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: $2,517 in Calgary versus $1,978 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,646 in Calgary versus $2,997 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,776 in Calgary versus $4,016 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Living in Calgary is roughly 27% more expensive than Sault Ste. Marie, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 87% above, Sault Ste. Marie 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.37 CA$25.65

$17.00 CA$23.74

8.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 CA$97.4

$73.7 CA$103

-5.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.19

$9.92 CA$13.85

9.68%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.16

$3.56 CA$4.97

3.65%

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

$2.03 CA$2.84

$1.80 CA$2.52

12.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.43

$1.34 CA$1.87

29.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.40

$4.39 CA$6.12

20.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.42

$5.63 CA$7.86

19.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$2.77 CA$3.87

-19.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.75

$2.38 CA$3.32

12.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.68

$3.98 CA$5.56

-15.83%

Eggs

$3.33 CA$4.65

$2.81 CA$3.92

18.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 CA$20.12

$9.19 CA$12.84

56.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 CA$17.46

$10.56 CA$14.74

18.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 CA$22.81

$11.63 CA$16.24

40.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.98

$3.21 CA$4.49

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.15 CA$1.60

17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.22

$3.02 CA$4.21

23.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.83

$3.66 CA$5.11

13.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$2.21 CA$3.08

15.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$1.58 CA$2.21

69.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.71

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.57 CA$2.19

19.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.47

$11.61 CA$16.22

26.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.87

$10.66 CA$14.89

33.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.12

$1.95 CA$2.72

51.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 CA$5.44

$2.46 CA$3.44

58.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 CA$3.79

$2.36 CA$3.30

14.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 CA$122

$59.8 CA$83.5

46.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 CA$4.83

$3.40 CA$4.75

1.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.87 CA$2.61

-30.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.30 CA$39.52

$23.84 CA$33.29

18.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.52

$1.16 CA$1.62

-6.03%

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

$25.0K CA$34.9K

$24.7K CA$34.5K

1.30%

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

$22.2K CA$31.0K

$20.0K CA$27.9K

11.21%

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

$211 CA$295

$170 CA$237

24.38%

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

$40.40 CA$56.4

$42.55 CA$59.4

-5.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CA$81.7

$70.7 CA$98.7

-17.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 CA$75.1

$33.54 CA$46.84

60.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.2

$18.09 CA$25.26

197.51%

Cinema Ticket

$12.64 CA$17.66

$12.61 CA$17.62

0.24%

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

$865 CA$1,208

$505 CA$706

71.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.4K

$5,139 CA$7,177

212.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$81.1

$47.30 CA$66.1

22.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.18 CA$65.9

$36.67 CA$51.2

28.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 CA$119

$61.7 CA$86.2

38.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$124 CA$173

-14.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 CA$1,977

$882 CA$1,232

60.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 CA$1,611

$901 CA$1,258

28.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,370 CA$3,309

$1,480 CA$2,067

60.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 CA$2,603

$1,511 CA$2,111

23.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,834 CA$5,354

$1,848 CA$2,581

107.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,443 CA$4,808

$5,681 CA$7,934

-39.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,105 CA$4,337

$2,953 CA$4,124

5.17%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sault Ste. Marie: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,416 in Calgary and $882 in Sault Ste. Marie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 5% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $74.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. Groceries flip the comparison at $393 vs $322, 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 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 5% 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: $1,416 in Calgary versus $882 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 $2,517 per month in Calgary versus $1,978 in Sault Ste. Marie – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,978 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,517 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 27% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.