Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Sault Ste. Marie Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Sault Ste. Marie

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,018 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $3,022 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $4,025 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Living in Calgary is roughly 21% more expensive than Sault Ste. Marie, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 81% above, Sault Ste. Marie 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$17.00 CA$23.29

7.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$73.7 CA$101

-5.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$9.86 CA$13.51

11.66%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.45 CA$4.73

8.12%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.76 CA$2.42

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.31 CA$1.79

25.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$4.44 CA$6.09

18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$5.40 CA$7.40

23.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$2.68 CA$3.67

-19.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.25 CA$3.08

19.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$3.95 CA$5.41

-13.92%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$2.96 CA$4.05

10.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$8.94 CA$12.25

63.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$10.45 CA$14.31

20.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$11.34 CA$15.53

42.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$3.14 CA$4.31

42.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.16 CA$1.59

15.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$2.95 CA$4.04

26.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.53 CA$4.84

21.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$2.19 CA$3.00

21.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$1.64 CA$2.25

59.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.60 CA$3.56

5.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.58 CA$2.17

20.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$11.89 CA$16.28

25.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$11.07 CA$15.16

29.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$1.94 CA$2.66

49.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$2.46 CA$3.36

61.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.42 CA$3.32

10.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$59.6 CA$81.7

47.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$3.55 CA$4.86

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.90 CA$2.61

-29.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$24.15 CA$33.09

21.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.11 CA$1.52

1.80%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$24.8K CA$34.0K

1.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$20.0K CA$27.4K

10.96%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$218 CA$299

$170 CA$233

28.40%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$41.44 CA$56.8

$41.86 CA$57.4

-1.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$70.0 CA$95.9

-16.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$32.54 CA$44.58

65.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

$18.28 CA$25.04

186.54%

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$12.68 CA$17.37

-0.16%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$885 CA$1,212

$510 CA$698

73.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$5,214 CA$7,143

208.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$47.18 CA$64.6

23.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$36.92 CA$50.6

30.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$61.9 CA$84.9

42.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$121 CA$166

-12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$910 CA$1,246

53.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$897 CA$1,228

32.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$1,496 CA$2,050

53.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$1,506 CA$2,063

23.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$1,893 CA$2,593

99.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$5,621 CA$7,701

-37.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$3,066 CA$4,201

1.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.67

-14.39%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Last update for Sault Ste. Marie: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $910 in Sault Ste. Marie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70 in Calgary vs $74 in Sault Ste. Marie. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $318, with Sault Ste. Marie cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Calgary vs Sault Ste. Marie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sault Ste. Marie is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 2% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,396 in Calgary versus $910 in Sault Ste. Marie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sault Ste. Marie – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,433 per month in Calgary versus $2,018 in Sault Ste. Marie – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,018 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,433 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Sault Ste. Marie but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Sault Ste. Marie the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Sault Ste. Marie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.