St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Internet Speed in St. John's

Average 150-500 Mbps via Bell Aliant FibreOP or Rogers

Currency & Banking in St. John's

1 CAD ≈ 0.74 USD. Major banks include RBC, TD Canada Trust, and Scotiabank.

Tap Water in St. John's

Drinkable and high quality (Windsor Lake/Bay Bulls Big Pond supply)

120V, 60Hz, 🔌 Type A/B sockets

SIM Card in St. John's

Bell, Telus, or Rogers. Lucky Mobile and Public Mobile for cheaper prepaid options ($35-50/mo).

Banking for Expats in St. John's

EQ Bank, Wealthsimple, or Wise for low-fee digital banking; TD for physical branches.

Accommodation in St. John's

Modern condos near Water St or heritage row houses (Jellybean Row).

Cashless Friendly in St. John's

Yes, Interac Flash and credit cards accepted everywhere.

Short Term Rentals in St. John's

Airbnb, VRBO, and local suites like The Alt Hotel (approx. $180/night).

Budget Accommodation in St. John's

City Hostel St. John's (Gower Street) - approx. $45 CAD for dorm beds.

Best Area to Stay for Tourists in St. John's

Downtown (Water Street/Duckworth Street) for proximity to pubs and Signal Hill.

Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads in St. John's

Quidi Vidi or Churchill Park/Larkhall for a mix of residential quiet and walkability.

Best Coworking Space in St. John's

Common Ground Coworking (Harvey Road) - $25 Day Pass / $200 Monthly.

Best Cafe for Work in St. John's

Battery Cafe (Duckworth St) - Great Wi-Fi and views of the harbor narrows.

Networking Events in St. John's

TechNL events and 'Coffee & Connections' organized by the Board of Trade.

Social Events for Expats in St. John's

Association for New Canadians St. John's meets and local Reddit meetups.

Best Taxi/Ride App in St. John's

Uber (recently launched) and Jiffy Cabs / City Cabs.

Bike/Scooter Rental in St. John's

Canary Cycles (water street) for traditional bike rentals.

Best Beach Nearby in St. John's

Middle Cove Beach (15 mins drive) - Famous for 'Capelin Roll' and icebergs.

Top Regional Airline in St. John's

PAL Airlines (Provincial Airlines).

Top International Airline in St. John's

Air Canada, WestJet, and Porter Airlines (linking to Toronto/Montreal).

Highway Access in St. John's

Trans-Canada Highway (Route 1) starts/ends at Mile One in St. John's.

Main Train/Transit Hub in St. John's

Metrobus Transit Center (No passenger trains exist in Newfoundland).

Public Transport Passes in St. John's

Metrobus M-Card: $78 CAD for 30-day monthly pass.

Regional Travel in St. John's

DRL Coachlines for cross-island bus travel to Gander, Corner Brook, and Port aux Basques.

Best Hospital in St. John's

Health Sciences Centre (Prince Philip Pkwy) or St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital.

Yoga & Wellness Centers in St. John's

Modo Yoga St. John's (Water St) - approx. $20 for a drop-in class.

Gyms & Fitness Centers in St. John's

The Works (MUN Campus) or GoodLife Fitness (Atlantic Place).

Laundry Services in St. John's

The Laundry Shop (Water St West) - Full service wash & fold.

Best Local Dish to Try in St. John's

Fish and Brewis or Jiggs Dinner at Ches's Famous Fish & Chips.

Vegan/Vegetarian Options in St. John's

The Peaceful Loft (Duckworth St) for Asian-inspired vegan dishes.

Best Dessert Spots in St. John's

The Parlour (Military Rd) for artisanal gelato and baked goods.

Affordable Shopping Spots in St. John's

St. John's Farmers' Market (Freshwater Rd) on Saturdays.

E-commerce/Online Store in St. John's

Amazon.ca and local Curated NL online shop.

Grocery Delivery in St. John's

PC Express (Loblaws/Dominion) and Voila by Sobeys.

Bar/Nightlife Area in St. John's

George Street - The highest concentration of bars per capita in North America.

Local Brewery in St. John's

Quidi Vidi Brewing Co. - Try the 'Iceberg Beer' made from 20,000-year-old water.

Wine Bars in St. John's

Adelaide Oyster House (Water St) for great wine pairings and atmosphere.

Street Food Stalls in St. John's

Ziggy Peelgood’s Food Truck for Newfoundland fries and dressing.

