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: $1,730 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,223 in Sudbury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,740 in Fort St John, BC versus $3,350 in Sudbury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,751 in Fort St John, BC versus $4,477 in Sudbury.

Living in Fort St John, BC costs roughly 22% less than in Sudbury, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort St John, BC 29% above, Sudbury 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.92 CA$19.52

$18.23 CA$25.56

-23.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.98 CA$61.7

$60.0 CA$84.1

-26.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 CA$13.24

$12.28 CA$17.22

-23.05%

Cappuccino

$4.42 CA$6.20

$3.54 CA$4.96

24.86%

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

$1.86 CA$2.61

$1.89 CA$2.65

-1.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.79 CA$2.50

-26.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 CA$9.37

$5.49 CA$7.69

21.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 CA$7.84

$5.73 CA$8.04

-2.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 CA$3.33

$1.98 CA$2.77

20.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 CA$4.77

$2.03 CA$2.85

67.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.34

$3.93 CA$5.51

-3.05%

Eggs

$3.91 CA$5.48

$3.04 CA$4.26

28.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 CA$9.13

$12.73 CA$17.85

-48.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.39 CA$17.37

$15.86 CA$22.23

-21.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.09 CA$26.77

$12.88 CA$18.06

48.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 CA$7.35

$3.66 CA$5.13

43.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 CA$0.94

$1.33 CA$1.87

-49.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$2.90 CA$4.07

37.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 CA$5.03

$4.58 CA$6.42

-21.62%

Potato (1kg)

$5.23 CA$7.33

$1.74 CA$2.44

200.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 CA$4.02

$3.05 CA$4.27

-5.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.44

$2.15 CA$3.01

14.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 CA$3.07

$2.92 CA$4.09

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.61 CA$20.48

$11.68 CA$16.37

25.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.01 CA$29.46

$14.10 CA$19.77

49.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 CA$4.00

$2.41 CA$3.37

18.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.32

$2.14 CA$3.00

43.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$3.02 CA$4.23

-50.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.99 CA$40.64

$73.1 CA$102

-60.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 CA$10.13

$3.36 CA$4.71

115.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 CA$1.50

$2.17 CA$3.04

-50.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.59 CA$35.88

$36.04 CA$50.5

-29.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.77

$1.09 CA$1.52

15.60%

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

$25.0K CA$35.0K

$24.6K CA$34.5K

1.45%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$20.6K CA$28.9K

-1.44%

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

$87.8 CA$123

$105 CA$148

-16.68%

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

$103 CA$144

$48.26 CA$67.7

113.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 CA$92.9

$75.7 CA$106

-12.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 CA$79.3

$48.86 CA$68.5

15.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.62 CA$20.50

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.55

$11.07 CA$15.51

0.18%

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

$746 CA$1,047

$722 CA$1,013

3.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.7K

$8,817 CA$12.4K

35.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 CA$102

$62.7 CA$87.9

15.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.98 CA$67.3

$39.85 CA$55.9

20.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 CA$117

$107 CA$149

-21.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 CA$207

$115 CA$162

28.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 CA$811

$1,026 CA$1,439

-43.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 CA$759

$1,046 CA$1,466

-48.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 CA$1,879

$1,682 CA$2,358

-20.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 CA$1,534

$1,744 CA$2,445

-37.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,647 CA$3,711

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,927 CA$2,702

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,079 CA$4,317

$2,878 CA$4,035

7.00%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sudbury: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $578 in Fort St John, BC and $1,026 in Sudbury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort St John, BC pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Fort St John, BC vs $60.0 in Sudbury. Groceries flip the comparison at $411 vs $384, 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Fort St John, BC, 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: $578 in Fort St John, BC versus $1,026 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 $44.00 versus $60.0 in Sudbury. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,730 per month in Fort St John, BC versus $2,223 in Sudbury – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,730 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,223 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 28% less than in Sudbury. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.