Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sault Ste. Marie and Santiago

For one person, living is cheaper in Santiago: $1,183 a month against $2,059 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sault Ste. Marie
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,059
/mo nomad
Santiago
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,183
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Santiago actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,059 per month in Sault Ste. Marie vs $1,183 in Santiago, rent included.

  • Sault Ste. Marie $2,059
  • Santiago $1,183

A couple spends around $3,008 per month in Sault Ste. Marie vs $1,882 in Santiago, rent included.

  • Sault Ste. Marie $3,008
  • Santiago $1,882

A family of three spends $3,956 per month in Sault Ste. Marie vs $2,581 in Santiago, rent included.

  • Sault Ste. Marie $3,956
  • Santiago $2,581

Sault Ste. Marie costs about 74% more than Santiago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Sault Ste. Marie sits 52% above the global median, while Santiago is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sault Ste. Marie
Santiago
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.17 CA$24.28
$10.15 CLP 9,995
69.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.6 CA$99.8
$51.9 CLP 51.1K
36.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.23 CA$14.46
$8.56 CLP 8,423
19.51%
Cappuccino
$3.47 CA$4.90
$3.15 CLP 3,101
10.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 CA$2.32
$1.71 CLP 1,685
-4.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 CA$1.91
$1.28 CLP 1,255
5.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.68 CA$6.62
$4.18 CLP 4,118
11.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.00 CA$7.07
$4.46 CLP 4,390
12.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sault Ste. Marie
Santiago
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.42 CA$3.43
$1.29 CLP 1,269
87.60%
White Bread (500g)
$2.14 CA$3.02
$1.76 CLP 1,737
21.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.27 CA$4.63
$1.66 CLP 1,630
96.99%
Eggs
$2.98 CA$4.22
$4.21 CLP 4,140
-29.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.32 CA$11.76
$11.08 CLP 10.9K
-24.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.97 CA$14.10
$6.75 CLP 6,641
47.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.51 CA$14.86
$10.76 CLP 10.6K
-2.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.43
$1.96 CLP 1,927
60.20%
Banana (1kg)
$0.99 CA$1.40
$1.54 CLP 1,518
-35.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.06 CA$4.33
$1.58 CLP 1,560
93.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.54 CA$5.01
$1.74 CLP 1,713
103.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 CA$2.79
$1.09 CLP 1,075
80.73%
Onion (1kg)
$1.69 CA$2.39
$1.53 CLP 1,509
10.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.77 CA$3.92
$1.18 CLP 1,163
134.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 CA$1.79
$1.08 CLP 1,060
17.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.75 CA$22.26
$5.18 CLP 5,101
204.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.67 CA$15.08
$6.17 CLP 6,070
72.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 CA$2.60
$1.53 CLP 1,511
20.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 CA$3.23
$2.36 CLP 2,325
-3.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Sault Ste. Marie
Santiago
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.24 CA$3.16
$0.84 CLP 824
166.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.5 CA$81.2
$41.44 CLP 40.8K
38.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.47 CA$4.91
$0.42 CLP 416
726.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.31 CA$3.26
$0.88 CLP 869
162.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.97 CA$32.47
$11.49 CLP 11.3K
99.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 CA$1.52
$1.49 CLP 1,462
-27.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.5K CA$37.5K
$17.2K CLP 17.0M
53.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K CA$28.6K
$25.6K CLP 25.2M
-20.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sault Ste. Marie
Santiago
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$174 CA$246
$149 CLP 146.3K
17.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.36 CA$62.7
$12.11 CLP 11.9K
266.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.7 CA$108
$19.13 CLP 18.8K
300.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sault Ste. Marie
Santiago
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.3 CA$71.0
$33.30 CLP 32.8K
50.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.62 CA$24.90
$11.51 CLP 11.3K
53.08%
Cinema Ticket
$11.18 CA$15.80
$7.32 CLP 7,208
52.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sault Ste. Marie
Santiago
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$436 CLP 429.2K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,984 CA$7,046
$11.0K CLP 10.8M
-54.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sault Ste. Marie
Santiago
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.63 CA$64.5
$49.17 CLP 48.4K
-7.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.58 CA$50.3
$29.11 CLP 28.7K
22.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.8 CA$106
$65.5 CLP 64.5K
14.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 CA$170
$80.1 CLP 78.9K
50.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sault Ste. Marie
Santiago
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$893 CA$1,262
$554 CLP 545.8K
61.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$931 CA$1,316
$383 CLP 376.6K
143.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,325 CA$1,873
$1,002 CLP 986.5K
32.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,455 CA$2,057
$775 CLP 762.5K
87.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,868 CA$2,640
$2,708 CLP 2.7M
-31.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,432 CA$7,679
$2,613 CLP 2.6M
107.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sault Ste. Marie
Santiago
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,049 CA$4,310
$778 CLP 766.3K
291.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.53
5.39
2.60%

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 Santiago: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sault Ste. Marie
$931
Santiago
$383 58.9% $549
Groceries & Markets
Sault Ste. Marie
$299
Santiago
$236 21.1% $63
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sault Ste. Marie
$295
Santiago
$180 39.1% $115
Eating Out
Sault Ste. Marie
$255
Santiago
$186 26.9% $69
Clothing & Footwear
Sault Ste. Marie
$124
Santiago
$101 18.9% $24
Getting Around
Sault Ste. Marie
$81
Santiago
$50 39% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Sault Ste. Marie
$73
Santiago
$48 34% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $893 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $554 in Santiago. 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 292% 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 $71.0 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $52.0 in Santiago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $236 – making Santiago the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Sault Ste. Marie
🇨🇱 Santiago
🕒 Local time
11:32 11:32 AM
12:32 12:32 PM
1 h ahead of Sault Ste. Marie
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
73,368
6,139,087 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR 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).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sault Ste. Marie Santiago 9,000 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sault Ste. Marie
  • Santiago

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 Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Santiago cheaper than Sault Ste. Marie?
Yes – Sault Ste. Marie is pricier by about 74%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,089 per month in Sault Ste. Marie and $1,775 in Santiago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Santiago, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Sault Ste. Marie and in Santiago?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,059 in Sault Ste. Marie and $1,183 in Santiago. That's a gap of about 74%.
Is eating out cheaper in Sault Ste. Marie or in Santiago?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Sault Ste. Marie and $52.0 in Santiago. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sault Ste. Marie or in Santiago?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santiago, where all-in costs run around $1,183, than in Sault Ste. Marie at $2,059. In Santiago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sault Ste. Marie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sault Ste. Marie or Santiago more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Santiago – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Santiago. 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.

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

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