Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Saint John, New Brunswick Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Saint John, New Brunswick

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,091 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $3,020 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $3,949 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Living in Calgary is roughly 16% more expensive than Saint John, New Brunswick, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 81% above, Saint John, New Brunswick 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$21.77 CA$29.82

-16.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$61.0 CA$83.6

14.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$10.45 CA$14.31

5.36%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.03 CA$4.15

23.10%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.70 CA$2.33

16.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.22 CA$1.67

35.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$4.39 CA$6.01

20.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$5.09 CA$6.97

30.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$1.97 CA$2.69

9.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.91 CA$3.99

-7.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$1.79 CA$2.45

89.94%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$3.55 CA$4.87

-7.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$11.56 CA$15.84

26.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$8.61 CA$11.79

46.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$16.26 CA$22.28

-0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$4.03 CA$5.52

10.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.50 CA$2.06

-10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.63 CA$4.98

2.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$4.43 CA$6.06

-3.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$2.10 CA$2.88

27.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.20 CA$3.01

18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.75 CA$3.77

-0.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.51 CA$2.06

25.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$18.35 CA$25.14

-18.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$10.28 CA$14.08

39.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$3.31 CA$4.54

-12.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$3.37 CA$4.62

17.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.24 CA$3.07

19.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$60.5 CA$82.8

45.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$3.57 CA$4.90

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.12 CA$1.53

19.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$29.47 CA$40.37

-0.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.17 CA$1.61

-3.42%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$25.1K CA$34.3K

0.29%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$19.9K CA$27.3K

11.48%

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

$218 CA$299

$127 CA$175

71.04%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$38.36 CA$52.6

8.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$63.4 CA$86.9

-8.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$42.93 CA$58.8

25.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

$37.01 CA$50.7

41.53%

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$11.06 CA$15.16

14.47%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$168 CA$231

425.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$11.6K CA$15.9K

38.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$40.92 CA$56.1

42.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$42.57 CA$58.3

13.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$85.0 CA$116

4.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$123 CA$168

-13.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$1,038 CA$1,422

34.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$973 CA$1,333

21.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$1,590 CA$2,178

44.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$1,445 CA$1,979

28.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$2,133 CA$2,922

77.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$2,202 CA$3,016

59.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$2,684 CA$3,677

16.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.18

-7.61%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $1,038 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 16% 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: $70 in Calgary vs $61 in Saint John, New Brunswick for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $346 per month, with Saint John, New Brunswick cheaper across the board.

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, New Brunswick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint John, New Brunswick is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 16% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,396 in Calgary versus $1,038 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint John, New Brunswick – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,433 per month in Calgary versus $2,091 in Saint John, New Brunswick – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,091 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $2,433 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saint John, New Brunswick but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Saint John, New Brunswick 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.

Expats usually find Saint John, New Brunswick gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.