Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $2,071 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,231 in Vancouver versus $3,131 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,630 in Vancouver versus $4,191 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 37% more expensive than St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.28

$18.72 CA$25.91

-2.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$73.3 CA$102

6.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.02

$11.66 CA$16.14

-6.95%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.51

$3.32 CA$4.60

19.88%

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

$2.12 CA$2.93

$2.48 CA$3.44

-14.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.46

$1.80 CA$2.50

-1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$7.99

$5.02 CA$6.95

14.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.46

$5.21 CA$7.22

45.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.21

$2.94 CA$4.07

-21.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.29

$3.29 CA$4.55

-5.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.38

$4.50 CA$6.23

-13.56%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.27

$3.89 CA$5.39

16.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.88

$8.75 CA$12.11

47.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.58

$12.85 CA$17.79

10.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.80

$11.19 CA$15.50

40.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.89

$5.54 CA$7.67

-23.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.03

$2.21 CA$3.06

-33.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.57

$5.33 CA$7.37

-24.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.01

$3.02 CA$4.19

67.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.18

$2.20 CA$3.05

37.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$2.66 CA$3.68

10.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$3.36 CA$4.66

-22.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.60

$2.25 CA$3.12

-16.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.04

$14.71 CA$20.36

3.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.80

$14.28 CA$19.77

0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$4.19 CA$5.81

-26.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$4.70 CA$6.51

-20.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.37

$1.80 CA$2.50

35.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$57.6 CA$79.7

47.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$3.28 CA$4.54

14.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.72 CA$2.38

-12.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$37.98

$30.11 CA$41.70

-8.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.25 CA$1.73

7.20%

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

$25.1K CA$34.8K

$24.9K CA$34.5K

0.75%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$22.0K CA$30.5K

-5.79%

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

$91.8 CA$127

$198 CA$275

-53.74%

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

$39.42 CA$54.6

$58.2 CA$80.6

-32.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.6

$77.9 CA$108

-21.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.2

$77.7 CA$108

-42.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.71

$10.85 CA$15.03

44.52%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.12

$8.93 CA$12.37

38.52%

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

$1,180 CA$1,634

$505 CA$699

133.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.0K

$8,949 CA$12.4K

109.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.8

$68.6 CA$95.0

-8.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.7

$52.0 CA$71.9

-16.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$131

$85.8 CA$119

10.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$96.7 CA$134

22.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,762

$947 CA$1,312

110.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,256

$751 CA$1,040

116.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,969

$1,439 CA$1,993

149.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,834

$1,291 CA$1,787

114.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

$2,051 CA$2,840

350.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,811

$1,613 CA$2,234

339.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,810

$2,870 CA$3,974

21.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.77

-17.13%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $947 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 21% 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: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $409 per month, with St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Vancouver pays 21% 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: $1,995 in Vancouver versus $947 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 47% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,180 in Vancouver versus $505 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 $2,071 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $2,831 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. 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 37% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.