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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Saint John startup scene score: 22/100. Cost index 90, internet 60 Mbps, median income $59,000/yr. How does Saint John stack up for founders vs New Brunswick peers?
Saint John startup scene score: 22/100. Cost index 90, internet 60 Mbps, median income $59,000/yr. How does Saint John stack up for founders vs New Brunswick peers?
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 | Vancouver | 134 | $2,850 | $80,000 |
| 3 | Toronto | 126 | $2,750 | $82,000 |
| 4 | Montreal | 104 | $1,700 | $66,000 |
| 5 | Ottawa | 113 | $2,100 | $86,000 |
| 6 | Calgary | 114 | $2,050 | $86,500 |
| 7 | Victoria | 120 | $2,300 | $76,000 |
| 8 | Edmonton | 108 | $1,800 | $82,000 |
| 9 | Mississauga | 118 | $2,450 | $80,000 |
| 10 | Halifax | 100 | $1,720 | $66,000 |
| 11 | Quebec City | 96 | $1,350 | $63,500 |
| 12 | Hamilton | 110 | $1,880 | $76,000 |
| 13 | Winnipeg | 93 | $1,420 | $67,500 |
| 14 | London | 101 | $1,660 | $68,500 |
| 15 | Surrey | 124 | $2,420 | $74,000 |
| 16 | Saskatoon | 96 | $1,480 | $72,000 |
| 17 | Regina | 94 | $1,370 | $70,000 |
| 18 | Laval | 101 | $1,500 | $67,500 |
| 19 | Fredericton | 92 | $1,260 | $61,000 |
| 20 | St. John's | 94 | $1,200 | $65,500 |
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: 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.
And there's one more thing: looking at New Brunswick as a whole, the spread across all 21 cities is 3 points on the cost index. Charlottetown sits at the other end with index 93 and rent of $1,340/mo. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Saint John scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (58), healthcare (64), and walkability (55) metrics. But here's the flip side: 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.
Vancouver — cost index 134, rent $2,850/mo, income $80,000, QoL 59/100.
Toronto — cost index 126, rent $2,750/mo, income $82,000, QoL 56/100.
Montreal — cost index 104, rent $1,700/mo, income $66,000, QoL 64/100.
Ottawa — cost index 113, rent $2,100/mo, income $86,000, QoL 64/100.
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. Vancouver: cost index 134, rent $2,850/mo, income $80,000/yr, QoL 59/100.
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.