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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
St. John's air quality: AQI 14 — excellent. Green space 28%. Compared to Newfoundland and Labrador cities in 2026.
St. John's air quality: AQI 14 — excellent. Green space 28%. Compared to Newfoundland and Labrador cities in 2026.
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.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. John's | 94 | $1,200 | $65,500 |
| 2 | Charlottetown | 93 | $1,340 | $59,500 |
| 3 | Fredericton | 92 | $1,260 | $61,000 |
| 4 | Saint John | 90 | $1,210 | $59,000 |
| 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 |
Here's the finding that keeps coming up in different analyses: 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%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
And here's the trade-off: looking at Newfoundland and Labrador as a whole, the spread across all 21 cities is 16 points on the cost index. Hamilton sits at the other end with index 110 and rent of $1,880/mo. That's a difference you notice every single month.
On quality of life, St. John's scores a composite score of 63/100 — reflecting its safety (66), healthcare (62), 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.
St. John's — cost index 94, rent $1,200/mo, income $65,500, QoL 63/100.
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.
Saint John — cost index 90, rent $1,210/mo, income $59,000, QoL 62/100.
Victoria — cost index 120, rent $2,300/mo, income $76,000, QoL 66/100.
St. John's has a cost index of 94 (national avg: 106), rent $1,200/mo, median income $65,500/yr, and a quality of life score of 63/100.
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. 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.