Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort St John, BC and Sudbury Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort St John, BC and Sudbury

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,728 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,260 in Sudbury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,737 in Fort St John, BC versus $3,360 in Sudbury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,746 in Fort St John, BC versus $4,461 in Sudbury.

Living in Fort St John, BC costs roughly 24% less than in Sudbury, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort St John, BC 29% above, Sudbury 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.80 CA$19.10

$18.54 CA$25.67

-25.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.90 CA$62.2

$58.2 CA$80.6

-22.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 CA$13.20

$12.55 CA$17.38

-24.06%

Cappuccino

$4.31 CA$5.97

$3.37 CA$4.66

27.89%

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

$1.85 CA$2.57

$1.89 CA$2.62

-2.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.71 CA$2.37

-26.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 CA$8.79

$5.39 CA$7.46

17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 CA$7.76

$5.86 CA$8.11

-4.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$2.00 CA$2.77

17.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$1.97 CA$2.73

67.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.45

$3.99 CA$5.52

-1.25%

Eggs

$3.86 CA$5.35

$3.04 CA$4.20

26.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.57 CA$9.10

$12.69 CA$17.57

-48.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.13 CA$16.79

$16.24 CA$22.49

-25.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.41 CA$26.87

$12.73 CA$17.62

52.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 CA$7.23

$3.59 CA$4.97

45.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 CA$0.94

$1.33 CA$1.85

-48.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.33

$3.06 CA$4.23

25.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.19

$4.65 CA$6.44

-19.35%

Potato (1kg)

$5.22 CA$7.23

$1.67 CA$2.31

212.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$3.10 CA$4.29

-6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.47

$2.08 CA$2.87

20.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.11

$2.78 CA$3.84

-19.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.68 CA$20.33

$12.01 CA$16.63

22.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.27 CA$29.44

$14.73 CA$20.39

44.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.08

$2.43 CA$3.36

21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.18

$2.10 CA$2.91

43.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 CA$2.00

$2.89 CA$4.01

-49.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.49 CA$40.84

$73.4 CA$102

-59.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.24 CA$10.03

$3.39 CA$4.70

113.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 CA$1.41

$2.16 CA$2.99

-52.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.28 CA$36.38

$34.85 CA$48.26

-24.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.75

$1.15 CA$1.59

9.57%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$25.5K CA$35.3K

-1.06%

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

$20.5K CA$28.4K

$20.7K CA$28.7K

-1.11%

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

$86.3 CA$119

$107 CA$148

-19.09%

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

$104 CA$144

$48.88 CA$67.7

112.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 CA$90.1

$77.0 CA$107

-15.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 CA$77.3

$49.34 CA$68.3

13.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.51 CA$20.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 CA$15.10

$11.13 CA$15.41

-1.98%

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

$745 CA$1,032

$739 CA$1,023

0.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$8,919 CA$12.3K

30.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 CA$103

$63.2 CA$87.5

17.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.13 CA$66.6

$40.15 CA$55.6

19.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 CA$117

$104 CA$144

-18.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 CA$201

$116 CA$161

24.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 CA$815

$1,066 CA$1,476

-44.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 CA$765

$1,036 CA$1,434

-46.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 CA$1,803

$1,712 CA$2,371

-23.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 CA$1,557

$1,722 CA$2,384

-34.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,705 CA$3,745

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,912 CA$2,648

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,124 CA$4,325

$3,005 CA$4,161

3.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

6.59

13.05%

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

Last update for Fort St John, BC: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sudbury: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Fort St John, BC and $1,066 in Sudbury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort St John, BC pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Fort St John, BC vs $58.0 in Sudbury. Groceries flip the comparison at $412 vs $385, with Sudbury cheaper for home cooking.

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

Fort St John, BC vs Sudbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort St John, BC is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Fort St John, BC pays 4% 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: $589 in Fort St John, BC versus $1,066 in Sudbury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort St John, BC – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $58.0 in Sudbury. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,728 per month in Fort St John, BC versus $2,260 in Sudbury – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,728 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,260 in Sudbury, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fort St John, BC but tight or insufficient in Sudbury. The gap between the two cities makes Fort St John, BC 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 Fort St John, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Sudbury. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.