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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,071 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $2,831 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,131 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $4,231 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,191 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $5,630 in Vancouver.

Living in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs roughly 27% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 55% above, Vancouver 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.72 CA$25.91

$18.26 CA$25.28

2.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$102

$77.8 CA$108

-5.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 CA$16.14

$10.85 CA$15.02

7.47%

Cappuccino

$3.32 CA$4.60

$3.98 CA$5.51

-16.58%

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

$2.48 CA$3.44

$2.12 CA$2.93

16.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$1.78 CA$2.46

1.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 CA$6.95

$5.77 CA$7.99

-13.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 CA$7.22

$7.56 CA$10.46

-31.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.32 CA$3.21

26.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$3.10 CA$4.29

6.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 CA$6.23

$3.89 CA$5.38

15.68%

Eggs

$3.89 CA$5.39

$4.53 CA$6.27

-14.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 CA$12.11

$12.92 CA$17.88

-32.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.85 CA$17.79

$14.14 CA$19.58

-9.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 CA$15.50

$15.74 CA$21.80

-28.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 CA$7.67

$4.26 CA$5.89

30.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.06

$1.47 CA$2.03

50.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.33 CA$7.37

$4.02 CA$5.57

32.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.19

$5.06 CA$7.01

-40.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.05

$3.02 CA$4.18

-27.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.68

$2.95 CA$4.09

-9.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.36 CA$4.66

$2.60 CA$3.60

29.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$1.88 CA$2.60

19.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.36

$15.20 CA$21.04

-3.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 CA$19.77

$14.30 CA$19.80

-0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 CA$5.81

$3.07 CA$4.26

36.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CA$6.51

$3.74 CA$5.18

25.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$2.44 CA$3.37

-26.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 CA$79.7

$84.9 CA$118

-32.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 CA$4.54

$3.74 CA$5.18

-12.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.38

$1.50 CA$2.08

14.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.11 CA$41.70

$27.43 CA$37.98

9.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.34 CA$1.86

-6.72%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$25.1K CA$34.8K

-0.74%

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

$22.0K CA$30.5K

$20.7K CA$28.7K

6.14%

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

$198 CA$275

$91.8 CA$127

116.15%

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

$58.2 CA$80.6

$39.42 CA$54.6

47.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.9 CA$108

$61.1 CA$84.6

27.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 CA$108

$44.89 CA$62.2

73.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 CA$15.03

$15.68 CA$21.71

-30.80%

Cinema Ticket

$8.93 CA$12.37

$12.37 CA$17.12

-27.81%

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

$505 CA$699

$1,180 CA$1,634

-57.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,949 CA$12.4K

$18.8K CA$26.0K

-52.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 CA$95.0

$62.7 CA$86.8

9.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 CA$71.9

$43.13 CA$59.7

20.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 CA$119

$94.7 CA$131

-9.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 CA$134

$118 CA$164

-18.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 CA$1,312

$1,995 CA$2,762

-52.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 CA$1,040

$1,629 CA$2,256

-53.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$1,993

$3,589 CA$4,969

-59.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 CA$1,787

$2,769 CA$3,834

-53.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,051 CA$2,840

$9,246 CA$12.8K

-77.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,613 CA$2,234

$7,086 CA$9,811

-77.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,870 CA$3,974

$3,474 CA$4,810

-17.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

5.61

20.68%

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

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: June 2, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 21% 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: $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $78.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $415 per month, with St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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

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

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Vancouver earns 21% 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: $947 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $1,995 in Vancouver. 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 47% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $505 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $1,180 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,071 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $2,831 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. 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 37% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.