Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,118 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $3,111 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,103 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Living in Calgary is roughly 16% more expensive than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$18.30 CA$25.75

0.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$72.8 CA$102

-4.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$11.61 CA$16.33

-5.68%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$3.30 CA$4.65

13.33%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$2.51 CA$3.53

-18.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.80 CA$2.53

-7.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$5.04 CA$7.09

3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$5.18 CA$7.29

29.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$3.02 CA$4.25

-25.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$3.12 CA$4.39

-11.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$4.44 CA$6.24

-27.25%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$3.82 CA$5.37

-9.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$9.05 CA$12.74

59.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$12.95 CA$18.22

-0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$11.34 CA$15.96

39.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$5.52 CA$7.77

-22.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$2.29 CA$3.23

-41.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$5.50 CA$7.74

-30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$3.15 CA$4.43

34.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$2.11 CA$2.97

20.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$2.66 CA$3.74

-1.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$3.37 CA$4.74

-16.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$2.24 CA$3.15

-12.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$14.48 CA$20.37

3.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$14.08 CA$19.81

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$4.29 CA$6.04

-31.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$4.79 CA$6.73

-18.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$1.89 CA$2.66

44.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$56.4 CA$79.4

55.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$3.33 CA$4.68

8.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.75 CA$2.47

-25.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$30.32 CA$42.66

-5.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.28 CA$1.80

-12.50%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$24.7K CA$34.7K

3.23%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$22.6K CA$31.8K

-3.83%

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

$213 CA$300

$197 CA$277

8.05%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$57.6 CA$81.1

-28.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$79.0 CA$111

-26.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$78.4 CA$110

-30.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

$11.11 CA$15.63

383.80%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$8.78 CA$12.36

43.85%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$491 CA$691

77.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$8,797 CA$12.4K

80.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$67.2 CA$94.5

-12.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$52.1 CA$73.3

-9.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$83.3 CA$117

2.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$97.0 CA$136

11.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$948 CA$1,334

45.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$747 CA$1,051

55.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$1,425 CA$2,005

63.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$1,243 CA$1,749

53.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

$1,973 CA$2,776

91.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

$1,575 CA$2,217

122.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$2,734 CA$3,847

7.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.77

-15.66%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $948 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 8% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $411 per month, with Calgary 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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Calgary, 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: $1,380 in Calgary versus $948 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $2,118 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,118 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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.