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 $2,080 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $2,010 in Lethbridge, AB, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,071 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $2,975 in Lethbridge, AB, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,062 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $3,941 in Lethbridge, AB, rent included.

Saint John, New Brunswick costs about 4% more than Lethbridge, AB, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Saint John, New Brunswick and Lethbridge, AB sit above the global median – Saint John, New Brunswick by 55%, Lethbridge, AB by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.24 CA$30.93

$18.57 CA$25.82

19.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.4 CA$85.3

$69.3 CA$96.4

-11.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.29 CA$14.31

$11.15 CA$15.51

-7.71%

Cappuccino

$3.13 CA$4.35

$3.61 CA$5.02

-13.30%

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

$1.67 CA$2.32

$1.60 CA$2.23

4.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.75 CA$2.43

-33.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 CA$6.11

$5.25 CA$7.30

-16.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 CA$7.10

$6.17 CA$8.57

-17.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$2.13 CA$2.96

-6.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.02

$2.39 CA$3.32

20.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 CA$2.52

$3.41 CA$4.74

-46.92%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$4.97

$3.31 CA$4.60

7.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 CA$16.30

$12.25 CA$17.03

-4.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 CA$12.63

$12.57 CA$17.48

-27.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 CA$22.56

$12.47 CA$17.35

30.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.65

$4.21 CA$5.86

-3.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.28 CA$1.78

13.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 CA$4.98

$3.78 CA$5.26

-5.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.15

$4.35 CA$6.04

1.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 CA$2.88

$2.59 CA$3.60

-20.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 CA$2.92

$2.68 CA$3.72

-21.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.77 CA$3.85

-4.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.95 CA$2.72

-25.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.72 CA$26.03

$14.70 CA$20.45

27.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 CA$13.91

$13.10 CA$18.21

-23.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 CA$4.65

$2.27 CA$3.16

47.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CA$4.63

$2.93 CA$4.07

13.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 CA$3.00

$2.16 CA$3.01

-0.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 CA$82.0

$56.7 CA$78.9

3.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 CA$5.24

$3.59 CA$4.99

5.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.36 CA$1.89

-13.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.32 CA$40.77

$29.17 CA$40.56

0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.70

$1.07 CA$1.49

14.02%

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

$25.2K CA$35.0K

$25.5K CA$35.4K

-1.19%

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

$20.1K CA$27.9K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

-3.16%

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

$127 CA$177

$207 CA$288

-38.55%

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

$37.17 CA$51.7

$41.74 CA$58.1

-10.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 CA$87.6

$59.6 CA$82.8

5.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.12 CA$58.6

$46.10 CA$64.1

-8.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.97 CA$51.4

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 CA$15.25

$11.60 CA$16.13

-5.43%

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

$164 CA$228

$860 CA$1,196

-80.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.3K

$16.0K CA$22.3K

-26.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.72 CA$58.0

$44.42 CA$61.8

-6.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.98 CA$58.4

$47.14 CA$65.6

-10.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$122

$87.8 CA$122

-0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$169

$107 CA$149

13.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 CA$1,464

$975 CA$1,356

8.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 CA$1,313

$777 CA$1,081

21.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 CA$2,241

$1,378 CA$1,916

16.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 CA$1,948

$1,277 CA$1,776

9.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 CA$2,907

$5,677 CA$7,896

-63.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,159 CA$3,002

$2,056 CA$2,860

4.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,682 CA$3,729

$3,048 CA$4,239

-12.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

5.71

8.23%

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

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

Last update for Lethbridge, AB: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,053 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $975 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 14% higher in Lethbridge, AB, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $69.0 in Lethbridge, AB. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $366 – 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: $2,080 in Saint John, New Brunswick, $2,010 in Lethbridge, AB – roughly 4% apart. Saint John, New Brunswick costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,120 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick and $3,015 in Lethbridge, AB. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Saint John, New Brunswick – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick and $69.0 in Lethbridge, AB. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lethbridge, AB, where all-in costs run around $2,010, than in Saint John, New Brunswick at $2,080. In Lethbridge, AB it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint John, New Brunswick it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lethbridge, AB – 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 Lethbridge, AB. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint John, New Brunswick makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.