Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Saint John, New Brunswick Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Saint John, New Brunswick

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,845 in Vancouver versus $2,091 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,183 in Vancouver versus $3,020 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,520 in Vancouver versus $3,949 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 36% more expensive than Saint John, New Brunswick, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Saint John, New Brunswick 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.01

$21.77 CA$29.82

-16.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$108

$61.0 CA$83.6

29.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 CA$15.30

$10.45 CA$14.31

6.89%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.37

$3.03 CA$4.15

29.37%

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

$2.23 CA$3.05

$1.70 CA$2.33

31.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.51

$1.22 CA$1.67

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.02

$4.39 CA$6.01

33.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CA$9.82

$5.09 CA$6.97

40.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.02

$1.97 CA$2.69

11.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.41

$2.91 CA$3.99

10.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.13

$1.79 CA$2.45

109.50%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$5.98

$3.55 CA$4.87

22.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.71 CA$17.41

$11.56 CA$15.84

9.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.90 CA$19.04

$8.61 CA$11.79

61.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.45

$16.26 CA$22.28

-3.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.81

$4.03 CA$5.52

5.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.11

$1.50 CA$2.06

2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.30

$3.63 CA$4.98

6.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$6.96

$4.43 CA$6.06

14.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.38

$2.10 CA$2.88

52.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.02

$2.20 CA$3.01

33.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.60

$2.75 CA$3.77

-4.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.55

$1.51 CA$2.06

23.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.36 CA$21.04

$18.35 CA$25.14

-16.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 CA$21.20

$10.28 CA$14.08

50.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.25

$3.31 CA$4.54

-6.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$3.37 CA$4.62

10.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.27

$2.24 CA$3.07

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.0 CA$115

$60.5 CA$82.8

39.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.01

$3.57 CA$4.90

2.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.03

$1.12 CA$1.53

32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 CA$36.96

$29.47 CA$40.37

-8.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.76

$1.17 CA$1.61

9.40%

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

$25.6K CA$35.0K

$25.1K CA$34.3K

2.04%

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

$20.8K CA$28.6K

$19.9K CA$27.3K

4.61%

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

$91.0 CA$125

$127 CA$175

-28.62%

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

$40.15 CA$55.0

$38.36 CA$52.6

4.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 CA$83.3

$63.4 CA$86.9

-4.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.05 CA$63.1

$42.93 CA$58.8

7.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 CA$21.61

$37.01 CA$50.7

-57.39%

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 CA$16.79

$11.06 CA$15.16

10.76%

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

$1,165 CA$1,596

$168 CA$231

591.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.2K

$11.6K CA$15.9K

58.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.7

$40.92 CA$56.1

52.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.30 CA$58.0

$42.57 CA$58.3

-0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 CA$134

$85.0 CA$116

15.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$156

$123 CA$168

-6.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 CA$2,724

$1,038 CA$1,422

91.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CA$2,287

$973 CA$1,333

71.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,580 CA$4,904

$1,590 CA$2,178

125.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 CA$3,738

$1,445 CA$1,979

88.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,014 CA$12.3K

$2,133 CA$2,922

322.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,085 CA$9,707

$2,202 CA$3,016

221.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,588 CA$4,916

$2,684 CA$3,677

33.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.18

-9.22%

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

Last update for Vancouver: April 12, 2026

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,988 in Vancouver and $1,038 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver 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: $79 in Vancouver vs $61 in Saint John, New Brunswick for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $346 per month, with Saint John, New Brunswick cheaper across the board.

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

Vancouver vs Saint John, New Brunswick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint John, New Brunswick wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Vancouver. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Saint John, New Brunswick the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Vancouver pays 34% 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: $1,988 in Vancouver versus $1,038 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint John, New Brunswick – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $79.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,845 per month in Vancouver versus $2,091 in Saint John, New Brunswick – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,091 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $2,845 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saint John, New Brunswick but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Saint John, New Brunswick 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 Saint John, New Brunswick gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.