Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint John, New Brunswick: $1,954 a month against $2,662 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
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Vancouver Living Index
95

Cost of Living Index in Saint John, New Brunswick
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Saint John, New Brunswick Living Index

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Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,662

/mo nomad

Saint John, New Brunswick

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,954

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Saint John, New Brunswick

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Vancouver and in Saint John, New Brunswick actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,662 in Vancouver versus $1,954 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Vancouver $2,662
Saint John, New Brunswick $1,954

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,916 in Vancouver versus $2,938 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Vancouver $3,916
Saint John, New Brunswick $2,938

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,170 in Vancouver versus $3,922 in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Vancouver $5,170
Saint John, New Brunswick $3,922

Living in Vancouver is roughly 36% more expensive than in Saint John, New Brunswick, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 96% above, Saint John, New Brunswick 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.01 CA$25.46

$18.44 CA$26.08

-2.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$100

$61.0 CA$86.2

16.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.31

Cappuccino

$3.94 CA$5.56

$2.96 CA$4.18

33.11%

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

$2.13 CA$3.01

$1.77 CA$2.50

20.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.34

$1.07 CA$1.52

55.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 CA$8.10

$4.49 CA$6.35

27.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 CA$9.04

$5.00 CA$7.06

28.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$3.04

$2.23 CA$3.16

-3.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.61

$2.81 CA$3.97

-9.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.45

$2.99 CA$4.23

52.51%

Eggs

$4.06 CA$5.74

$3.56 CA$5.03

14.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 CA$17.17

$13.47 CA$19.05

-9.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.23 CA$18.71

$12.04 CA$17.02

9.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.24 CA$28.62

$12.83 CA$18.14

57.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.73

$5.00 CA$7.07

-19.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$2.00

$1.48 CA$2.10

-4.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.62

$4.16 CA$5.88

-4.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.53

$4.03 CA$5.70

-2.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.74

$2.03 CA$2.86

30.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.98

$2.21 CA$3.12

27.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 CA$3.51

$2.48 CA$3.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$1.38 CA$1.95

15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 CA$21.64

$14.23 CA$20.12

7.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 CA$20.24

$9.67 CA$13.67

48.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.63

$1.78 CA$2.52

44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.12

$2.08 CA$2.93

39.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 CA$3.60

$2.09 CA$2.95

22.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 CA$120

$56.4 CA$79.8

49.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 CA$3.73

$2.81 CA$3.97

-6.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.31

$1.05 CA$1.48

55.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.77 CA$44.91

$17.60 CA$24.89

80.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CA$2.01

$1.28 CA$1.80

10.94%

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

$27.1K CA$38.3K

$26.4K CA$37.3K

2.79%

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

$21.6K CA$30.5K

$21.4K CA$30.3K

0.82%

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

$81.3 CA$115

$122 CA$173

-33.37%

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

$37.20 CA$52.6

$42.20 CA$59.7

-11.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 CA$74.4

$64.5 CA$91.2

-18.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.34 CA$62.7

$53.3 CA$75.4

-16.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.37 CA$17.49

$35.52 CA$50.2

-65.17%

Cinema Ticket

$12.62 CA$17.85

$12.61 CA$17.83

0.08%

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

$1,093 CA$1,544

$372 CA$526

193.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K CA$28.2K

$11.3K CA$16.0K

76.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 CA$82.7

$50.5 CA$71.4

15.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.35 CA$47.14

$35.95 CA$50.8

-7.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 CA$136

$101 CA$143

-4.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 CA$135

$107 CA$151

-10.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 CA$2,495

$966 CA$1,366

82.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 CA$2,132

$826 CA$1,168

82.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,122 CA$4,414

$1,609 CA$2,275

94.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 CA$3,490

$1,353 CA$1,913

82.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,173 CA$11.6K

$2,035 CA$2,876

301.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,354 CA$8,982

$2,131 CA$3,013

198.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,592 CA$5,078

$2,596 CA$3,670

38.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

4.69

-8.74%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 17, 2026

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Vancouver

$1.5K 56.7%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$826 42.3% 45.2% $682

Groceries & Markets

Vancouver

$399 15%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$356 18.2% 10.8% $43

Eating Out

Vancouver

$280 10.5%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$259 13.3% 7.5% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vancouver

$171 6.4%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$229 11.7% 33.7% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Vancouver

$128 4.8%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$132 6.8% 3.6% $4.6

Getting Around

Vancouver

$106 4%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$73 3.7% 31% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Vancouver

$70 2.6%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$79 4% 12.9% $9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,765 in Vancouver and $966 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 38% 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: $71.0 in Vancouver vs $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $356 per month, with Saint John, New Brunswick cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🇨🇦 Saint John, New Brunswick

🕒 Local time

04:41 4:41 AM

08:41 8:41 AM

4 h ahead of Vancouver

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

631,486

70,063

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Vancouver Saint John, New Brunswick 4,220 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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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.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Vancouver, 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: $1,765 in Vancouver versus $966 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 $71.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,662 per month in Vancouver versus $1,954 in Saint John, New Brunswick – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,954 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $2,662 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.