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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,091 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $2,768 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,020 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $4,066 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,949 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $5,364 in Toronto.

Living in Saint John, New Brunswick costs roughly 24% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint John, New Brunswick 55% above, Toronto 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.77 CA$29.82

$18.40 CA$25.20

18.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.0 CA$83.6

$81.3 CA$111

-24.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 CA$14.31

$10.92 CA$14.97

-4.30%

Cappuccino

$3.03 CA$4.15

$3.83 CA$5.25

-20.89%

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

$1.70 CA$2.33

$2.19 CA$3.01

-22.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 CA$1.67

$1.64 CA$2.25

-25.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 CA$6.01

$5.87 CA$8.05

-25.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 CA$6.97

$6.74 CA$9.24

-24.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 CA$2.69

$2.69 CA$3.68

-26.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 CA$3.99

$2.78 CA$3.81

4.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.45

$3.51 CA$4.81

-49.00%

Eggs

$3.55 CA$4.87

$3.47 CA$4.76

2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$15.84

$13.25 CA$18.15

-12.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.61 CA$11.79

$12.92 CA$17.70

-33.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.26 CA$22.28

$16.38 CA$22.44

-0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.52

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.06

$1.17 CA$1.61

28.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 CA$4.98

$3.35 CA$4.59

8.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.06

$4.01 CA$5.50

10.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 CA$2.88

$2.44 CA$3.34

-13.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.01

$2.84 CA$3.90

-22.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 CA$3.77

$2.39 CA$3.27

15.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.06

$1.98 CA$2.71

-23.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.35 CA$25.14

$14.82 CA$20.31

23.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 CA$14.08

$14.37 CA$19.68

-28.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 CA$4.54

$2.77 CA$3.79

19.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 CA$4.62

$3.30 CA$4.52

2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 CA$3.07

$2.45 CA$3.35

-8.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.5 CA$82.8

$113 CA$155

-46.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.90

$3.61 CA$4.95

-1.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 CA$1.53

$1.42 CA$1.94

-21.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.47 CA$40.37

$25.90 CA$35.48

13.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.61

$1.10 CA$1.50

6.36%

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

$25.1K CA$34.3K

$25.5K CA$35.0K

-1.94%

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

$19.9K CA$27.3K

$21.0K CA$28.7K

-4.91%

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

$127 CA$175

$119 CA$163

7.41%

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

$38.36 CA$52.6

$37.69 CA$51.6

1.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 CA$86.9

$54.6 CA$74.7

16.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.93 CA$58.8

$57.3 CA$78.5

-25.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.01 CA$50.7

$20.68 CA$28.33

78.97%

Cinema Ticket

$11.06 CA$15.16

$11.62 CA$15.92

-4.82%

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

$168 CA$231

$1,118 CA$1,531

-84.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$15.9K

$18.3K CA$25.0K

-36.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.92 CA$56.1

$57.3 CA$78.6

-28.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.57 CA$58.3

$39.80 CA$54.5

6.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 CA$116

$88.4 CA$121

-3.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$168

$116 CA$159

5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 CA$1,422

$1,836 CA$2,516

-43.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 CA$1,333

$1,550 CA$2,124

-37.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 CA$2,178

$2,991 CA$4,097

-46.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 CA$1,979

$2,492 CA$3,415

-42.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,133 CA$2,922

$8,566 CA$11.7K

-75.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,202 CA$3,016

$6,905 CA$9,460

-68.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,684 CA$3,677

$3,697 CA$5,064

-27.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

5.16

19.77%

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 Toronto: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,038 in Saint John, New Brunswick and $1,836 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 38% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61 in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $81 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $392 per month, with Saint John, New Brunswick cheaper across the board.

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 Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint John, New Brunswick wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Toronto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Saint John, New Brunswick the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Toronto earns 38% 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 $1,836 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint John, New Brunswick – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $81.0 in Toronto. 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 $2,768 in Toronto – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,091 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $2,768 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saint John, New Brunswick but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Saint John, New Brunswick 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.

Expats usually find Saint John, New Brunswick gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.