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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Is Saint John good for families? Safety score 58/100, crime rate 68.5/1k. Cost index 90, rent $1,210/mo. Compared to 20 other New Brunswick cities below.
Is Saint John good for families? Safety score 58/100, crime rate 68.5/1k. Cost index 90, rent $1,210/mo. Compared to 20 other New Brunswick cities below.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint John | 90 | $1,210 | $59,000 |
| 2 | Charlottetown | 93 | $1,340 | $59,500 |
| 3 | Quebec City | 96 | $1,350 | $63,500 |
| 4 | Ottawa | 113 | $2,100 | $86,000 |
| 5 | Victoria | 120 | $2,300 | $76,000 |
| 6 | Fredericton | 92 | $1,260 | $61,000 |
| 7 | Mississauga | 118 | $2,450 | $80,000 |
| 8 | Laval | 101 | $1,500 | $67,500 |
| 9 | Halifax | 100 | $1,720 | $66,000 |
| 10 | Calgary | 114 | $2,050 | $86,500 |
| 11 | St. John's | 94 | $1,200 | $65,500 |
| 12 | Vancouver | 134 | $2,850 | $80,000 |
| 13 | Montreal | 104 | $1,700 | $66,000 |
| 14 | Toronto | 126 | $2,750 | $82,000 |
| 15 | London | 101 | $1,660 | $68,500 |
| 16 | Hamilton | 110 | $1,880 | $76,000 |
| 17 | Surrey | 124 | $2,420 | $74,000 |
| 18 | Edmonton | 108 | $1,800 | $82,000 |
| 19 | Saskatoon | 96 | $1,480 | $72,000 |
| 20 | Regina | 94 | $1,370 | $70,000 |
Saint John: cost index 90 (-16 vs national avg 106), rent $1,210/month.
New Brunswick region average cost index: 106. Saint John is -16 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.
Here's where the conversation shifts from 'affordable' to 'strategic': 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%. That's a strong position by any measure.
Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. looking at New Brunswick as a whole, the spread across all 21 cities is 3 points on the cost index. Winnipeg sits at the other end with index 93 and rent of $1,420/mo. That's a difference you notice every single month.
On quality of life, Saint John scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (58), healthcare (64), and walkability (55) metrics. Layer in taxes, though, and the math changes. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
Saint John — cost index 90, rent $1,210/mo, income $59,000, QoL 62/100.
Charlottetown — cost index 93, rent $1,340/mo, income $59,500, QoL 68/100.
Quebec City — cost index 96, rent $1,350/mo, income $63,500, QoL 70/100.
Ottawa — cost index 113, rent $2,100/mo, income $86,000, QoL 64/100.
Victoria — cost index 120, rent $2,300/mo, income $76,000, QoL 66/100.
Saint John scores 62/100 on the relevant index for families — with rent of $1,210/month and cost index 90 (16 points below the national average of 106).
The New Brunswick region of 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: cost index 90, rent $1,210/mo, income $59,000/yr, QoL 62/100. Charlottetown: cost index 93, rent $1,340/mo, income $59,500/yr, QoL 68/100.
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.