Cost of Living Comparison Between Sudbury and Fort St John, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Sudbury and Fort St John, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Sudbury versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,350 in Sudbury versus $2,740 in Fort St John, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,477 in Sudbury versus $3,751 in Fort St John, BC.

Living in Sudbury is roughly 28% more expensive than in Fort St John, BC, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sudbury 66% above, Fort St John, BC 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.23 CA$25.56

$13.92 CA$19.52

30.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 CA$84.1

$43.98 CA$61.7

36.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.28 CA$17.22

$9.45 CA$13.24

29.95%

Cappuccino

$3.54 CA$4.96

$4.42 CA$6.20

-19.91%

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

$1.89 CA$2.65

$1.86 CA$2.61

1.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.50

$1.31 CA$1.84

36.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.49 CA$7.69

$6.68 CA$9.37

-17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 CA$8.04

$5.59 CA$7.84

2.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 CA$2.77

$2.38 CA$3.33

-16.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 CA$2.85

$3.40 CA$4.77

-40.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.93 CA$5.51

$3.81 CA$5.34

3.15%

Eggs

$3.04 CA$4.26

$3.91 CA$5.48

-22.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 CA$17.85

$6.51 CA$9.13

95.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.23

$12.39 CA$17.37

28.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 CA$18.06

$19.09 CA$26.77

-32.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.13

$5.25 CA$7.35

-30.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$0.67 CA$0.94

98.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 CA$4.07

$3.98 CA$5.58

-27.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 CA$6.42

$3.59 CA$5.03

27.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$5.23 CA$7.33

-66.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$2.87 CA$4.02

6.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 CA$3.01

$2.46 CA$3.44

-12.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.09

$2.19 CA$3.07

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.68 CA$16.37

$14.61 CA$20.48

-20.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 CA$19.77

$21.01 CA$29.46

-32.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$2.86 CA$4.00

-15.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$3.00

$3.08 CA$4.32

-30.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 CA$4.23

$1.49 CA$2.09

102.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.1 CA$102

$28.99 CA$40.64

152.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 CA$4.71

$7.23 CA$10.13

-53.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 CA$3.04

$1.07 CA$1.50

102.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.04 CA$50.5

$25.59 CA$35.88

40.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.52

$1.26 CA$1.77

-13.49%

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

$24.6K CA$34.5K

$25.0K CA$35.0K

-1.43%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$20.3K CA$28.5K

1.46%

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

$105 CA$148

$87.8 CA$123

20.03%

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

$48.26 CA$67.7

$103 CA$144

-53.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 CA$106

$66.2 CA$92.9

14.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.86 CA$68.5

$56.6 CA$79.3

-13.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.62 CA$20.50

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 CA$15.51

$11.09 CA$15.55

-0.18%

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

$722 CA$1,013

$746 CA$1,047

-3.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,817 CA$12.4K

$11.9K CA$16.7K

-26.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.9

$72.7 CA$102

-13.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.85 CA$55.9

$47.98 CA$67.3

-16.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$149

$83.6 CA$117

27.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$148 CA$207

-21.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 CA$1,439

$578 CA$811

77.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 CA$1,466

$541 CA$759

93.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 CA$2,358

$1,340 CA$1,879

25.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 CA$2,445

$1,094 CA$1,534

59.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,647 CA$3,711

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,927 CA$2,702

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,878 CA$4,035

$3,079 CA$4,317

-6.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

7.45

-11.54%

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

Last update for Sudbury: July 13, 2026

Last update for Fort St John, BC: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,026 in Sudbury and $578 in Fort St John, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort St John, BC pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Sudbury vs $44.00 in Fort St John, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $384 vs $411, with Sudbury 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

Sudbury vs Fort St John, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort St John, BC is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Fort St John, BC. 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: $1,026 in Sudbury versus $578 in Fort St John, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort St John, BC – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $60.0 in Sudbury. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,223 per month in Sudbury versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,730 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,223 in Sudbury, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fort St John, BC but tight or insufficient in Sudbury. The gap between the two cities makes Fort St John, BC 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 Fort St John, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Sudbury. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.