Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,095 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $1,765 in Seoul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,020 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $2,881 in Seoul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,946 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $3,997 in Seoul.

Living in Saint John, New Brunswick is roughly 19% more expensive than in Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint John, New Brunswick 57% above, Seoul 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.02 CA$30.98

$8.73 ₩12.9K

152.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 CA$85.3

$54.3 ₩80.2K

11.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 CA$14.58

$6.47 ₩9,546

60.28%

Cappuccino

$3.15 CA$4.43

$3.88 ₩5,717

-18.81%

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

$1.68 CA$2.37

$1.65 ₩2,435

1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CA$1.65

$0.86 ₩1,263

36.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.34 CA$6.11

$3.77 ₩5,562

15.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 CA$7.10

$5.72 ₩8,444

-11.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CA$2.83

$2.26 ₩3,340

-11.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$3.42 ₩5,051

-14.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.57

$3.09 ₩4,565

-40.78%

Eggs

$3.64 CA$5.12

$3.06 ₩4,509

18.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.28

$14.51 ₩21.4K

-20.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 CA$12.39

$10.76 ₩15.9K

-18.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.27 CA$22.90

$34.54 ₩51.0K

-52.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.56

$7.65 ₩11.3K

-48.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$3.54 ₩5,227

-59.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.12

$5.42 ₩7,995

-32.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 CA$6.14

$6.49 ₩9,575

-32.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 CA$2.89

$3.87 ₩5,705

-46.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 CA$3.01

$2.87 ₩4,236

-25.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 CA$3.77

$2.61 ₩3,856

2.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.10

$1.32 ₩1,943

12.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.33 CA$25.79

$3.32 ₩4,905

452.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.62 CA$13.54

$16.50 ₩24.3K

-41.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 CA$4.77

$2.38 ₩3,517

42.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CA$4.59

$3.37 ₩4,973

-3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 CA$3.02

$1.08 ₩1,587

99.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.2 CA$84.7

$46.87 ₩69.1K

28.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.11

$3.46 ₩5,109

4.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 CA$1.57

$0.57 ₩840

94.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.56 CA$41.59

$9.00 ₩13.3K

228.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.70

$1.25 ₩1,846

-3.20%

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

$24.7K CA$34.7K

$27.9K ₩41.2M

-11.66%

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

$20.1K CA$28.2K

$25.4K ₩37.4M

-20.94%

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

$129 CA$181

$160 ₩236.5K

-19.59%

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

$37.71 CA$53.1

$34.41 ₩50.8K

9.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 CA$89.8

$22.05 ₩32.5K

189.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 CA$59.4

$58.0 ₩85.5K

-27.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.57 CA$51.5

$23.44 ₩34.6K

56.02%

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 CA$15.63

$10.93 ₩16.1K

1.65%

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

$164 CA$231

$417 ₩615.5K

-60.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.4K

$23.6K ₩34.8M

-50.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 CA$58.9

$59.2 ₩87.3K

-29.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$60.7

$48.41 ₩71.4K

-10.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 CA$121

$79.9 ₩117.8K

7.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 CA$168

$115 ₩169.4K

4.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 CA$1,452

$944 ₩1.4M

9.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$962 CA$1,353

$588 ₩867.2K

63.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,643 CA$2,311

$2,584 ₩3.8M

-36.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 CA$1,982

$1,312 ₩1.9M

7.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,016 CA$2,837

$26.0K ₩38.4M

-92.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 CA$2,939

$10.7K ₩15.8M

-80.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 CA$3,519

$3,149 ₩4.6M

-20.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

4.14

49.28%

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

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: July 13, 2026

Last update for Seoul: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,032 in Saint John, New Brunswick and $944 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $54.0 in Seoul. Groceries flip the comparison at $346 vs $491, with Saint John, New Brunswick 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

Saint John, New Brunswick vs Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Saint John, New Brunswick. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Seoul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Seoul. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,032 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $944 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seoul – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,095 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $1,765 in Seoul – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,765 in Seoul versus $2,095 in Saint John, New Brunswick, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seoul but tight or insufficient in Saint John, New Brunswick. The gap between the two cities makes Seoul 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, New Brunswick and Seoul 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 Seoul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Saint John, New Brunswick. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.