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: $2,620 in Toronto versus $2,136 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

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

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

Living in Toronto is roughly 23% more expensive than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.75

$18.36 CA$25.47

-2.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$120

$72.3 CA$100

20.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.17

$12.09 CA$16.76

-9.51%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.57

$4.13 CA$5.73

-2.91%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.54 CA$3.53

-13.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$2.22 CA$3.08

-23.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 CA$8.94

$5.15 CA$7.14

25.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CA$9.77

$5.42 CA$7.51

30.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$2.86 CA$3.97

-5.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$3.12 CA$4.33

-6.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$4.49 CA$6.23

-44.77%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.34

$3.62 CA$5.02

6.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.01

$11.47 CA$15.91

-11.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.66

$13.64 CA$18.92

-11.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 CA$21.65

$12.15 CA$16.86

28.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$4.70 CA$6.52

-17.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$3.12 CA$4.33

-60.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$4.92 CA$6.82

-23.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.08

$2.97 CA$4.12

47.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$2.77 CA$3.84

-30.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$2.31 CA$3.21

-35.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$4.31 CA$5.98

-47.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.03 CA$2.82

-28.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.13

$14.30 CA$19.83

1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 CA$19.99

$16.35 CA$22.67

-11.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$4.20 CA$5.82

-46.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$4.42 CA$6.12

-41.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$1.79 CA$2.49

31.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$57.2 CA$79.3

99.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$3.20 CA$4.44

-1.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.83 CA$2.54

-31.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 CA$31.29

$29.29 CA$40.62

-22.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.29 CA$1.79

-3.88%

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

$27.3K CA$37.9K

$28.2K CA$39.1K

-3.02%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$22.3K CA$31.0K

-7.15%

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

$124 CA$172

$185 CA$257

-33.22%

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

$32.72 CA$45.37

$42.87 CA$59.5

-23.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.79 CA$67.7

$76.2 CA$106

-35.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 CA$55.9

$67.7 CA$93.9

-40.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 CA$33.06

$19.54 CA$27.10

22.01%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 CA$17.77

$10.71 CA$14.86

19.70%

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

$787 CA$1,092

$535 CA$741

47.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K CA$34.0K

$9,997 CA$13.9K

145.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$75.2

$67.5 CA$93.6

-19.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.10 CA$59.8

$51.3 CA$71.1

-15.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 CA$136

$81.3 CA$113

20.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$95.1 CA$132

32.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 CA$2,302

$1,003 CA$1,390

65.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 CA$2,057

$794 CA$1,102

86.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CA$3,883

$1,571 CA$2,178

78.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 CA$2,991

$1,392 CA$1,930

54.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,381 CA$11.6K

$1,992 CA$2,762

320.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 CA$9,488

$1,635 CA$2,268

318.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,269

$2,831 CA$3,926

34.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.57

-2.19%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,660 in Toronto and $1,003 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. 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: $87.0 in Toronto vs $72.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Groceries flip the comparison at $364 vs $425, 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 Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Toronto, 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: $1,660 in Toronto versus $1,003 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 100% less than in Toronto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $787 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.

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.