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: $2,462 in Cambridge versus $2,041 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,522 in Cambridge versus $3,032 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Cambridge versus $4,022 in Sault Ste. Marie.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 84% above, Sault Ste. Marie 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 CA$20.85

$16.78 CA$23.61

-11.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 CA$91.7

$74.2 CA$104

-12.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 CA$14.07

$9.91 CA$13.94

0.91%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.18

$3.62 CA$5.09

1.66%

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

$2.21 CA$3.11

$1.81 CA$2.54

22.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.27

$1.28 CA$1.80

25.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 CA$8.21

$4.44 CA$6.25

31.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 CA$9.22

$5.44 CA$7.65

20.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$2.74 CA$3.86

-18.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$2.25 CA$3.17

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.21

$3.87 CA$5.44

-22.74%

Eggs

$3.20 CA$4.50

$2.87 CA$4.04

11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 CA$12.20

$9.22 CA$12.97

-5.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.81

$10.32 CA$14.52

15.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 CA$19.35

$11.39 CA$16.03

20.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.61

$3.08 CA$4.34

29.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.15 CA$1.62

6.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.18

$2.89 CA$4.07

27.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.51

$3.59 CA$5.06

8.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$2.31 CA$3.25

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$1.58 CA$2.22

55.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CA$3.16

$2.60 CA$3.66

-13.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.21

$1.56 CA$2.20

0.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.40 CA$18.85

$11.94 CA$16.81

12.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.25 CA$17.24

$10.51 CA$14.78

16.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$1.91 CA$2.69

28.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.45

$2.42 CA$3.41

30.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$2.43 CA$3.41

5.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 CA$93.7

$58.6 CA$82.4

13.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 CA$3.67

$3.49 CA$4.91

-25.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.40

$1.87 CA$2.63

-8.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.84 CA$33.54

$24.59 CA$34.60

-3.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.17 CA$1.65

-5.13%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$25.0K CA$35.2K

1.62%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$20.3K CA$28.6K

-0.03%

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

$151 CA$212

$169 CA$237

-10.60%

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

$39.94 CA$56.2

$42.02 CA$59.1

-4.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 CA$76.1

$69.8 CA$98.1

-22.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.81 CA$41.94

$32.48 CA$45.70

-8.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.07 CA$25.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$16.26

$12.72 CA$17.90

-9.20%

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

$556 CA$782

$517 CA$728

7.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K CA$14.7K

$5,070 CA$7,134

105.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$78.0

$46.59 CA$65.6

18.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.68 CA$48.80

$36.75 CA$51.7

-5.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 CA$99.4

$61.6 CA$86.7

14.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$121 CA$170

-8.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 CA$1,984

$912 CA$1,283

54.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 CA$1,938

$909 CA$1,279

51.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,684 CA$3,776

$1,470 CA$2,069

82.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,127 CA$2,993

$1,512 CA$2,128

40.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,165 CA$5,861

$1,845 CA$2,596

125.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,848 CA$5,414

$5,517 CA$7,763

-30.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,007 CA$4,231

$2,949 CA$4,150

1.94%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sault Ste. Marie: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,410 in Cambridge and $912 in Sault Ste. Marie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge 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: $65.0 in Cambridge vs $74.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. Groceries flip the comparison at $342 vs $317, 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 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Cambridge, 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: $1,410 in Cambridge versus $912 in Sault Ste. Marie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% 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 $74.0 versus $65.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,041 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,462 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 21% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.