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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,136 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $2,620 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,210 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $3,866 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,285 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $5,111 in Toronto.

Living in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs roughly 18% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 55% above, Toronto 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 CA$25.47

$17.85 CA$24.75

2.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$86.8 CA$120

-16.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 CA$16.76

$10.94 CA$15.17

10.51%

Cappuccino

$4.13 CA$5.73

$4.01 CA$5.57

2.99%

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

$2.54 CA$3.53

$2.19 CA$3.04

15.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$1.69 CA$2.34

31.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.15 CA$7.14

$6.45 CA$8.94

-20.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 CA$7.51

$7.05 CA$9.77

-23.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.71 CA$3.76

5.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 CA$4.33

$2.92 CA$4.05

6.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.49 CA$6.23

$2.48 CA$3.44

81.05%

Eggs

$3.62 CA$5.02

$3.85 CA$5.34

-5.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 CA$15.91

$10.10 CA$14.01

13.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.64 CA$18.92

$12.02 CA$16.66

13.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.15 CA$16.86

$15.61 CA$21.65

-22.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 CA$6.52

$3.90 CA$5.41

20.51%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 CA$4.33

$1.24 CA$1.72

151.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$3.78 CA$5.24

30.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.12

$4.38 CA$6.08

-32.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.84

$1.93 CA$2.67

43.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CA$3.21

$1.50 CA$2.08

54.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.31 CA$5.98

$2.28 CA$3.17

89.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.46 CA$2.02

39.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.30 CA$19.83

$14.52 CA$20.13

-1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.35 CA$22.67

$14.42 CA$19.99

13.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 CA$5.82

$2.26 CA$3.14

85.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 CA$6.12

$2.59 CA$3.60

70.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 CA$2.49

$2.36 CA$3.28

-24.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.2 CA$79.3

$114 CA$159

-50.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 CA$4.44

$3.16 CA$4.38

1.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 CA$2.54

$1.26 CA$1.74

45.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.29 CA$40.62

$22.57 CA$31.29

29.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.24 CA$1.72

4.03%

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

$28.2K CA$39.1K

$27.3K CA$37.9K

3.11%

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

$22.3K CA$31.0K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

7.71%

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

$185 CA$257

$124 CA$172

49.75%

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

$42.87 CA$59.5

$32.72 CA$45.37

31.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 CA$106

$48.79 CA$67.7

56.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.7 CA$93.9

$40.27 CA$55.9

68.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.54 CA$27.10

$23.84 CA$33.06

-18.04%

Cinema Ticket

$10.71 CA$14.86

$12.82 CA$17.77

-16.46%

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

$535 CA$741

$787 CA$1,092

-32.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,997 CA$13.9K

$24.5K CA$34.0K

-59.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 CA$93.6

$54.2 CA$75.2

24.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 CA$71.1

$43.10 CA$59.8

19.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 CA$113

$97.9 CA$136

-16.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 CA$132

$126 CA$175

-24.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 CA$1,390

$1,660 CA$2,302

-39.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 CA$1,102

$1,483 CA$2,057

-46.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 CA$2,178

$2,800 CA$3,883

-43.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,392 CA$1,930

$2,157 CA$2,991

-35.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,992 CA$2,762

$8,381 CA$11.6K

-76.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,635 CA$2,268

$6,842 CA$9,488

-76.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,831 CA$3,926

$3,799 CA$5,269

-25.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

4.47

2.24%

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

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: September 8, 2026

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and $1,660 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 34% 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: $72.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $87.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $425 vs $364, with Toronto 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

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

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Toronto. 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: $1,003 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $1,660 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador runs roughly 100% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $535 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $787 in Toronto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,136 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $2,620 in Toronto, a $2,500 budget is realistic in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.