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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,479 in Cambridge versus $2,002 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,553 in Cambridge versus $2,967 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,628 in Cambridge versus $3,931 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 24% more expensive than Sault Ste. Marie, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 85% above, Sault Ste. Marie 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.44 CA$20.08

$16.61 CA$23.10

-13.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 CA$91.0

$73.2 CA$102

-10.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.54 CA$13.27

$9.96 CA$13.85

-4.22%

Cappuccino

$3.53 CA$4.91

$3.51 CA$4.88

0.57%

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

$2.20 CA$3.06

$1.74 CA$2.42

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.27

$1.34 CA$1.86

21.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 CA$8.27

$4.47 CA$6.22

33.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 CA$9.31

$5.43 CA$7.55

23.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.95

$2.66 CA$3.70

-20.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 CA$3.11

$2.32 CA$3.23

-3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.82 CA$5.31

-22.77%

Eggs

$3.09 CA$4.29

$2.94 CA$4.09

5.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 CA$11.41

$9.03 CA$12.56

-9.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 CA$16.23

$10.24 CA$14.24

13.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.43

$11.61 CA$16.14

20.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.26

$3.05 CA$4.24

23.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 CA$1.67

$1.16 CA$1.61

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.16

$3.06 CA$4.25

21.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.18

$3.59 CA$5.00

3.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$2.20 CA$3.07

22.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.47

$1.58 CA$2.20

57.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 CA$2.98

$2.74 CA$3.80

-21.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.28

$1.62 CA$2.26

1.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 CA$19.03

$11.66 CA$16.22

17.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 CA$17.73

$10.95 CA$15.23

16.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.44

$1.89 CA$2.63

30.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CA$4.47

$2.48 CA$3.44

29.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$2.42 CA$3.37

3.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 CA$95.4

$58.7 CA$81.6

16.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$3.60 CA$5.01

-30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$1.87 CA$2.60

-6.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.06 CA$33.46

$24.31 CA$33.81

-1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.11 CA$1.55

2.70%

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

$25.0K CA$34.7K

$24.7K CA$34.3K

1.27%

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

$20.2K CA$28.1K

$20.0K CA$27.8K

0.98%

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

$154 CA$214

$167 CA$232

-7.54%

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

$38.79 CA$54.0

$41.14 CA$57.2

-5.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 CA$76.8

$69.1 CA$96.1

-20.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.12 CA$41.89

$33.11 CA$46.05

-9.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.38 CA$25.55

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 CA$16.16

$12.58 CA$17.50

-7.63%

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

$561 CA$780

$510 CA$709

9.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K CA$14.1K

$5,122 CA$7,123

98.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 CA$78.7

$47.27 CA$65.7

19.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 CA$48.20

$36.55 CA$50.8

-5.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 CA$97.7

$62.2 CA$86.5

12.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$155

$125 CA$174

-10.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,411 CA$1,963

$901 CA$1,253

56.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 CA$1,916

$915 CA$1,272

50.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 CA$3,757

$1,477 CA$2,054

82.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,106 CA$2,929

$1,528 CA$2,125

37.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,307 CA$5,990

$1,847 CA$2,569

133.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,927 CA$5,461

$5,607 CA$7,797

-29.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,989 CA$4,157

$3,036 CA$4,222

-1.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.67

-0.45%

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

Last update for Cambridge: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sault Ste. Marie: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,411 in Cambridge and $901 in Sault Ste. Marie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sault Ste. Marie pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Cambridge vs $73.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. Groceries flip the comparison at $338 vs $319, 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

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

Sault Ste. Marie is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Sault Ste. Marie earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,411 in Cambridge versus $901 in Sault Ste. Marie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Cambridge. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Sault Ste. Marie – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $65.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,002 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,479 in Cambridge, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Sault Ste. Marie but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. 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 24% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.