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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,041 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,788 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,032 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $4,110 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,022 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $5,432 in Toronto.

Living in Sault Ste. Marie costs roughly 27% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sault Ste. Marie 53% above, Toronto 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.78 CA$23.61

$18.51 CA$26.05

-9.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$104

$83.8 CA$118

-11.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 CA$13.94

$10.97 CA$15.44

-9.66%

Cappuccino

$3.62 CA$5.09

$3.99 CA$5.61

-9.27%

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

$1.81 CA$2.54

$2.11 CA$2.98

-14.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 CA$1.80

$1.69 CA$2.38

-24.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 CA$6.25

$5.92 CA$8.33

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 CA$7.65

$6.48 CA$9.11

-16.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$2.71 CA$3.82

1.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 CA$3.17

$2.85 CA$4.02

-21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.44

$3.56 CA$5.01

8.71%

Eggs

$2.87 CA$4.04

$3.54 CA$4.98

-18.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 CA$12.97

$13.26 CA$18.66

-30.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 CA$14.52

$13.05 CA$18.36

-20.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.39 CA$16.03

$16.77 CA$23.59

-32.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 CA$4.34

$4.11 CA$5.79

-25.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 CA$1.62

$1.14 CA$1.60

0.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.07

$3.40 CA$4.78

-15.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 CA$5.06

$4.02 CA$5.66

-10.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 CA$3.25

$2.43 CA$3.42

-4.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 CA$2.22

$2.94 CA$4.13

-46.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.66

$2.47 CA$3.48

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.20

$1.92 CA$2.70

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 CA$16.81

$14.99 CA$21.09

-20.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 CA$14.78

$14.34 CA$20.17

-26.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.69

$2.71 CA$3.81

-29.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CA$3.41

$3.12 CA$4.39

-22.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$2.45 CA$3.45

-0.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.6 CA$82.4

$113 CA$159

-48.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 CA$4.91

$3.63 CA$5.10

-3.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 CA$2.63

$1.34 CA$1.89

39.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.59 CA$34.60

$25.55 CA$35.95

-3.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.65

$1.11 CA$1.56

5.41%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$25.3K CA$35.6K

-1.11%

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

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$21.8K CA$30.6K

-6.80%

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

$169 CA$237

$117 CA$164

44.61%

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

$42.02 CA$59.1

$37.60 CA$52.9

11.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 CA$98.1

$53.7 CA$75.6

29.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.48 CA$45.70

$57.1 CA$80.3

-43.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.07 CA$25.43

$20.86 CA$29.35

-13.37%

Cinema Ticket

$12.72 CA$17.90

$11.56 CA$16.26

10.03%

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

$517 CA$728

$1,125 CA$1,583

-54.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,070 CA$7,134

$18.4K CA$25.9K

-72.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.59 CA$65.6

$57.3 CA$80.7

-18.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.75 CA$51.7

$39.05 CA$55.0

-5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 CA$86.7

$87.6 CA$123

-29.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$170

$114 CA$160

6.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$912 CA$1,283

$1,842 CA$2,591

-50.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 CA$1,279

$1,531 CA$2,154

-40.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 CA$2,069

$2,925 CA$4,116

-49.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 CA$2,128

$2,502 CA$3,521

-39.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,845 CA$2,596

$8,725 CA$12.3K

-78.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,517 CA$7,763

$6,867 CA$9,663

-19.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,949 CA$4,150

$3,454 CA$4,860

-14.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.16

29.26%

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 Toronto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $912 in Sault Ste. Marie and $1,842 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 17% 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: $74.0 in Sault Ste. Marie vs $84.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $395 per month, with Sault Ste. Marie cheaper across the board.

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 Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sault Ste. Marie is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Toronto. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $912 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $1,842 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sault Ste. Marie – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,041 per month in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,788 in Toronto – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,041 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,788 in Toronto, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Sault Ste. Marie but tight or insufficient in Toronto. The gap between the two cities makes Sault Ste. Marie the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Sault Ste. Marie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.