Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Lethbridge, AB Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Lethbridge, AB

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,970 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $2,174 in Lethbridge, AB, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,928 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $3,194 in Lethbridge, AB, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,887 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $4,213 in Lethbridge, AB, rent included.

Saint John, New Brunswick is about 9% cheaper than Lethbridge, AB, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saint John, New Brunswick and Lethbridge, AB sit above the global median – Saint John, New Brunswick by 43%, Lethbridge, AB by 58%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.25 CA$26.64

$21.53 CA$29.79

-10.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 CA$83.8

$69.6 CA$96.3

-12.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.12

$12.41 CA$17.18

-12.01%

Cappuccino

$3.16 CA$4.37

$4.25 CA$5.88

-25.65%

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

$1.81 CA$2.51

$1.79 CA$2.47

1.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$2.12 CA$2.93

-48.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.59 CA$6.35

$4.94 CA$6.84

-7.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CA$7.11

$5.82 CA$8.05

-11.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$2.28 CA$3.16

-3.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$2.52 CA$3.49

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 CA$4.45

$4.50 CA$6.22

-28.44%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.11

$3.58 CA$4.96

3.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.85 CA$19.17

$10.15 CA$14.04

36.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.81 CA$14.96

$12.76 CA$17.66

-15.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 CA$18.18

$13.43 CA$18.58

-2.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 CA$7.13

$3.34 CA$4.62

54.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.12

$1.30 CA$1.80

18.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.96

$2.66 CA$3.68

62.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.62

$4.65 CA$6.43

-12.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.94

$3.66 CA$5.06

-41.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$3.16 CA$4.38

-29.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.67

$3.20 CA$4.43

-16.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.75 CA$2.43

-16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.29

$12.26 CA$16.96

19.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 CA$13.81

$14.49 CA$20.05

-31.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.56

$3.22 CA$4.45

-42.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 CA$2.94

$3.87 CA$5.35

-44.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$2.12 CA$2.94

3.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.8 CA$80.0

$70.6 CA$97.7

-18.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$3.62 CA$5.01

-18.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.68

$2.82 CA$3.91

-56.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.97 CA$30.41

$43.26 CA$59.9

-49.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.13 CA$1.56

7.08%

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

$25.4K CA$35.2K

$28.1K CA$38.9K

-9.47%

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

$19.4K CA$26.9K

$22.7K CA$31.4K

-14.51%

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

$124 CA$172

$277 CA$383

-55.11%

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

$41.81 CA$57.9

$53.7 CA$74.4

-22.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 CA$90.5

$70.6 CA$97.7

-7.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 CA$75.5

$45.90 CA$63.5

18.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.76 CA$49.49

$14.40 CA$19.93

148.33%

Cinema Ticket

$12.76 CA$17.65

$14.59 CA$20.19

-12.54%

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

$384 CA$531

$883 CA$1,221

-56.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K CA$15.9K

$3,588 CA$4,965

220.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 CA$71.2

$47.66 CA$66.0

8.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.92 CA$49.70

$51.4 CA$71.1

-30.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 CA$147

$77.3 CA$107

37.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$121 CA$167

-8.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 CA$1,399

$1,022 CA$1,414

-1.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 CA$1,163

$800 CA$1,107

5.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 CA$2,265

$1,481 CA$2,049

10.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 CA$1,847

$1,272 CA$1,760

4.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,072 CA$2,867

$5,716 CA$7,910

-63.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 CA$3,033

$2,074 CA$2,869

5.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,491 CA$3,447

$2,961 CA$4,097

-15.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.69

4.85

-3.30%

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

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lethbridge, AB: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,011 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $1,022 in Lethbridge, AB. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Lethbridge, AB, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $70.0 in Lethbridge, AB. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $377 – making Saint John, New Brunswick the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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, New Brunswick vs Lethbridge, AB: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,970 in Saint John, New Brunswick, $2,174 in Lethbridge, AB – roughly 10% apart. Lethbridge, AB costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,955 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick and $3,261 in Lethbridge, AB. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint John, New Brunswick, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Lethbridge, AB, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick and $70.0 in Lethbridge, AB. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint John, New Brunswick, where all-in costs run around $1,970, than in Lethbridge, AB at $2,174. In Saint John, New Brunswick it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lethbridge, AB it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint John, New Brunswick – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Saint John, New Brunswick. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lethbridge, AB makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.