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: $2,002 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,811 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,967 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $4,130 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $5,449 in Toronto.

Living in Sault Ste. Marie costs roughly 29% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sault Ste. Marie 49% above, Toronto 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.61 CA$23.10

$18.71 CA$26.02

-11.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.2 CA$102

$81.9 CA$114

-10.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 CA$13.85

$10.83 CA$15.06

-8.03%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CA$4.88

$3.89 CA$5.41

-9.77%

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

$1.74 CA$2.42

$2.22 CA$3.09

-21.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.65 CA$2.29

-18.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.47 CA$6.22

$6.05 CA$8.41

-26.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 CA$7.55

$6.58 CA$9.15

-17.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.66 CA$3.70

$2.73 CA$3.79

-2.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$2.72 CA$3.78

-14.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.31

$3.54 CA$4.92

7.91%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.09

$3.50 CA$4.87

-16.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 CA$12.56

$13.53 CA$18.81

-33.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 CA$14.24

$13.09 CA$18.20

-21.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 CA$16.14

$16.96 CA$23.59

-31.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.24

$4.16 CA$5.79

-26.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$1.18 CA$1.64

-1.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.25

$3.25 CA$4.52

-5.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 CA$5.00

$4.12 CA$5.73

-12.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.07

$2.50 CA$3.48

-12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 CA$2.20

$2.88 CA$4.00

-45.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.80

$2.35 CA$3.27

16.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.26

$2.00 CA$2.78

-19.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 CA$16.22

$14.58 CA$20.28

-20.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 CA$15.23

$14.18 CA$19.71

-22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.63

$2.80 CA$3.89

-32.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$3.25 CA$4.53

-23.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.37

$2.40 CA$3.34

0.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.7 CA$81.6

$114 CA$159

-48.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$3.76 CA$5.22

-4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 CA$2.60

$1.41 CA$1.96

32.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.31 CA$33.81

$25.53 CA$35.50

-4.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.10 CA$1.53

0.91%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$25.2K CA$35.1K

-2.33%

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

$20.0K CA$27.8K

$21.1K CA$29.3K

-5.07%

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

$167 CA$232

$120 CA$166

39.28%

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

$41.14 CA$57.2

$37.54 CA$52.2

9.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 CA$96.1

$54.5 CA$75.8

26.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.11 CA$46.05

$55.5 CA$77.2

-40.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.38 CA$25.55

$21.15 CA$29.41

-13.10%

Cinema Ticket

$12.58 CA$17.50

$11.56 CA$16.07

8.82%

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

$510 CA$709

$1,129 CA$1,571

-54.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,122 CA$7,123

$18.0K CA$25.0K

-71.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.27 CA$65.7

$56.9 CA$79.2

-16.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.55 CA$50.8

$39.96 CA$55.6

-8.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 CA$86.5

$89.7 CA$125

-30.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 CA$174

$114 CA$159

9.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 CA$1,253

$1,849 CA$2,572

-51.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 CA$1,272

$1,560 CA$2,169

-41.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,477 CA$2,054

$2,925 CA$4,068

-49.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,528 CA$2,125

$2,470 CA$3,435

-38.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,847 CA$2,569

$9,085 CA$12.6K

-79.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,607 CA$7,797

$7,036 CA$9,785

-20.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,036 CA$4,222

$3,572 CA$4,967

-15.02%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Sault Ste. Marie and $1,849 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 18% 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: $73.0 in Sault Ste. Marie vs $82.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $396 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 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Toronto earns 18% less. 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: $901 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $1,849 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 $73.0 versus $82.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,002 per month in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,811 in Toronto – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,002 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,811 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 40% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.