58 $4.58

-47.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.41

$6.17 $6.17

-49.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 CA$4.11

$7.15 $7.15

-59.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.7 CA$126

$149 $149

-40.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.61

$30.31 $30.31

-89.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.49 CA$37.75

$50.2 $50.2

-47.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.68

$1.56 $1.56

-24.36%

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

$28.3K CA$40.3K

$47.1K $47.1K

-40.01%

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

$20.7K CA$29.5K

$52.2K $52.2K

-60.31%

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

$159 CA$227

$297 $297

-46.31%

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

$37.61 CA$53.6

$98.4 $98.4

-61.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.68 CA$70.8

$101 $101

-50.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 CA$75.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 CA$26.10

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 CA$20.06

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

$809 CA$1,154

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$83.8

$80.4 $80.4

-26.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 CA$55.4

$49.69 $49.69

-21.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 CA$130

$84.9 $84.9

7.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$155

$100 $100

8.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,764

$4,020 $4,020

-69.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$996 CA$1,420

$3,511 $3,511

-71.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 CA$2,720

$5,081 $5,081

-62.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 CA$2,382

$4,566 $4,566

-63.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,530 CA$5,032

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 CA$4,755

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,130 CA$4,461

$4,412 $4,412

-29.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

-35.57%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Last update for Saint John Island: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calgary

$996 44.8%

Saint John Island

$3.5K 57.3% 253% $2.5K

Groceries & Markets

Calgary

$387 17.4%

Saint John Island

$987 16.1% 155% $599

Eating Out

Calgary

$265 11.9%

Saint John Island

$781 12.8% 195% $516

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calgary

$247 11.1%

Saint John Island

$496 8.1% 101% $250

Clothing & Footwear

Calgary

$134 6%

Saint John Island

$142 2.3% 5.8% $7.8

Getting Around

Calgary

$110 5%

Saint John Island

$208 * 3.4% 88% $97

Sport & Entertainment

Calgary

$81 3.7%

Saint John Island

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,237 in Calgary and $4,020 in Saint John Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John Island pays 41% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $150 in Saint John Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $987 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Calgary

🇻🇮 Saint John Island

🕒 Local time

08:11 8:11 AM

10:11 10:11 AM

2 h ahead of Calgary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,267,344

4,170

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Calgary Saint John Island 5,640 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Calgary
Saint John Island

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Calgary vs Saint John Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 178% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Saint John Island. 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: $1,237 in Calgary versus $4,020 in Saint John Island. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $150 in Saint John Island. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Calgary runs roughly 68% less than in Saint John Island. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,232 in Calgary versus $6,201 in Saint John Island, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Saint John Island. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Saint John Island are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 178% less than in Saint John Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.