Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John Island and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $6,201 in Saint John Island, rent and utilities included – about $47,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

297

Cost of Living Index in Saint John Island
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Saint John Island Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Saint John Island

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$6,201

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint John Island and in Calgary

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saint John Island and in Calgary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $6,201 in Saint John Island versus $2,232 in Calgary.

Saint John Island $6,201
Calgary $2,232

Estimated couple costs with rent: $8,382 in Saint John Island versus $3,363 in Calgary.

Saint John Island $8,382
Calgary $3,363

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $10.6K in Saint John Island versus $4,493 in Calgary.

Saint John Island $10.6K
Calgary $4,493

Living in Saint John Island is roughly 178% more expensive than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint John Island 363% above, Calgary 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$69.9 $69.9

$17.22 CA$24.54

305.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 $150

$71.2 CA$101

110.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.14 $15.14

$10.56 CA$15.06

43.37%

Cappuccino

$9.16 $9.16

$3.77 CA$5.38

142.97%

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

$3.41 $3.41

$1.91 CA$2.73

78.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.84 CA$2.63

89.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 $5.13

$4.86 CA$6.93

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.55 CA$7.91

23.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.88 CA$2.68

67.55%

White Bread (500g)

$7.96 $7.96

$2.73 CA$3.89

191.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$12.02 $12.02

$5.34 CA$7.61

125.09%

Eggs

$12.07 $12.07

$3.77 CA$5.37

220.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.43 $32.43

$11.29 CA$16.09

187.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.00 $33.00

$11.46 CA$16.34

187.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.11 $24.11

$18.26 CA$26.03

32.04%

Apples (1kg)

$21.82 $21.82

$4.64 CA$6.62

370.26%

Banana (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.44 CA$2.05

171.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$17.29 $17.29

$4.22 CA$6.02

309.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.89 $11.89

$3.86 CA$5.50

208.03%

Potato (1kg)

$7.74 $7.74

$2.62 CA$3.74

195.42%

Onion (1kg)

$7.86 $7.86

$2.66 CA$3.79

195.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.59 CA$3.69

91.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.53 CA$2.19

132.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.86 $8.86

$14.26 CA$20.32

-37.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.36 $23.36

$15.27 CA$21.76

52.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.41 CA$3.44

90.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 $6.17

$3.09 CA$4.41

99.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.15 $7.15

$2.88 CA$4.11

148.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$149 $149

$88.7 CA$126

67.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$30.31 $30.31

$3.23 CA$4.61

838.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.2 $50.2

$26.49 CA$37.75

89.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.18 CA$1.68

32.20%

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

$47.1K $47.1K

$28.3K CA$40.3K

66.70%

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

$52.2K $52.2K

$20.7K CA$29.5K

151.94%

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

$297 $297

$159 CA$227

86.27%

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

$98.4 $98.4

$37.61 CA$53.6

161.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 $101

$49.68 CA$70.8

103.88%

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

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.4 $80.4

$58.8 CA$83.8

36.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.69 $49.69

$38.84 CA$55.4

27.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 $84.9

$91.4 CA$130

-7.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$109 CA$155

-7.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,020 $4,020

$1,237 CA$1,764

224.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,511 $3,511

$996 CA$1,420

252.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,081 $5,081

$1,908 CA$2,720

166.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,566 $4,566

$1,671 CA$2,382

173.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,530 CA$5,032

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 CA$4,755

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,412 $4,412

$3,130 CA$4,461

40.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

55.21%

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

Last update for Saint John Island: October 4, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint John Island

$3.5K 57.3%

Calgary

$996 44.8% 71.6% $2.5K

Groceries & Markets

Saint John Island

$987 16.1%

Calgary

$387 17.4% 60.7% $599

Eating Out

Saint John Island

$781 12.8%

Calgary

$265 11.9% 66.1% $516

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint John Island

$496 8.1%

Calgary

$247 11.1% 50.3% $250

Getting Around

Saint John Island

$208 * 3.4%

Calgary

$110 5% 46.8% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Saint John Island

$142 2.3%

Calgary

$134 6% 5.5% $7.8

Sport & Entertainment

Saint John Island

- * 0%

Calgary

$81 3.7%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,020 in Saint John Island and $1,237 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John Island pays 41% 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: $150 in Saint John Island vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $987 vs $387 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇮 Saint John Island

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

08:30 8:30 AM

06:30 6:30 AM

2 h behind Saint John Island

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,170

1,267,344

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

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).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Saint John Island Calgary 5,640 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Saint John Island
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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

Saint John Island vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 178% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Saint John Island, 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: $4,020 in Saint John Island versus $1,237 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $150 in Saint John Island. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Calgary runs roughly 68% less than in Saint John Island. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,232 in Calgary versus $6,201 in Saint John Island, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Saint John Island. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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, Saint John Island and Calgary 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 178% less than in Saint John Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.