Living Expenses in Newfoundland & Labrador
There are many costs associated with living anywhere. Some of these include, but are not limited to, rent, food, phone plan, electricity, and entertainment.
Some costs in NL are much lower and much higher than elsewhere in Canada. Explore below to learn more about the two biggest costs that you will have to incur while living in Newfoundland & Labrador.
AVG 2-BEDROOM RENT/MONTH
AVG GROCERIES/MONTH
AVG UTILITIES/MONTH
WORK HOURS ALLOWED/WEEK
Housing & Food
Housing
$1,100 Average per month (2-bedroom)
Most frequently, students share their living quarters with roommates. You can find listings of people looking for roommates on Kijiji, Facebook and other marketplaces that we have listed in the Useful Tools section. They usually share an apartment within a house or a full house.
Apartments and houses are two most common living arrangements.
There aren't many student-focused condominiums available around the province.
Memorial University provides on-campus housing that is frequently recommended to international students to ease their transition and find new friends when they are a long way from home.
Check out our Useful Tools section, where we show you some of the best online marketplaces to find living in Newfoundland & Labrador.
Food
$300 Average per month (groceries per person)
Living on an island in the Northern Atlantic comes with its challenges. Due to the rocky environment of NL, it's difficult to grow much produce here. We have to ship most fruit and most vegetables from the rest of Canada or USA. This increases the price of produce available for purchase.
Eating in Restaurants
Note: Prices of meals on a menu in a restaurant don't include the 15% tax!
The price of produce in combination with high wages makes eating out costly as well. When you order a $20 meal and an $8 drink, you must not forget about the 15% tax and a 15% tip, which brings the total to $37.
15% tip is what most servers expect.
Student Housing Options
As an international student in Newfoundland and Labrador, you have several housing options including on-campus residences at both Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic campuses.
Transportation Costs
Metrobus Public Transit
Metrobus provides public transportation services in St. John’s, Mount Pearl, and Paradise. Most students rely on public transit or walking.Source: Metrobus official fares, 2025-2026. Visit www.metrobus.com for route information and schedules.