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 $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $2,041 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $3,032 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $4,022 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

Montreal costs about 2% more than Sault Ste. Marie, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Sault Ste. Marie sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Sault Ste. Marie by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$16.78 CA$23.61

-1.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$74.2 CA$104

-0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$9.91 CA$13.94

10.39%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.62 CA$5.09

6.08%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$1.81 CA$2.54

18.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.28 CA$1.80

13.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$4.44 CA$6.25

38.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$5.44 CA$7.65

23.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$2.74 CA$3.86

-14.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$2.25 CA$3.17

48.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$3.87 CA$5.44

-3.36%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$2.87 CA$4.04

18.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$9.22 CA$12.97

76.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$10.32 CA$14.52

14.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$11.39 CA$16.03

37.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$3.08 CA$4.34

19.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.15 CA$1.62

47.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$2.89 CA$4.07

42.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$3.59 CA$5.06

22.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$2.31 CA$3.25

20.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$1.58 CA$2.22

67.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$2.60 CA$3.66

-11.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$1.56 CA$2.20

14.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$11.94 CA$16.81

10.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$10.51 CA$14.78

1.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$1.91 CA$2.69

56.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$2.42 CA$3.41

42.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$2.43 CA$3.41

15.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$58.6 CA$82.4

24.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$3.49 CA$4.91

0.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.87 CA$2.63

-22.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$24.59 CA$34.60

39.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.17 CA$1.65

4.27%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$25.0K CA$35.2K

1.05%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$20.3K CA$28.6K

9.10%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$169 CA$237

-54.67%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$42.02 CA$59.1

-15.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$69.8 CA$98.1

-38.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$32.48 CA$45.70

33.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$18.07 CA$25.43

-6.86%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$12.72 CA$17.90

-12.81%

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

$625 CA$879

$517 CA$728

20.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$5,070 CA$7,134

16.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$46.59 CA$65.6

35.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$36.75 CA$51.7

21.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$61.6 CA$86.7

66.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$121 CA$170

-2.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$912 CA$1,283

32.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$909 CA$1,279

6.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$1,470 CA$2,069

38.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$1,512 CA$2,128

4.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

$1,845 CA$2,596

175.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

$5,517 CA$7,763

-31.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$2,949 CA$4,150

-2.02%

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: July 11, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $912 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 2% 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 $74.0 in Montreal versus $74.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Montreal vs $317 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 2% 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 $3,127 per month in Montreal and $3,062 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 25% 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 $74.0 in Montreal and $74.0 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 $2,041, than in Montreal at $2,085. 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 $2,041 versus $2,085 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.