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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,136 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $3,210 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $4,285 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Living in Calgary is roughly 10% more expensive than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$18.36 CA$25.47

0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$72.3 CA$100

-1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$12.09 CA$16.76

-11.66%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$4.13 CA$5.73

-4.84%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$2.54 CA$3.53

-20.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$2.22 CA$3.08

-11.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$5.15 CA$7.14

-4.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$5.42 CA$7.51

8.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.86 CA$3.97

-29.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$3.12 CA$4.33

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$4.49 CA$6.23

27.39%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$3.62 CA$5.02

5.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$11.47 CA$15.91

0.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$13.64 CA$18.92

-12.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$12.15 CA$16.86

56.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.81

$4.70 CA$6.52

4.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$3.12 CA$4.33

-54.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$4.92 CA$6.82

-11.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$2.97 CA$4.12

35.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.77 CA$3.84

-1.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$2.31 CA$3.21

24.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$4.31 CA$5.98

-40.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$2.03 CA$2.82

-26.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.40

$14.30 CA$19.83

2.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.59

$16.35 CA$22.67

-4.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$4.20 CA$5.82

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$4.42 CA$6.12

-26.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$1.79 CA$2.49

64.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

$57.2 CA$79.3

57.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$3.20 CA$4.44

3.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.83 CA$2.54

-25.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$29.29 CA$40.62

-7.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.29 CA$1.79

-5.43%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$28.2K CA$39.1K

1.41%

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

$20.9K CA$28.9K

$22.3K CA$31.0K

-6.59%

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

$182 CA$253

$185 CA$257

-1.56%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$42.87 CA$59.5

-7.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.2

$76.2 CA$106

-32.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$75.9

$67.7 CA$93.9

-19.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.06

$19.54 CA$27.10

-3.84%

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$10.71 CA$14.86

35.57%

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

$819 CA$1,135

$535 CA$741

53.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$9,997 CA$13.9K

63.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$67.5 CA$93.6

-8.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$51.3 CA$71.1

-21.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$81.3 CA$113

15.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$95.1 CA$132

19.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$1,003 CA$1,390

25.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$794 CA$1,102

37.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$1,571 CA$2,178

26.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,366

$1,392 CA$1,930

22.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

$1,992 CA$2,762

82.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

$1,635 CA$2,268

108.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

$2,831 CA$3,926

14.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.57

-1.97%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $1,003 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 15% 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 $72.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $425 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 Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $1,256 in Calgary versus $1,003 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 $72.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,344 per month in Calgary versus $2,136 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,136 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $2,344 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 10% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.