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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
St. John's for retirees: QoL 63/100, healthcare 62/100, cost index 94, rent $1,200/mo. Compared to 20 other Newfoundland and Labrador cities below.
St. John's for retirees: QoL 63/100, healthcare 62/100, cost index 94, rent $1,200/mo. Compared to 20 other Newfoundland and Labrador cities below.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. John's | 94 | $1,200 | $65,500 |
| 2 | Quebec City | 96 | $1,350 | $63,500 |
| 3 | Charlottetown | 93 | $1,340 | $59,500 |
| 4 | Halifax | 100 | $1,720 | $66,000 |
| 5 | Fredericton | 92 | $1,260 | $61,000 |
| 6 | Victoria | 120 | $2,300 | $76,000 |
| 7 | Ottawa | 113 | $2,100 | $86,000 |
| 8 | Montreal | 104 | $1,700 | $66,000 |
| 9 | Saint John | 90 | $1,210 | $59,000 |
| 10 | Laval | 101 | $1,500 | $67,500 |
| 11 | Calgary | 114 | $2,050 | $86,500 |
| 12 | London | 101 | $1,660 | $68,500 |
| 13 | Mississauga | 118 | $2,450 | $80,000 |
| 14 | Vancouver | 134 | $2,850 | $80,000 |
| 15 | Saskatoon | 96 | $1,480 | $72,000 |
| 16 | Edmonton | 108 | $1,800 | $82,000 |
| 17 | Winnipeg | 93 | $1,420 | $67,500 |
| 18 | Regina | 94 | $1,370 | $70,000 |
| 19 | Toronto | 126 | $2,750 | $82,000 |
| 20 | Hamilton | 110 | $1,880 | $76,000 |
St. John's: cost index 94 (-12 vs national avg 106), rent $1,200/month.
Newfoundland and Labrador region average cost index: 106. St. John's is -12 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 63/100 — safety 66, healthcare 62, walkability 55.
Safety score: 66/100 (crime rate 55.3/1k). National average: 63/100.
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: St. John's has a cost index of 94 — 12 points below the Canada national average of 106. Median income is $65,500 with rent at $1,200/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 22%. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing.
And here's the trade-off: looking at Newfoundland and Labrador as a whole, the spread across all 21 cities is 30 points on the cost index. Surrey sits at the other end with index 124 and rent of $2,420/mo. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, St. John's scores a composite score of 63/100 — 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.
St. John's — cost index 94, rent $1,200/mo, income $65,500, QoL 63/100.
Quebec City — cost index 96, rent $1,350/mo, income $63,500, QoL 70/100.
Charlottetown — cost index 93, rent $1,340/mo, income $59,500, QoL 68/100.
Halifax — cost index 100, rent $1,720/mo, income $66,000, QoL 67/100.
Fredericton — cost index 92, rent $1,260/mo, income $61,000, QoL 67/100.
St. John's scores 63/100 on the relevant index for retirees — with rent of $1,200/month and cost index 94 (12 points below the national average of 106).
The Newfoundland and Labrador region of average QoL score is 61/100. St. John's leads with 63/100, 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.
St. John's: cost index 94, rent $1,200/mo, income $65,500/yr, QoL 63/100. Quebec City: cost index 96, rent $1,350/mo, income $63,500/yr, QoL 70/100.
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.