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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.21 CA$23.81

$17.85 CA$24.70

-3.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 CA$102

$72.3 CA$100

1.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.49 CA$14.51

$10.92 CA$15.11

-3.94%

Cappuccino

$3.65 CA$5.05

$3.97 CA$5.49

-8.06%

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

$1.66 CA$2.30

$2.07 CA$2.87

-19.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.55 CA$2.14

-9.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.75 CA$6.57

$6.41 CA$8.88

-25.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CA$7.11

$7.29 CA$10.09

-29.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 CA$3.45

$2.39 CA$3.30

4.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 CA$2.87

$3.21 CA$4.44

-35.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.61

$3.07 CA$4.25

8.47%

Eggs

$2.99 CA$4.14

$3.68 CA$5.09

-18.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 CA$11.51

$13.57 CA$18.78

-38.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.99 CA$13.83

$11.63 CA$16.09

-14.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 CA$14.69

$13.97 CA$19.33

-24.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.37

$3.68 CA$5.10

-14.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 CA$1.39

$1.56 CA$2.16

-35.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 CA$4.32

$3.41 CA$4.72

-8.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.78

$3.03 CA$4.19

13.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 CA$2.89

$1.98 CA$2.74

5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$1.82 CA$2.52

-1.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.56 CA$3.54

7.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$1.39 CA$1.92

-8.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.07 CA$22.23

$11.49 CA$15.90

39.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 CA$14.82

$10.92 CA$15.11

-1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$2.26 CA$3.13

-20.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CA$3.18

$3.01 CA$4.16

-23.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 CA$3.18

$2.69 CA$3.72

-14.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 CA$78.6

$75.3 CA$104

-24.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 CA$4.91

$3.35 CA$4.63

5.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$1.50 CA$2.08

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.67 CA$32.75

$33.70 CA$46.63

-29.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 CA$1.45

$1.29 CA$1.79

-18.60%

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

$24.6K CA$34.1K

$28.3K CA$39.1K

-12.93%

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

$19.1K CA$26.4K

$20.0K CA$27.6K

-4.34%

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

$183 CA$253

$80.4 CA$111

127.49%

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

$45.85 CA$63.5

$34.23 CA$47.37

33.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.8 CA$109

$41.39 CA$57.3

90.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 CA$70.9

$29.24 CA$40.46

75.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.74 CA$24.54

$19.89 CA$27.52

-10.81%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 CA$16.09

$11.71 CA$16.20

-0.68%

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

$564 CA$781

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,053 CA$6,992

$16.8K CA$23.3K

-70.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.24 CA$64.0

$59.5 CA$82.3

-22.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.29 CA$50.2

$42.13 CA$58.3

-13.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 CA$106

$107 CA$148

-28.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$168

$111 CA$153

9.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$906 CA$1,253

$1,284 CA$1,776

-29.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$952 CA$1,318

$990 CA$1,370

-3.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 CA$1,840

$2,260 CA$3,127

-41.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 CA$2,092

$1,667 CA$2,307

-9.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,863 CA$2,578

$5,287 CA$7,316

-64.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,654 CA$7,824

$3,813 CA$5,276

48.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,052 CA$4,223

$3,019 CA$4,177

1.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.53

4.41

25.40%

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

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $906 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $1,284 in Montreal. 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 $73.0 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Sault Ste. Marie vs $356 in Montreal – 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

Sault Ste. Marie vs Montreal: 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 $3,188 per month in Sault Ste. Marie and $3,084 in Montreal. 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.