Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sault Ste. Marie and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,771 a month against $2,059 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sault Ste. Marie
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,059
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sault Ste. Marie and in Athens

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sault Ste. Marie and in Athens actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,059 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $1,771 in Athens.

  • Sault Ste. Marie $2,059
  • Athens $1,771

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,008 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,736 in Athens.

  • Sault Ste. Marie $3,008
  • Athens $2,736

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,956 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $3,701 in Athens.

  • Sault Ste. Marie $3,956
  • Athens $3,701

Living in Sault Ste. Marie is roughly 16% more expensive than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sault Ste. Marie 52% above, Athens 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sault Ste. Marie
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.17 CA$24.28
$16.83 €14.97
2.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.6 CA$99.8
$68.2 €60.7
3.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.23 CA$14.46
$11.43 €10.17
-10.50%
Cappuccino
$3.47 CA$4.90
$4.06 €3.61
-14.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 CA$2.32
$2.74 €2.44
-40.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 CA$1.91
$0.53 €0.47
154.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.68 CA$6.62
$5.69 €5.06
-17.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.00 CA$7.07
$5.68 €5.06
-11.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sault Ste. Marie
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.42 CA$3.43
$1.85 €1.64
30.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.14 CA$3.02
$1.44 €1.28
48.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.27 CA$4.63
$2.82 €2.51
15.96%
Eggs
$2.98 CA$4.22
$4.86 €4.32
-38.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.32 CA$11.76
$15.27 €13.58
-45.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.97 CA$14.10
$10.36 €9.21
-3.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.51 CA$14.86
$19.10 €16.99
-44.97%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.43
$2.22 €1.98
41.44%
Banana (1kg)
$0.99 CA$1.40
$1.92 €1.71
-48.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.06 CA$4.33
$1.41 €1.25
117.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.54 CA$5.01
$2.04 €1.82
73.53%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 CA$2.79
$1.05 €0.93
87.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.69 CA$2.39
$1.17 €1.04
44.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.77 CA$3.92
$1.08 €0.96
156.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 CA$1.79
$0.84 €0.75
51.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.75 CA$22.26
$5.49 €4.89
186.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.67 CA$15.08
$10.17 €9.05
4.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 CA$2.60
$2.13 €1.90
-13.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 CA$3.23
$2.28 €2.03
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sault Ste. Marie
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.24 CA$3.16
$1.37 €1.22
63.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.5 CA$81.2
$29.71 €26.43
93.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.47 CA$4.91
$4.39 €3.90
-20.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.31 CA$3.26
$1.00 €0.89
131.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.97 CA$32.47
$16.63 €14.79
38.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 CA$1.52
$2.38 €2.11
-54.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.5K CA$37.5K
$28.4K €25.3K
-6.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K CA$28.6K
$27.2K €24.2K
-25.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sault Ste. Marie
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$174 CA$246
$203 €181
-14.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.36 CA$62.7
$26.79 €23.83
65.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.7 CA$108
$30.16 €26.82
154.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sault Ste. Marie
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.3 CA$71.0
$53.7 €47.74
-6.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.62 CA$24.90
$26.40 €23.48
-33.26%
Cinema Ticket
$11.18 CA$15.80
$10.59 €9.42
5.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sault Ste. Marie
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$566 €504
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,984 CA$7,046
$12.9K €11.4K
-61.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sault Ste. Marie
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.63 CA$64.5
$89.1 €79.3
-48.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.58 CA$50.3
$40.48 €36.01
-12.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.8 CA$106
$104 €92.3
-27.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 CA$170
$124 €111
-3.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sault Ste. Marie
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$893 CA$1,262
$729 €648
22.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$931 CA$1,316
$647 €576
43.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,325 CA$1,873
$1,328 €1,181
-0.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,455 CA$2,057
$1,169 €1,040
24.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,868 CA$2,640
$4,024 €3,579
-53.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,432 CA$7,679
$3,483 €3,098
55.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sault Ste. Marie
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,049 CA$4,310
$1,240 €1,103
145.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.53
4.48
23.44%

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

Last update for Sault Ste. Marie: October 20, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sault Ste. Marie
$931
Athens
$647 30.5% $284
Groceries & Markets
Sault Ste. Marie
$299
Athens
$312 4.4% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sault Ste. Marie
$295
Athens
$260 11.8% $35
Eating Out
Sault Ste. Marie
$255
Athens
$271 6.1% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Sault Ste. Marie
$124
Athens
$161 29.5% $37
Getting Around
Sault Ste. Marie
$81
Athens
$45 45.2% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Sault Ste. Marie
$73
Athens
$75 3.1% $2.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $893 in Sault Ste. Marie and $729 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sault Ste. Marie pays 146% 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: $71.0 in Sault Ste. Marie vs $68.0 in Athens. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $312, with Sault Ste. Marie cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Sault Ste. Marie
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
10:20 10:20 AM
17:20 5:20 PM
7 h ahead of Sault Ste. Marie
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
73,368
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sault Ste. Marie Athens 8,210 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sault Ste. Marie
  • Athens

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Sault Ste. Marie vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Sault Ste. Marie or Athens?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Sault Ste. Marie. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Athens the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Sault Ste. Marie or in Athens?
Average pay runs 146% higher in Sault Ste. Marie, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Sault Ste. Marie compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $893 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $729 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Sault Ste. Marie and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $71.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How expensive is transport in Sault Ste. Marie compared to Athens?
A monthly transit pass in Athens runs roughly 93% less than in Sault Ste. Marie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Sault Ste. Marie or in Athens?
At $1,771 in Athens versus $2,059 in Sault Ste. Marie, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Sault Ste. Marie. The gap between the two cities makes Athens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Sault Ste. Marie or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,771 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Athens hard to pass up.
How safe is Sault Ste. Marie compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Sault Ste. Marie and Athens are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Athens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Sault Ste. Marie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Sault Ste. Marie vs other spots: cost of living compared

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