Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $2,024 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
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St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,024

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$979

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and in Quito

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and in Quito actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,024 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $979 in Quito, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $2,024
Quito $979

A couple spends around $3,089 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $1,607 in Quito, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $3,089
Quito $1,607

A family of three spends $4,154 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $2,234 in Quito, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $4,154
Quito $2,234

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 107% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador sits 51% above the global median, while Quito is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 CA$24.66

$6.14 $6.14

182.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$99.9

$53.9 $53.9

30.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 CA$16.70

$7.81 $7.81

50.32%

Cappuccino

$4.07 CA$5.79

$3.42 $3.42

19.01%

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

$2.58 CA$3.66

$1.44 $1.44

79.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$3.04

$1.14 $1.14

87.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 CA$7.08

$3.48 $3.48

43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 CA$7.44

$5.89 $5.89

-11.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 CA$4.29

$1.14 $1.14

164.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 CA$4.27

$1.54 $1.54

94.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.90

$1.51 $1.51

174.17%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.39

$2.16 $2.16

75.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 CA$16.27

$6.40 $6.40

78.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.56

$5.48 $5.48

138.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 CA$16.76

$7.81 $7.81

50.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 CA$6.71

$2.33 $2.33

102.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.14

$1.24 $1.24

134.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.78 CA$6.80

$1.31 $1.31

264.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.17

$1.14 $1.14

157.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.76

$1.21 $1.21

118.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 CA$3.08

$1.02 $1.02

112.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.89

$0.93 $0.93

194.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.80

$1.05 $1.05

87.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.42 CA$19.09

$6.02 $6.02

122.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.45 CA$21.98

$9.93 $9.93

55.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.09 CA$5.81

$1.59 $1.59

157.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 CA$5.95

$3.08 $3.08

35.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 CA$2.54

$0.37 $0.37

381.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 CA$77.3

$20.95 $20.95

159.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 CA$4.36

$1.54 $1.54

99.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 CA$2.52

$1.53 $1.53

15.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.99 CA$41.23

$10.01 $10.01

189.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.90

$0.87 $0.87

52.87%

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

$27.5K CA$39.1K

$21.0K $21.0K

31.09%

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

$21.5K CA$30.6K

$28.6K $28.6K

-24.71%

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

$177 CA$252

$28.97 $28.97

511.56%

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

$40.72 CA$57.9

$17.57 $17.57

131.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.4 CA$107

$28.14 $28.14

168.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 CA$93.8

$46.48 $46.48

41.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.35 CA$26.10

$17.70 $17.70

3.67%

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 CA$14.89

$6.38 $6.38

64.11%

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

$530 CA$754

$746 $746

-28.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,977 CA$14.2K

$9,015 $9,015

10.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 CA$92.9

$68.8 $68.8

-5.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.72 CA$70.7

$50.4 $50.4

-1.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 CA$111

$117 $117

-33.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 CA$133

$109 $109

-14.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 CA$1,387

$478 $478

103.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 CA$1,124

$313 $313

152.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 CA$2,192

$967 $967

59.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 CA$1,947

$549 $549

149.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 CA$2,807

$1,763 $1,763

11.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,531 CA$2,177

$720 $720

112.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,734 CA$3,889

$597 $597

358.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

10.12

-54.84%

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

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: October 4, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$790 38.4%

Quito

$313 31.8% 60.4% $477

Groceries & Markets

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$408 19.8%

Quito

$198 20.1% 51.6% $211

Monthly Utilities & Internet

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$293 14.3%

Quito

$75 7.6% 74.5% $219

Eating Out

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$277 13.5%

Quito

$153 15.5% 44.7% $124

Clothing & Footwear

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$129 6.3%

Quito

$156 15.8% 20.8% $27

Sport & Entertainment

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$87 4.2%

Quito

$59 6% 31.8% $28

Getting Around

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$73 3.6%

Quito

$32 3.2% 56.9% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $975 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $478 in Quito. 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 358% higher in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $54.0 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $408 vs $198 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

23:34 11:34 PM

21:04 9:04 PM

2 h 30 min behind St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

110,525

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.627 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.627 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Quito 5,870 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Quito

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is pricier by about 107%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,036 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and $1,468 in Quito. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 159% less in Quito. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $530 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and $746 in Quito. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $979, than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador at $2,024. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quito – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Quito. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.