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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,071 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $3,131 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $4,191 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Living in Toronto is roughly 36% more expensive than St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.90

$18.72 CA$25.91

-0.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$113

$73.3 CA$102

11.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.99

$11.66 CA$16.14

-7.12%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.38

$3.32 CA$4.60

17.17%

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

$2.22 CA$3.07

$2.48 CA$3.44

-10.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.28

$1.80 CA$2.50

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.38

$5.02 CA$6.95

20.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.11

$5.21 CA$7.22

26.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.77

$2.94 CA$4.07

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.76

$3.29 CA$4.55

-17.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.90

$4.50 CA$6.23

-21.33%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.84

$3.89 CA$5.39

-10.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.73

$8.75 CA$12.11

54.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.12

$12.85 CA$17.79

1.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.49

$11.19 CA$15.50

51.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.76

$5.54 CA$7.67

-24.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$2.21 CA$3.06

-46.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.50

$5.33 CA$7.37

-39.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.70

$3.02 CA$4.19

36.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$2.20 CA$3.05

13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$2.66 CA$3.68

8.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$3.36 CA$4.66

-30.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.77

$2.25 CA$3.12

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.19

$14.71 CA$20.36

-0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.63

$14.28 CA$19.77

-0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$4.19 CA$5.81

-33.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$4.70 CA$6.51

-30.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$1.80 CA$2.50

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$57.6 CA$79.7

98.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.20

$3.28 CA$4.54

14.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.72 CA$2.38

-18.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.34

$30.11 CA$41.70

-15.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.25 CA$1.73

-12.00%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$24.9K CA$34.5K

1.27%

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

$21.1K CA$29.2K

$22.0K CA$30.5K

-4.24%

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

$120 CA$166

$198 CA$275

-39.70%

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

$37.54 CA$52.0

$58.2 CA$80.6

-35.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.5

$77.9 CA$108

-30.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$76.9

$77.7 CA$108

-28.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.28

$10.85 CA$15.03

94.93%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.00

$8.93 CA$12.37

29.45%

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

$1,129 CA$1,564

$505 CA$699

123.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$24.9K

$8,949 CA$12.4K

100.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$78.8

$68.6 CA$95.0

-17.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.3

$52.0 CA$71.9

-23.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$124

$85.8 CA$119

4.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$96.7 CA$134

18.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,561

$947 CA$1,312

95.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,159

$751 CA$1,040

107.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,051

$1,439 CA$1,993

103.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,420

$1,291 CA$1,787

91.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$2,051 CA$2,840

342.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,742

$1,613 CA$2,234

336.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,946

$2,870 CA$3,974

24.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.77

-23.78%

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

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $947 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 24% 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: $82.0 in Toronto vs $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $409, 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

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

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Toronto pays 24% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,849 in Toronto versus $947 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. 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 98% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,129 in Toronto versus $505 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. 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 $2,811 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 36% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.