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: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,118 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $3,111 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $4,103 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Living in Toronto is roughly 32% more expensive than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$18.30 CA$25.75

1.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$72.8 CA$102

15.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$11.61 CA$16.33

-5.51%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$3.30 CA$4.65

20.91%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$2.51 CA$3.53

-15.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.80 CA$2.53

-6.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$5.04 CA$7.09

17.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$5.18 CA$7.29

25.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$3.02 CA$4.25

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$3.12 CA$4.39

-8.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$4.44 CA$6.24

-19.82%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$3.82 CA$5.37

-7.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$9.05 CA$12.74

46.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$12.95 CA$18.22

0.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$11.34 CA$15.96

47.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$5.52 CA$7.77

-25.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$2.29 CA$3.23

-50.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$5.50 CA$7.74

-38.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$3.15 CA$4.43

27.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$2.11 CA$2.97

15.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$2.66 CA$3.74

10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$3.37 CA$4.74

-26.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$2.24 CA$3.15

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$14.48 CA$20.37

3.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$14.08 CA$19.81

1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$4.29 CA$6.04

-36.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$4.79 CA$6.73

-34.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$1.89 CA$2.66

29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$56.4 CA$79.4

100.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$3.33 CA$4.68

9.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.75 CA$2.47

-23.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$30.32 CA$42.66

-15.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.28 CA$1.80

-13.28%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$24.7K CA$34.7K

2.41%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$22.6K CA$31.8K

-3.72%

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

$117 CA$164

$197 CA$277

-40.80%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$57.6 CA$81.1

-34.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$79.0 CA$111

-32.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$78.4 CA$110

-27.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$11.11 CA$15.63

87.76%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$8.78 CA$12.36

31.66%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$491 CA$691

128.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$8,797 CA$12.4K

109.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$67.2 CA$94.5

-14.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$52.1 CA$73.3

-25.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$83.3 CA$117

5.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$97.0 CA$136

17.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$948 CA$1,334

94.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$747 CA$1,051

104.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$1,425 CA$2,005

105.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$1,243 CA$1,749

101.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$1,973 CA$2,776

342.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$1,575 CA$2,217

335.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$2,734 CA$3,847

26.33%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $948 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 26% 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $411, 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 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,842 in Toronto versus $948 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 $1,125 in Toronto versus $491 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 $2,118 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $2,788 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 32% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.