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 $2,056 per month in Montreal vs $2,126 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,112 per month in Montreal vs $3,104 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Montreal vs $4,082 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

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

Both Montreal and Sault Ste. Marie sit above the global median – Montreal by 50%, Sault Ste. Marie by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.70

$17.21 CA$23.81

3.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$73.4 CA$102

-1.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$10.49 CA$14.51

4.10%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.49

$3.65 CA$5.05

8.77%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$1.66 CA$2.30

24.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.41 CA$1.95

9.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.88

$4.75 CA$6.57

34.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.09

$5.14 CA$7.11

41.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$2.49 CA$3.45

-4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$2.07 CA$2.87

55.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$3.33 CA$4.61

-7.81%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$2.99 CA$4.14

23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.78

$8.31 CA$11.51

63.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.09

$9.99 CA$13.83

16.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.33

$10.61 CA$14.69

31.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$3.16 CA$4.37

16.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.01 CA$1.39

54.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$3.12 CA$4.32

9.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$3.45 CA$4.78

-12.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$2.09 CA$2.89

-5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$1.79 CA$2.48

1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$2.74 CA$3.79

-6.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.27 CA$1.76

9.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.90

$16.07 CA$22.23

-28.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$10.71 CA$14.82

1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$1.79 CA$2.48

26.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$2.30 CA$3.18

30.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$2.30 CA$3.18

16.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$56.8 CA$78.6

32.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

$3.55 CA$4.91

-5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$2.40 CA$3.32

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.63

$23.67 CA$32.75

42.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.05 CA$1.45

22.86%

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

$28.3K CA$39.1K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

14.84%

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

$19.1K CA$26.4K

4.54%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$183 CA$253

-56.04%

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

$34.23 CA$47.37

$45.85 CA$63.5

-25.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.3

$78.8 CA$109

-47.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.46

$51.2 CA$70.9

-42.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.52

$17.74 CA$24.54

12.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.20

$11.63 CA$16.09

0.69%

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

$564 CA$781

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

$5,053 CA$6,992

233.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.3

$46.24 CA$64.0

28.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.3

$36.29 CA$50.2

16.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$76.5 CA$106

40.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$121 CA$168

-8.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,776

$906 CA$1,253

41.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,370

$952 CA$1,318

3.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,127

$1,330 CA$1,840

69.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,307

$1,512 CA$2,092

10.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,316

$1,863 CA$2,578

183.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,276

$5,654 CA$7,824

-32.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,177

$3,052 CA$4,223

-1.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

5.53

-20.25%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Montreal versus $906 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 1% higher in Sault Ste. Marie, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Montreal versus $73.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Montreal vs $300 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

Sault Ste. Marie costs about 3% more than Montreal, 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 $3,084 per month in Montreal and $3,188 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 Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Sault Ste. Marie – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,056, than in Sault Ste. Marie at $2,126. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sault Ste. Marie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,056 versus $2,126 in Sault Ste. Marie. 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 Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sault Ste. Marie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.