Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Regina vs St. John's in 2026: cost index 90 vs 90, rent $1,250 vs $1,100, income $66,000 vs $62,000, QoL 58 vs 64.
Regina vs St. John's in 2026: cost index 90 vs 90, rent $1,250 vs $1,100, income $66,000 vs $62,000, QoL 58 vs 64.
Regina ranks #1 with a cost index of 90 and rent of $1,250/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 90 (-11 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 61/100. Top: Regina at 58/100.
Safest city: St. John's (66/100 safety score).
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Regina stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 90 and median income of $66,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Canada. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, St. John's leads with a composite score of 64/100 — reflecting its safety (66), healthcare (62), and walkability (55) metrics. Context matters here. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
The country average QoL score is 63/100. Regina leads with 58/100, reflecting its 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.
Regina (ranked #1) has a cost index of 90 and rent of $1,250/mo. St. John's (#2) has index 90 and rent $1,100/mo — a 0-point gap.