Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Saint John vs St. John's in 2026: cost index 90 vs 94, rent $1,210 vs $1,200, income $59,000 vs $65,500, QoL 62 vs 63.
Saint John vs St. John's in 2026: cost index 90 vs 94, rent $1,210 vs $1,200, income $59,000 vs $65,500, QoL 62 vs 63.
Saint John: cost index 90 (-16 vs national avg 106), rent $1,210/month.
New Brunswick region average cost index: 92. Saint John is -2 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 62/100 — safety 58, healthcare 64, walkability 55.
Safety score: 58/100 (crime rate 68.5/1k). National average: 63/100.
One stat flips the usual narrative: Saint John has a cost index of 90 — 16 points below the Canada national average of 106. Median income is $59,000 with rent at $1,210/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 25%. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing.
On quality of life, Saint John scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (58), healthcare (64), 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.
Saint John has a cost index of 90 (national avg: 106), rent $1,210/mo, median income $59,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 62/100.
The New Brunswick region of average QoL score is 63/100. 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: cost index 90, rent $1,210/mo, income $59,000/yr, QoL 62/100. St. John's: cost index 94, rent $1,200/mo, income $65,500/yr, QoL 63/100.