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: $2,783 in Vancouver versus $2,136 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,030 in Vancouver versus $3,210 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,278 in Vancouver versus $4,285 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 30% 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 102% above, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 CA$24.95

$18.36 CA$25.47

-2.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$72.3 CA$100

0.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 CA$14.92

$12.09 CA$16.76

-11.00%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.79

$4.13 CA$5.73

0.97%

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

$2.20 CA$3.04

$2.54 CA$3.53

-13.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$2.22 CA$3.08

-22.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.19

$5.15 CA$7.14

14.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.24

$5.42 CA$7.51

22.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.86 CA$3.97

-23.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$3.12 CA$4.33

-14.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.14

$4.49 CA$6.23

-1.34%

Eggs

$4.20 CA$5.83

$3.62 CA$5.02

16.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 CA$16.47

$11.47 CA$15.91

3.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.94

$13.64 CA$18.92

0.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 CA$28.17

$12.15 CA$16.86

67.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$4.70 CA$6.52

-9.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$3.12 CA$4.33

-55.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.61

$4.92 CA$6.82

-17.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.58

$2.97 CA$4.12

35.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$2.77 CA$3.84

3.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.15

$2.31 CA$3.21

29.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$4.31 CA$5.98

-38.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$2.03 CA$2.82

-18.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.92 CA$22.07

$14.30 CA$19.83

11.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.28

$16.35 CA$22.67

-10.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$4.20 CA$5.82

-33.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.25

$4.42 CA$6.12

-30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.56

$1.79 CA$2.49

43.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$115

$57.2 CA$79.3

45.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$3.20 CA$4.44

-15.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$1.83 CA$2.54

-10.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.32

$29.29 CA$40.62

11.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.29 CA$1.79

11.63%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$28.2K CA$39.1K

0.82%

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

$19.5K CA$27.1K

$22.3K CA$31.0K

-12.55%

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

$79.2 CA$110

$185 CA$257

-57.26%

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

$36.21 CA$50.2

$42.87 CA$59.5

-15.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 CA$71.2

$76.2 CA$106

-32.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.4

$67.7 CA$93.9

-35.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 CA$18.25

$19.54 CA$27.10

-32.65%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.44

$10.71 CA$14.86

10.64%

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

$1,131 CA$1,568

$535 CA$741

111.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$9,997 CA$13.9K

96.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 CA$83.2

$67.5 CA$93.6

-11.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.84 CA$48.31

$51.3 CA$71.1

-32.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 CA$125

$81.3 CA$113

11.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 CA$130

$95.1 CA$132

-1.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,505

$1,003 CA$1,390

80.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 CA$2,192

$794 CA$1,102

99.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,182 CA$4,413

$1,571 CA$2,178

102.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CA$3,418

$1,392 CA$1,930

77.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,841 CA$12.3K

$1,992 CA$2,762

343.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,963 CA$9,656

$1,635 CA$2,268

325.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,738 CA$5,183

$2,831 CA$3,926

32.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.57

-7.88%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,806 in Vancouver and $1,003 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 32% 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: $73.0 in Vancouver vs $72.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Groceries flip the comparison at $408 vs $425, with Vancouver cheaper for home cooking.

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 Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 32% 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: $1,806 in Vancouver versus $1,003 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 46% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,131 in Vancouver versus $535 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 $2,136 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $2,783 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 30% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.