Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador: $2,128 a month against $2,589 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Toronto outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Toronto, Canada
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,589
/mo nomad
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,128
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,589 in Toronto versus $2,128 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

  • Toronto $2,589
  • St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $2,128

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,710 in Toronto versus $3,149 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

  • Toronto $3,710
  • St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $3,149

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,831 in Toronto versus $4,170 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

  • Toronto $4,831
  • St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $4,170

Living in Toronto is roughly 22% more expensive than in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 90% above, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador 56% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toronto
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.60 CA$24.62
$17.60 CA$24.62
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.8 CA$109
$72.0 CA$101
8.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 CA$14.81
$11.73 CA$16.41
-9.72%
Cappuccino
$4.16 CA$5.82
$4.03 CA$5.64
3.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 CA$2.86
$2.59 CA$3.62
-21.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 CA$2.45
$2.20 CA$3.08
-20.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.58 CA$9.20
$4.87 CA$6.82
35.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.11 CA$9.95
$5.43 CA$7.59
30.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toronto
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.53 CA$3.55
$2.77 CA$3.88
-8.66%
White Bread (500g)
$2.70 CA$3.78
$3.07 CA$4.30
-12.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 CA$3.13
$4.28 CA$5.99
-47.66%
Eggs
$3.48 CA$4.87
$3.87 CA$5.42
-10.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.38 CA$13.11
$11.53 CA$16.13
-18.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.60 CA$16.22
$13.32 CA$18.63
-12.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.68 CA$20.54
$11.81 CA$16.53
24.30%
Apples (1kg)
$3.74 CA$5.24
$4.85 CA$6.78
-22.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 CA$1.71
$3.09 CA$4.33
-60.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.48 CA$4.87
$4.80 CA$6.71
-27.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.32 CA$6.05
$3.08 CA$4.30
40.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 CA$2.59
$2.65 CA$3.70
-30.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.69 CA$2.36
$2.31 CA$3.23
-26.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.23 CA$3.12
$2.86 CA$4.00
-22.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 CA$1.79
$2.02 CA$2.82
-36.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.04 CA$19.64
$13.80 CA$19.30
1.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.43 CA$20.18
$16.10 CA$22.52
-10.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 CA$3.02
$4.19 CA$5.87
-48.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 CA$3.53
$4.33 CA$6.06
-41.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Toronto
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.37 CA$3.31
$1.83 CA$2.56
29.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$112 CA$157
$55.7 CA$77.9
101.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 CA$4.26
$3.22 CA$4.51
-5.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.24 CA$1.73
$1.75 CA$2.45
-29.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.55 CA$31.55
$28.39 CA$39.71
-20.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 CA$1.74
$1.39 CA$1.94
-10.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K CA$37.6K
$28.6K CA$40.1K
-6.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.4K CA$29.9K
$23.8K CA$33.4K
-10.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 CA$174
$182 CA$255
-31.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.05 CA$46.23
$41.72 CA$58.4
-20.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.96 CA$67.1
$76.6 CA$107
-37.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.69 CA$51.3
$68.1 CA$95.3
-46.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.67 CA$33.11
$19.14 CA$26.77
23.67%
Cinema Ticket
$13.08 CA$18.29
$10.63 CA$14.87
23.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toronto
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$759 CA$1,061
$535 CA$748
41.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.8K CA$33.3K
$9,862 CA$13.8K
141.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 CA$74.9
$66.9 CA$93.6
-20.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.44 CA$56.6
$51.5 CA$72.0
-21.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 CA$141
$81.7 CA$114
23.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 CA$175
$96.2 CA$135
30.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toronto
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,630 CA$2,280
$1,041 CA$1,457
56.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,416 CA$1,980
$836 CA$1,169
69.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,694 CA$3,768
$1,540 CA$2,153
74.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,101 CA$2,939
$1,322 CA$1,849
58.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,551 CA$10.6K
$2,435 CA$3,405
210.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,674 CA$9,335
$1,776 CA$2,484
275.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toronto
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,543 CA$4,956
$2,823 CA$3,949
25.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.45
4.57
-2.63%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 26, 2026

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Toronto
$1.4K
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$836 41% $580
Groceries & Markets
Toronto
$345
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$415 20.4% $70
Eating Out
Toronto
$285
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$279 2.1% $6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
$206
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$300 46.1% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
$144
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$133 7.3% $11
Getting Around
Toronto
$131
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$75 42.8% $56
Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
$63
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$89 42.3% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,630 in Toronto and $1,041 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 26% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $78 in Toronto vs $72 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $415, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Toronto
🇨🇦 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
🕒 Local time
02:51 2:51 AM
04:21 4:21 AM
1 h 30 min ahead of Toronto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,731,571
110,525
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.715 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.642 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Toronto St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 2,110 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Toronto
  • St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

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
Toronto vs St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador cheaper than Toronto?
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador is about 18% cheaper overall, especially in transport and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Toronto or St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador?
Average pay runs 26% higher in Toronto, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Toronto and St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,630 in Toronto versus $1,041 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador runs roughly 50% less than in Toronto. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $759 in Toronto versus $535 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Toronto or in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador?
At $2,128 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $2,589 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.
Is Toronto or St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador more family-friendly?
For families, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Toronto, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador wins on affordability, Toronto on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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