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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
St. John's quality of life score: 63/100 (Canada avg: 61/100). Combines safety (66), healthcare (62), walkability (55), air quality (AQI 14) and green space (28%). Compared to Newfoundland and Labrador peers in 2026.
St. John's quality of life score: 63/100 (Canada avg: 61/100). Combines safety (66), healthcare (62), walkability (55), air quality (AQI 14) and green space (28%). Compared to Newfoundland and Labrador peers 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.
Let's cut to what actually matters here. 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%. That's a strong position by any measure.
Context matters here. 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. Financially, that's significant.
On quality of life, St. John's scores a composite score of 63/100 — reflecting its safety (66), healthcare (62), 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.
| # | 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, 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 has a composite quality of life score of 63/100, covering safety (66), healthcare (62), walkability (55), air quality, and green space. Canada average QoL: 61/100.
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. 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.