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: $2,091 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $1,794 in Seoul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,020 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $2,920 in Seoul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,949 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $4,047 in Seoul.

Living in Saint John, New Brunswick is roughly 17% more expensive than Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint John, New Brunswick 55% above, Seoul 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.77 CA$29.82

$8.87 ₩13.0K

145.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.0 CA$83.6

$55.8 ₩82.1K

9.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 CA$14.31

$6.39 ₩9,399

63.54%

Cappuccino

$3.03 CA$4.15

$3.80 ₩5,592

-20.26%

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

$1.70 CA$2.33

$1.67 ₩2,454

1.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 CA$1.67

$0.81 ₩1,190

50.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 CA$6.01

$3.61 ₩5,316

21.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 CA$6.97

$5.91 ₩8,697

-13.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 CA$2.69

$2.16 ₩3,177

-8.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 CA$3.99

$3.43 ₩5,049

-15.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.45

$3.27 ₩4,805

-45.26%

Eggs

$3.55 CA$4.87

$3.19 ₩4,689

11.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$15.84

$14.41 ₩21.2K

-19.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.61 CA$11.79

$10.69 ₩15.7K

-19.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.26 CA$22.28

$34.03 ₩50.0K

-52.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.52

$7.87 ₩11.6K

-48.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.06

$3.55 ₩5,222

-57.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 CA$4.98

$5.53 ₩8,126

-34.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.06

$6.63 ₩9,752

-33.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 CA$2.88

$3.86 ₩5,675

-45.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.01

$2.95 ₩4,337

-25.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 CA$3.77

$2.63 ₩3,874

4.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.06

$1.32 ₩1,935

14.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.35 CA$25.14

$3.39 ₩4,989

441.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 CA$14.08

$19.46 ₩28.6K

-47.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 CA$4.54

$2.45 ₩3,608

35.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 CA$4.62

$3.25 ₩4,777

3.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 CA$3.07

$1.12 ₩1,641

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.5 CA$82.8

$46.79 ₩68.8K

29.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.90

$3.50 ₩5,148

2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 CA$1.53

$0.57 ₩835

96.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.47 CA$40.37

$9.01 ₩13.3K

227.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.61

$1.20 ₩1,772

-2.50%

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

$25.1K CA$34.3K

$27.6K ₩40.6M

-9.34%

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

$19.9K CA$27.3K

$25.3K ₩37.3M

-21.38%

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

$127 CA$175

$164 ₩240.6K

-22.09%

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

$38.36 CA$52.6

$34.58 ₩50.9K

10.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 CA$86.9

$22.01 ₩32.4K

188.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.93 CA$58.8

$58.1 ₩85.5K

-26.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.01 CA$50.7

$23.08 ₩33.9K

60.36%

Cinema Ticket

$11.06 CA$15.16

$10.89 ₩16.0K

1.56%

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

$168 CA$231

$410 ₩602.5K

-58.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$15.9K

$23.9K ₩35.1M

-51.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.92 CA$56.1

$59.6 ₩87.6K

-31.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.57 CA$58.3

$47.19 ₩69.4K

-9.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 CA$116

$79.9 ₩117.4K

6.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$168

$117 ₩171.9K

4.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 CA$1,422

$952 ₩1.4M

9.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 CA$1,333

$598 ₩878.9K

62.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 CA$2,178

$2,515 ₩3.7M

-36.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 CA$1,979

$1,296 ₩1.9M

11.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,133 CA$2,922

$18.3K ₩26.9M

-88.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,202 CA$3,016

$9,948 ₩14.6M

-77.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,684 CA$3,677

$3,041 ₩4.5M

-11.76%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Seoul: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,038 in Saint John, New Brunswick and $952 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61 in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $56 in Seoul. Groceries flip the comparison at $346 vs $498, 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 17% 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, Seoul earns 13% less. 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: $1,038 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $952 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 $56.0 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 $2,091 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $1,794 in Seoul – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,794 in Seoul versus $2,091 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 17% less than in Saint John, New Brunswick. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.