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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.78 CA$23.61

$16.52 CA$23.24

1.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$104

$74.0 CA$104

0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 CA$13.94

$10.94 CA$15.40

-9.41%

Cappuccino

$3.62 CA$5.09

$3.84 CA$5.41

-5.73%

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

$1.81 CA$2.54

$2.14 CA$3.01

-15.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 CA$1.80

$1.45 CA$2.04

-11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 CA$6.25

$6.13 CA$8.63

-27.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 CA$7.65

$6.73 CA$9.47

-19.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$2.35 CA$3.31

16.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 CA$3.17

$3.34 CA$4.69

-32.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.44

$3.74 CA$5.27

3.48%

Eggs

$2.87 CA$4.04

$3.39 CA$4.77

-15.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 CA$12.97

$16.30 CA$22.93

-43.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 CA$14.52

$11.81 CA$16.62

-12.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.39 CA$16.03

$15.64 CA$22.01

-27.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 CA$4.34

$3.69 CA$5.20

-16.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 CA$1.62

$1.70 CA$2.39

-32.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.07

$4.11 CA$5.79

-29.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 CA$5.06

$4.41 CA$6.20

-18.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 CA$3.25

$2.79 CA$3.93

-17.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 CA$2.22

$2.64 CA$3.72

-40.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.66

$2.29 CA$3.22

13.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.20

$1.78 CA$2.51

-12.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 CA$16.81

$13.17 CA$18.53

-9.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 CA$14.78

$10.64 CA$14.97

-1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.69

$2.99 CA$4.20

-36.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CA$3.41

$3.44 CA$4.83

-29.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$2.81 CA$3.95

-13.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.6 CA$82.4

$72.8 CA$102

-19.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 CA$4.91

$3.52 CA$4.95

-0.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 CA$2.63

$1.45 CA$2.05

28.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.59 CA$34.60

$34.29 CA$48.26

-28.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.65

$1.22 CA$1.72

-4.10%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-1.03%

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

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-8.34%

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

$169 CA$237

$76.5 CA$108

120.59%

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

$42.02 CA$59.1

$35.60 CA$50.1

18.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 CA$98.1

$42.96 CA$60.5

62.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.48 CA$45.70

$43.39 CA$61.1

-25.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.07 CA$25.43

$16.83 CA$23.68

7.37%

Cinema Ticket

$12.72 CA$17.90

$11.09 CA$15.60

14.70%

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

$517 CA$728

$625 CA$879

-17.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,070 CA$7,134

$5,896 CA$8,296

-14.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.59 CA$65.6

$63.1 CA$88.8

-26.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.75 CA$51.7

$44.50 CA$62.6

-17.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 CA$86.7

$103 CA$145

-40.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$170

$118 CA$166

2.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$912 CA$1,283

$1,207 CA$1,699

-24.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 CA$1,279

$965 CA$1,358

-5.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 CA$2,069

$2,031 CA$2,858

-27.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 CA$2,128

$1,577 CA$2,219

-4.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,845 CA$2,596

$5,085 CA$7,155

-63.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,517 CA$7,763

$3,783 CA$5,324

45.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,949 CA$4,150

$2,890 CA$4,066

2.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.01

33.13%

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

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $912 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $1,207 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 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 Sault Ste. Marie versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $395 – making Sault Ste. Marie the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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 $3,062 per month in Sault Ste. Marie and $3,127 in Montreal. 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 Sault Ste. Marie and $74.0 in Montreal. 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.