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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The most affordable cities in New Brunswick, Canada ranked by cost index in 2026. Saint John is cheapest at 90 — 16 points below the national average. Average rent across New Brunswick is $1,235/month vs the national $1,800/month.
The most affordable cities in New Brunswick, Canada ranked by cost index in 2026. Saint John is cheapest at 90 — 16 points below the national average. Average rent across New Brunswick is $1,235/month vs the national $1,800/month.
Saint John ranks #1 with a cost index of 90 and rent of $1,210/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 91 (-15 vs national average of 106).
Average quality of life: 65/100. Top: Saint John at 62/100.
Safest city: Fredericton (72/100 safety score).
Strip away assumptions, and something unexpected emerges. Saint John stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 90 and median income of $59,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Canada. Financially, that's significant.
On quality of life, Fredericton leads with a composite score of 67/100 — reflecting its safety (72), healthcare (66), and walkability (58) metrics. Here's where it gets complicated: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint John | 90 | $1,210 | $59,000 |
| 2 | Fredericton | 92 | $1,260 | $61,000 |
Saint John — cost index 90, rent $1,210/mo, income $59,000, QoL 62/100.
Fredericton — cost index 92, rent $1,260/mo, income $61,000, QoL 67/100.
Saint John ranks #1 in New Brunswick for this analysis with a cost index of 90 and median income of $59,000.
The region average QoL score is 61/100. Saint John leads with 62/100, reflecting safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA.
Saint John (ranked #1) has a cost index of 90 and rent of $1,210/mo. Fredericton (#2) has index 92 and rent $1,260/mo — a 2-point gap.
This analysis uses data from Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA to rank cities in Canada. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.