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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Montreal vs $2,002 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,159 per month in Montreal vs $2,967 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,255 per month in Montreal vs $3,931 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

Montreal costs about 3% more than Sault Ste. Marie, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Sault Ste. Marie sit above the global median – Montreal by 54%, Sault Ste. Marie by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.14

$16.61 CA$23.10

-4.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$73.2 CA$102

-0.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$9.96 CA$13.85

11.95%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.29

$3.51 CA$4.88

8.26%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$1.74 CA$2.42

25.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.34 CA$1.86

8.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$4.47 CA$6.22

36.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.42

$5.43 CA$7.55

24.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.66 CA$3.70

-12.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$2.32 CA$3.23

46.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.82 CA$5.31

-2.36%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$2.94 CA$4.09

14.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.60

$9.03 CA$12.56

79.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$10.24 CA$14.24

12.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.19

$11.61 CA$16.14

31.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.05 CA$4.24

22.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.16 CA$1.61

46.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.71

$3.06 CA$4.25

34.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$3.59 CA$5.00

21.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$2.20 CA$3.07

23.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$1.58 CA$2.20

65.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$2.74 CA$3.80

-17.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.62 CA$2.26

6.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.51

$11.66 CA$16.22

14.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.00

$10.95 CA$15.23

-1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$1.89 CA$2.63

59.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.82

$2.48 CA$3.44

39.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.42 CA$3.37

13.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$58.7 CA$81.6

23.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.60 CA$5.01

0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.87 CA$2.60

-21.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.50

$24.31 CA$33.81

37.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.11 CA$1.55

9.01%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$24.7K CA$34.3K

-0.03%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$20.0K CA$27.8K

8.40%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$167 CA$232

-54.37%

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

$35.72 CA$49.68

$41.14 CA$57.2

-13.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$69.1 CA$96.1

-37.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.7

$33.11 CA$46.05

29.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

$18.38 CA$25.55

-6.26%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.42

$12.58 CA$17.50

-11.84%

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

$620 CA$862

$510 CA$709

21.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,114

$5,122 CA$7,123

13.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$47.27 CA$65.7

32.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.8

$36.55 CA$50.8

21.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$62.2 CA$86.5

61.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$125 CA$174

-4.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,684

$901 CA$1,253

34.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,334

$915 CA$1,272

4.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,831

$1,477 CA$2,054

37.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,210

$1,528 CA$2,125

4.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,205

$1,847 CA$2,569

180.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,470

$5,607 CA$7,797

-29.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

$3,036 CA$4,222

-2.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.67

-24.89%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Montreal versus $901 in Sault Ste. Marie. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Sault Ste. Marie, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal versus $73.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. Groceries tell a different story – $392 in Montreal vs $319 in Sault Ste. Marie – so Sault Ste. Marie wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Montreal costs about 3% more than Sault Ste. Marie, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,094 per month in Montreal and $3,003 in Sault Ste. Marie. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sault Ste. Marie, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal and $73.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Sault Ste. Marie, where all-in costs run around $2,002, than in Montreal at $2,063. In Sault Ste. Marie it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sault Ste. Marie costs $2,002 versus $2,063 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sault Ste. Marie. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.