Popular International Cuisine in St. John's

Sun Sushi (Duckworth St) and India Gate (Water St).

Must-See Landmarks in St. John's

Signal Hill National Historic Site and Cabot Tower.

Museums & Art Venues in St. John's

The Rooms (Regional museum, art gallery, and archives).

Historical Sites in St. John's

Quidi Vidi Village (Historic fishing village within the city).

Religious Sites in St. John's

Basilica of St. John the Baptist and the Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

Annual Events in St. John's

The Royal St. John's Regatta (August) and George Street Festival.

Cultural Districts in St. John's

The Downtown Pedestrian Mall (seasonal summer zones).

Theater Venues in St. John's

Arts and Culture Centre or the LSPU Hall.

Local Markets in St. John's

St. John's Farmers' Market (245 Freshwater Rd).

St. John's Digital Nomad Guide - Tips & Local Information

Essentials

City: St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Population: 212,500 (Metropolitan Area)
Internet Speed: Average 150-500 Mbps via Bell Aliant FibreOP or Rogers
Currency & Banking: 1 CAD ≈ 0.74 USD. Major banks include RBC, TD Canada Trust, and Scotiabank.
Tap Water: Drinkable and high quality (Windsor Lake/Bay Bulls Big Pond supply)
Power: 120V, 60Hz, 🔌 Type A/B sockets
SIM Card: Bell, Telus, or Rogers. Lucky Mobile and Public Mobile for cheaper prepaid options ($35-50/mo).
Banking for Expats: EQ Bank, Wealthsimple, or Wise for low-fee digital banking; TD for physical branches.
Accommodation: Modern condos near Water St or heritage row houses (Jellybean Row).
Cashless Friendly: Yes, Interac Flash and credit cards accepted everywhere.
Short Term Rentals: Airbnb, VRBO, and local suites like The Alt Hotel (approx. $180/night).
Budget Accommodation: City Hostel St. John's (Gower Street) - approx. $45 CAD for dorm beds.
Best Area to Stay for Tourists: Downtown (Water Street/Duckworth Street) for proximity to pubs and Signal Hill.
Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads: Quidi Vidi or Churchill Park/Larkhall for a mix of residential quiet and walkability.

Working and Networking

Best Coworking Space: Common Ground Coworking (Harvey Road) - $25 Day Pass / $200 Monthly.
Best Cafe for Work: Battery Cafe (Duckworth St) - Great Wi-Fi and views of the harbor narrows.
Networking Events: TechNL events and 'Coffee & Connections' organized by the Board of Trade.
Social Events for Expats: Association for New Canadians St. John's meets and local Reddit meetups.

Transportation

Best Taxi/Ride App: Uber (recently launched) and Jiffy Cabs / City Cabs.
Bike/Scooter Rental: Canary Cycles (water street) for traditional bike rentals.
Best Beach Nearby: Middle Cove Beach (15 mins drive) - Famous for 'Capelin Roll' and icebergs.
Top Regional Airline: PAL Airlines (Provincial Airlines).
Top International Airline: Air Canada, WestJet, and Porter Airlines (linking to Toronto/Montreal).
Highway Access: Trans-Canada Highway (Route 1) starts/ends at Mile One in St. John's.
Main Train/Transit Hub: Metrobus Transit Center (No passenger trains exist in Newfoundland).
Public Transport Passes: Metrobus M-Card: $78 CAD for 30-day monthly pass.
Regional Travel: DRL Coachlines for cross-island bus travel to Gander, Corner Brook, and Port aux Basques.

Health and Wellness

Best Hospital: Health Sciences Centre (Prince Philip Pkwy) or St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital.
Yoga & Wellness Centers: Modo Yoga St. John's (Water St) - approx. $20 for a drop-in class.
Gyms & Fitness Centers: The Works (MUN Campus) or GoodLife Fitness (Atlantic Place).
Laundry Services: The Laundry Shop (Water St West) - Full service wash & fold.

