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.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Saint John, New Brunswick
Seoul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.77 CA$29.82
$8.87 โ‚ฉ13.0K
145.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 CA$83.6
$55.8 โ‚ฉ82.1K
9.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.45 CA$14.31
$6.39 โ‚ฉ9,399
63.54%
Cappuccino
$3.03 CA$4.15
$3.80 โ‚ฉ5,592
-20.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 CA$2.33
$1.67 โ‚ฉ2,454
1.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 CA$1.67
$0.81 โ‚ฉ1,190
50.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.39 CA$6.01
$3.61 โ‚ฉ5,316
21.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.09 CA$6.97
$5.91 โ‚ฉ8,697
-13.87%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Saint John, New Brunswick
Seoul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.97 CA$2.69
$2.16 โ‚ฉ3,177
-8.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.91 CA$3.99
$3.43 โ‚ฉ5,049
-15.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.45
$3.27 โ‚ฉ4,805
-45.26%
Eggs
$3.55 CA$4.87
$3.19 โ‚ฉ4,689
11.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.56 CA$15.84
$14.41 โ‚ฉ21.2K
-19.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.61 CA$11.79
$10.69 โ‚ฉ15.7K
-19.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.26 CA$22.28
$34.03 โ‚ฉ50.0K
-52.22%
Apples (1kg)
$4.03 CA$5.52
$7.87 โ‚ฉ11.6K
-48.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 CA$2.06
$3.55 โ‚ฉ5,222
-57.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.63 CA$4.98
$5.53 โ‚ฉ8,126
-34.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.43 CA$6.06
$6.63 โ‚ฉ9,752
-33.18%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 CA$2.88
$3.86 โ‚ฉ5,675
-45.60%
Onion (1kg)
$2.20 CA$3.01
$2.95 โ‚ฉ4,337
-25.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.75 CA$3.77
$2.63 โ‚ฉ3,874
4.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 CA$2.06
$1.32 โ‚ฉ1,935
14.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.35 CA$25.14
$3.39 โ‚ฉ4,989
441.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.28 CA$14.08
$19.46 โ‚ฉ28.6K
-47.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.31 CA$4.54
$2.45 โ‚ฉ3,608
35.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 CA$4.62
$3.25 โ‚ฉ4,777
3.69%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Saint John, New Brunswick
Seoul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.24 CA$3.07
$1.12 โ‚ฉ1,641
100.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.5 CA$82.8
$46.79 โ‚ฉ68.8K
29.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.57 CA$4.90
$3.50 โ‚ฉ5,148
2.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.12 CA$1.53
$0.57 โ‚ฉ835
96.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.47 CA$40.37
$9.01 โ‚ฉ13.3K
227.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 CA$1.61
$1.20 โ‚ฉ1,772
-2.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.1K CA$34.3K
$27.6K โ‚ฉ40.6M
-9.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.9K CA$27.3K
$25.3K โ‚ฉ37.3M
-21.38%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint John, New Brunswick
Seoul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$127 CA$175
$164 โ‚ฉ240.6K
-22.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.36 CA$52.6
$34.58 โ‚ฉ50.9K
10.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$63.4 CA$86.9
$22.01 โ‚ฉ32.4K
188.10%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Saint John, New Brunswick
Seoul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.93 CA$58.8
$58.1 โ‚ฉ85.5K
-26.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.01 CA$50.7
$23.08 โ‚ฉ33.9K
60.36%
Cinema Ticket
$11.06 CA$15.16
$10.89 โ‚ฉ16.0K
1.56%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Saint John, New Brunswick
Seoul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$168 CA$231
$410 โ‚ฉ602.5K
-58.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K CA$15.9K
$23.9K โ‚ฉ35.1M
-51.43%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Saint John, New Brunswick
Seoul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.92 CA$56.1
$59.6 โ‚ฉ87.6K
-31.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.57 CA$58.3
$47.19 โ‚ฉ69.4K
-9.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.0 CA$116
$79.9 โ‚ฉ117.4K
6.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 CA$168
$117 โ‚ฉ171.9K
4.99%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Saint John, New Brunswick
Seoul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,038 CA$1,422
$952 โ‚ฉ1.4M
9.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$973 CA$1,333
$598 โ‚ฉ878.9K
62.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 CA$2,178
$2,515 โ‚ฉ3.7M
-36.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,445 CA$1,979
$1,296 โ‚ฉ1.9M
11.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,133 CA$2,922
$18.3K โ‚ฉ26.9M
-88.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,202 CA$3,016
$9,948 โ‚ฉ14.6M
-77.87%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Saint John, New Brunswick
Seoul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,684 CA$3,677
$3,041 โ‚ฉ4.5M
-11.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.18
4.14
49.28%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ 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
Which city is more expensive, Saint John, New Brunswick or Seoul?
Seoul wins on cost โ€“ 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.
Are salaries higher in Saint John, New Brunswick or Seoul?
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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Saint John, New Brunswick vs Seoul?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Saint John, New Brunswick vs Seoul?
Dining out is cheaper in Seoul โ€“ 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.
How much does it cost to live in Saint John, New Brunswick compared to Seoul?
All in, you'll spend $2,091 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $1,794 in Seoul โ€“ a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Saint John, New Brunswick or Seoul?
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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Saint John, New Brunswick or Seoul?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Saint John, New Brunswick compared to Seoul?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Seoul gentler on the wallet โ€“ 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.

Saint John, New Brunswick vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities