Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and St John

For one person, living is cheaper in St John: $319 a month against $2,599 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $27,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Toronto
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Toronto Living Index

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Toronto

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,599

/mo nomad

St John

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$319

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in St John

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 actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,599 in Toronto versus $319 in St John.

Toronto $2,599
St John $319

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,700 in Toronto versus $924 in St John.

Toronto $3,700
St John $924

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,801 in Toronto versus $1,529 in St John.

Toronto $4,801
St John $1,529

Living in Toronto is roughly 715% more expensive than in St John.

The two cities straddle the global median: Toronto is 92% above, St John is 76% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.98 CA$25.20

$19.79 $19.79

-9.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$101

$175 $175

-58.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.18

Cappuccino

$4.34 CA$6.09

$6.97 $6.97

-37.73%

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

$2.16 CA$3.03

$3.03 $3.03

-28.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.32

$2.04 $2.04

-18.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 CA$8.90

$8.13 $8.13

-21.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.34 CA$10.29

$8.04 $8.04

-8.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 CA$3.60

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.79

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 CA$3.19

Eggs

$3.60 CA$5.05

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 CA$12.54

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.19 CA$15.69

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.23 CA$21.34

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.25

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 CA$1.72

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 CA$5.02

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 CA$2.72

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 CA$2.34

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CA$3.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 CA$1.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.19 CA$19.90

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 CA$19.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 CA$3.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.62

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$156

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 CA$4.22

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.82 CA$30.59

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.73

$1.55 $1.55

-20.65%

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

$27.0K CA$37.8K

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

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

$121 CA$169

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

$33.10 CA$46.40

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.09 CA$68.8

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.65 CA$51.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.01 CA$35.06

Cinema Ticket

$12.78 CA$17.91

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

$754 CA$1,058

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.7K CA$47.2K

$13.4K $13.4K

150.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 CA$70.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.43 CA$58.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$142

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 CA$183

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 CA$2,228

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,424 CA$1,996

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,641 CA$3,702

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 CA$2,930

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,730 CA$10.8K

$12.9K $12.9K

-40.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,892 CA$9,661

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,623 CA$5,078

$5,165 $5,165

-29.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.45

7.05

-36.88%

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

Last update for Toronto: November 2, 2026

Last update for St John: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Toronto

$1.4K 54.8%

St John

–

Groceries & Markets

Toronto

$345 13.3%

St John

–

Eating Out

Toronto

$290 11.2%

St John

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toronto

$203 7.8%

St John

–

Clothing & Footwear

Toronto

$145 5.6%

St John

–

Getting Around

Toronto

$130 5%

St John

–

Sport & Entertainment

Toronto

$62 2.4%

St John

–

Cost Breakdown

St John pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $72 in Toronto vs $175 in St John for two.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Toronto

🇻🇮 St John

🕒 Local time

06:51 6:51 AM

07:51 7:51 AM

1 h ahead of Toronto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,731,571

2,743

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.635 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.635 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Toronto St John 3,130 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Toronto
St John

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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,599 in Toronto and $319 in St John, so St John is about 88% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Toronto. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Dining out is cheaper in Toronto – a meal for two runs $72 versus $175 in St John. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,599 per month in Toronto versus $319 in St John – St John is about 88% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $319 in St John versus $2,599 in Toronto, a $1,200 budget is realistic in St John but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes St John 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.