Food and Drink

Best Food Delivery App: SkipTheDishes and DoorDash.
Best Local Dish to Try: Fish and Brewis or Jiggs Dinner at Ches's Famous Fish & Chips.
Vegan/Vegetarian Options: The Peaceful Loft (Duckworth St) for Asian-inspired vegan dishes.
Best Dessert Spots: The Parlour (Military Rd) for artisanal gelato and baked goods.
Affordable Shopping Spots: St. John's Farmers' Market (Freshwater Rd) on Saturdays.
E-commerce/Online Store: Amazon.ca and local Curated NL online shop.
Grocery Delivery: PC Express (Loblaws/Dominion) and Voila by Sobeys.
Bar/Nightlife Area: George Street - The highest concentration of bars per capita in North America.
Local Brewery: Quidi Vidi Brewing Co. - Try the 'Iceberg Beer' made from 20,000-year-old water.
Wine Bars: Adelaide Oyster House (Water St) for great wine pairings and atmosphere.
Street Food Stalls: Ziggy Peelgood’s Food Truck for Newfoundland fries and dressing.
Popular International Cuisine: Sun Sushi (Duckworth St) and India Gate (Water St).

Culture and Attractions

Must-See Landmarks: Signal Hill National Historic Site and Cabot Tower.
Museums & Art Venues: The Rooms (Regional museum, art gallery, and archives).
Historical Sites: Quidi Vidi Village (Historic fishing village within the city).
Religious Sites: Basilica of St. John the Baptist and the Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
Annual Events: The Royal St. John's Regatta (August) and George Street Festival.
Cultural Districts: The Downtown Pedestrian Mall (seasonal summer zones).
Theater Venues: Arts and Culture Centre or the LSPU Hall.
Local Markets: St. John's Farmers' Market (245 Freshwater Rd).
Music Scene: O'Reilly's Irish Newfoundland Pub for live traditional folk music.
Street Art: Harbourfront murals and the 'Jellybean Row' houses.
Cooking Classes: The Grounds at Murray's (Portugal Cove) for farm-to-table workshops.
Art Galleries: Christina Parker Gallery on Water Street.
Historic Buildings: Colonial Building (the former seat of the provincial government).
Local Heritage: The 'Screech-In' ceremony (becoming an honorary Newfoundlander).

Nature and Outdoor Activities

Nearby Nature Escapes: East Coast Trail (336km of world-class hiking right from downtown).
National Parks Nearby: Terra Nova National Park (approx. 2.5 hours drive west).
Cycling/Walking Paths: The Grand Concourse - over 160km of connected walkways in the metro area.
Scenic Viewpoints: Ladies' Lookout at Signal Hill for a panoramic view of the Atlantic.
Birdwatching Locations: Witless Bay Ecological Reserve (30 mins drive) for puffins.
Bonfire-Friendly Spots: Middle Cove and Outer Cove (following local beach fire regulations).

Other Services and Amenities

Parcel Delivery Service: Canada Post, Purolator, and FedEx.
Tech Repair Services: Digital 1 (Torbay Road) for laptop and phone repairs.
Table Tennis Spots: Jack Byrne Regional Sport & Entertainment Centre.
Language Classes: Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) ESL programs.
Libraries & Study Spots: A.C. Hunter Public Library (Allandale Rd).
Community Centers: The Mews Centre and Paul Reynolds Community Centre.
Gaming Lounges: Midgard Gaming (Mount Pearl) - PC and console gaming lounge.
Casino & Gaming Halls: St. John's Racing and Entertainment Centre (Goulds).

Business

Studio Purchase Price (City Center): Approx. $5,200/m² (e.g., 40 m² = $208,000 CAD)
Studio Purchase Price (Outside City): Approx. $3,800/m² (e.g., 40 m² = $152,000 CAD)
1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center): Approx. $4,800/m² (e.g., 60 m² = $288,000 CAD)
1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City): Approx. $3,500/m² (e.g., 60 m² = $210,000 CAD)
2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center): Approx. $4,400/m² (e.g., 80 m² = $352,000 CAD)
2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City): Approx. $3,200/m² (e.g., 80 m² = $256,000 CAD)
Corporate Tax: 27% (12% Federal + 15% Provincial)
Dividend Withholding Tax: 25% (May be reduced by tax treaties).
Tax System: Residency-based: Taxed on worldwide income.
Highest Income Tax Bracket: 54.8% (Combined Federal and NL Provincial rate)
VAT: 15% HST (Harmonized Sales Tax)
Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules: Yes, FAPI (Foreign Accrual Property Income) rules apply.
Property Tax: Yes, mil rate based on assessed value (approx. 0.8% of value annually).
Property Transaction Tax: Deed transfer fee varies (usually 0.4% to 1%).
Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads: No specific nomad visa; standard Canadian tax residency rules apply after 183 days.

St. John's digital nomad guide