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: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $2,118 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $3,111 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $4,103 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$18.30 CA$25.75

1.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$72.8 CA$102

6.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$11.61 CA$16.33

-6.63%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$3.30 CA$4.65

19.09%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

$2.51 CA$3.53

-10.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.80 CA$2.53

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$5.04 CA$7.09

20.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$5.18 CA$7.29

40.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$3.02 CA$4.25

-23.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$3.12 CA$4.39

-1.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$4.44 CA$6.24

-15.09%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$3.82 CA$5.37

13.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$9.05 CA$12.74

38.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$12.95 CA$18.22

6.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$11.34 CA$15.96

41.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$5.52 CA$7.77

-22.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$2.29 CA$3.23

-33.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$5.50 CA$7.74

-28.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$3.15 CA$4.43

61.27%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$2.11 CA$2.97

51.66%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.66 CA$3.74

16.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$3.37 CA$4.74

-22.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$2.24 CA$3.15

-16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$14.48 CA$20.37

6.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$14.08 CA$19.81

5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$4.29 CA$6.04

-27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$4.79 CA$6.73

-20.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$1.89 CA$2.66

28.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$56.4 CA$79.4

47.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$3.33 CA$4.68

12.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.75 CA$2.47

-15.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$30.32 CA$42.66

-11.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.28 CA$1.80

1.56%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$24.7K CA$34.7K

2.07%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$22.6K CA$31.8K

-9.07%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$197 CA$277

-53.41%

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

$39.34 CA$55.4

$57.6 CA$81.1

-31.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$79.0 CA$111

-23.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$78.4 CA$110

-43.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

$11.11 CA$15.63

42.93%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$8.78 CA$12.36

38.72%

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

$1,185 CA$1,667

$491 CA$691

141.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$8,797 CA$12.4K

110.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$67.2 CA$94.5

-6.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$52.1 CA$73.3

-18.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$83.3 CA$117

14.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$97.0 CA$136

18.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$948 CA$1,334

108.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$747 CA$1,051

120.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$1,425 CA$2,005

150.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$1,243 CA$1,749

123.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$1,973 CA$2,776

343.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

$1,575 CA$2,217

349.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

$2,734 CA$3,847

23.64%

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: July 14, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $948 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 24% 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 $414 vs $411 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.

Average pay runs 24% 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: $1,979 in Vancouver 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 47% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,185 in Vancouver 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 $2,906 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.