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 $2,126 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,491 in Cambridge versus $3,104 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,520 in Cambridge versus $4,082 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 16% more expensive than in Sault Ste. Marie, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 79% above, Sault Ste. Marie 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.18 CA$25.16

$17.21 CA$23.81

5.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.9 CA$91.1

$73.4 CA$102

-10.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 CA$14.04

$10.49 CA$14.51

-3.34%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CA$4.85

$3.65 CA$5.05

-3.84%

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

$2.08 CA$2.87

$1.66 CA$2.30

25.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.41 CA$1.95

-4.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.55 CA$7.68

$4.75 CA$6.57

16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.93

$5.14 CA$7.11

25.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$2.49 CA$3.45

-15.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 CA$3.05

$2.07 CA$2.87

6.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 CA$3.89

$3.33 CA$4.61

-15.62%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.71

$2.99 CA$4.14

13.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 CA$14.73

$8.31 CA$11.51

28.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 CA$16.39

$9.99 CA$13.83

18.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 CA$19.64

$10.61 CA$14.69

33.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.39

$3.16 CA$4.37

23.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.01 CA$1.39

15.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.97

$3.12 CA$4.32

38.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.58

$3.45 CA$4.78

16.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$2.09 CA$2.89

24.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$1.79 CA$2.48

8.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$2.74 CA$3.79

-17.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.27 CA$1.76

14.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.64 CA$18.87

$16.07 CA$22.23

-15.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 CA$17.17

$10.71 CA$14.82

15.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.41

$1.79 CA$2.48

37.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 CA$5.77

$2.30 CA$3.18

81.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 CA$3.48

$2.30 CA$3.18

9.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 CA$90.9

$56.8 CA$78.6

15.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 CA$3.41

$3.55 CA$4.91

-30.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.40 CA$3.32

-24.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.15 CA$32.04

$23.67 CA$32.75

-2.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.56

$1.05 CA$1.45

7.62%

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

$26.8K CA$37.1K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

8.91%

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

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$19.1K CA$26.4K

3.34%

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

$148 CA$205

$183 CA$253

-19.13%

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

$39.84 CA$55.1

$45.85 CA$63.5

-13.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.93 CA$69.1

$78.8 CA$109

-36.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.61 CA$39.59

$51.2 CA$70.9

-44.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.74 CA$24.54

Cinema Ticket

$10.53 CA$14.57

$11.63 CA$16.09

-9.46%

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

$544 CA$752

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$5,053 CA$6,992

228.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$79.3

$46.24 CA$64.0

23.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 CA$48.74

$36.29 CA$50.2

-2.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 CA$103

$76.5 CA$106

-3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$149

$121 CA$168

-11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 CA$1,905

$906 CA$1,253

51.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 CA$1,842

$952 CA$1,318

39.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 CA$3,575

$1,330 CA$1,840

94.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,076 CA$2,873

$1,512 CA$2,092

37.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,291 CA$5,938

$1,863 CA$2,578

130.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,884 CA$5,374

$5,654 CA$7,824

-31.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,005 CA$4,159

$3,052 CA$4,223

-1.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.09

5.53

-7.96%

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

Last update for Cambridge: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sault Ste. Marie: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,377 in Cambridge and $906 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: $66.0 in Cambridge vs $73.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $300, 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, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Sault Ste. Marie. 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: $1,377 in Cambridge versus $906 in Sault Ste. Marie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Cambridge. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Cambridge versus $2,126 in Sault Ste. Marie – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,126 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 16% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.