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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Saint John air quality: AQI 16 — excellent. Green space 25%. Compared to New Brunswick cities in 2026.
Saint John air quality: AQI 16 — excellent. Green space 25%. Compared to New Brunswick cities in 2026.
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.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint John | 90 | $1,210 | $59,000 |
| 2 | Charlottetown | 93 | $1,340 | $59,500 |
| 3 | Fredericton | 92 | $1,260 | $61,000 |
| 4 | St. John's | 94 | $1,200 | $65,500 |
| 5 | Victoria | 120 | $2,300 | $76,000 |
| 6 | Saskatoon | 96 | $1,480 | $72,000 |
| 7 | Regina | 94 | $1,370 | $70,000 |
| 8 | Halifax | 100 | $1,720 | $66,000 |
| 9 | Quebec City | 96 | $1,350 | $63,500 |
| 10 | Winnipeg | 93 | $1,420 | $67,500 |
| 11 | Ottawa | 113 | $2,100 | $86,000 |
| 12 | Calgary | 114 | $2,050 | $86,500 |
| 13 | Edmonton | 108 | $1,800 | $82,000 |
| 14 | Vancouver | 134 | $2,850 | $80,000 |
| 15 | London | 101 | $1,660 | $68,500 |
| 16 | Montreal | 104 | $1,700 | $66,000 |
| 17 | Laval | 101 | $1,500 | $67,500 |
| 18 | Surrey | 124 | $2,420 | $74,000 |
| 19 | Toronto | 126 | $2,750 | $82,000 |
| 20 | Mississauga | 118 | $2,450 | $80,000 |
Let's cut to what actually matters here. 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 ratio is hard to beat anywhere else.
But here's the flip side: looking at New Brunswick as a whole, the spread across all 21 cities is 20 points on the cost index. Hamilton sits at the other end with index 110 and rent of $1,880/mo. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Saint John scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (58), healthcare (64), and walkability (55) metrics. And here's the trade-off: 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.
Fredericton — cost index 92, rent $1,260/mo, income $61,000, QoL 67/100.
St. John's — cost index 94, rent $1,200/mo, income $65,500, QoL 63/100.
Victoria — cost index 120, rent $2,300/mo, income $76,000, QoL 66/100.
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 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.