Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and St John

For one person, living is cheaper in St John: $315 a month against $2,232 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $23,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

St John

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$315

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in St John

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 St John actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,232 in Calgary versus $315 in St John.

Calgary $2,232
St John $315

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,363 in Calgary versus $928 in St John.

Calgary $3,363
St John $928

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,493 in Calgary versus $1,540 in St John.

Calgary $4,493
St John $1,540

Living in Calgary is roughly 609% more expensive than in St John, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 67% above, St John is 77% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 CA$24.54

$20.15 $20.15

-14.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$101

$174 $174

-59.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 CA$15.06

Cappuccino

$3.77 CA$5.38

$7.10 $7.10

-46.90%

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

$1.91 CA$2.73

$3.02 $3.02

-36.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.63

$2.05 $2.05

-10.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 CA$6.93

$8.16 $8.16

-40.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 CA$7.91

$8.05 $8.05

-31.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 CA$2.68

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.89

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 CA$7.61

Eggs

$3.77 CA$5.37

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 CA$16.09

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.34

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.26 CA$26.03

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.62

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.05

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$6.02

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.50

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.74

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.79

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CA$2.19

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.26 CA$20.32

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 CA$21.76

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.41

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 CA$4.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.7 CA$126

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.49 CA$37.75

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.68

$1.57 $1.57

-24.84%

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

$28.3K CA$40.3K

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

$20.7K CA$29.5K

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

$159 CA$227

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

$37.61 CA$53.6

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.68 CA$70.8

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

$13.4K $13.4K

17.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$83.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 CA$55.4

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 CA$130

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$155

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,764

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$996 CA$1,420

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 CA$2,720

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 CA$2,382

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,530 CA$5,032

$12.9K $12.9K

-72.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 CA$4,755

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,130 CA$4,461

$5,080 $5,080

-38.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

7.05

-36.03%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Last update for St John: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Calgary

$996 44.8%

St John

–

Groceries & Markets

Calgary

$387 17.4%

St John

–

Eating Out

Calgary

$265 11.9%

St John

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calgary

$247 11.1%

St John

–

Clothing & Footwear

Calgary

$134 6%

St John

–

Getting Around

Calgary

$110 5%

St John

–

Sport & Entertainment

Calgary

$81 3.7%

St John

–

Cost Breakdown

St John pays 62% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $71.0 in Calgary vs $174 in St John for two.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Calgary

🇻🇮 St John

🕒 Local time

04:03 4:03 AM

06:03 6:03 AM

2 h ahead of Calgary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,267,344

2,743

💱 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 St John 5,630 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Calgary
St John

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 St John: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St John is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and transport. The 609% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 62% lower in St John. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Dining out is cheaper in St John – a meal for two runs $174 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,232 per month in Calgary versus $315 in St John – a 609% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $315 in St John versus $2,232 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in St John but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes St John 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 St John 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 St John gentler on the wallet – expenses run 609% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.