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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,002 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,831 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,967 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $4,231 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $5,630 in Vancouver.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sault Ste. Marie 49% above, Vancouver 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.61 CA$23.10

$18.26 CA$25.39

-9.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.2 CA$102

$77.8 CA$108

-5.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 CA$13.85

$10.85 CA$15.09

-8.20%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CA$4.88

$3.98 CA$5.54

-11.81%

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

$1.74 CA$2.42

$2.12 CA$2.95

-17.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.78 CA$2.47

-24.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.47 CA$6.22

$5.77 CA$8.02

-22.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 CA$7.55

$7.56 CA$10.51

-28.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.66 CA$3.70

$2.32 CA$3.23

14.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$3.10 CA$4.31

-25.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.31

$3.89 CA$5.40

-1.80%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.09

$4.53 CA$6.30

-35.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 CA$12.56

$12.92 CA$17.96

-30.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 CA$14.24

$14.14 CA$19.67

-27.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 CA$16.14

$15.74 CA$21.89

-26.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.24

$4.26 CA$5.92

-28.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$1.47 CA$2.04

-21.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.25

$4.02 CA$5.59

-23.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 CA$5.00

$5.06 CA$7.04

-29.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.07

$3.02 CA$4.20

-27.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 CA$2.20

$2.95 CA$4.10

-46.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.80

$2.60 CA$3.62

5.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.26

$1.88 CA$2.62

-13.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 CA$16.22

$15.20 CA$21.14

-23.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 CA$15.23

$14.30 CA$19.88

-23.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.63

$3.07 CA$4.27

-38.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$3.74 CA$5.20

-33.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.37

$2.44 CA$3.39

-0.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.7 CA$81.6

$84.9 CA$118

-30.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$3.74 CA$5.20

-3.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 CA$2.60

$1.50 CA$2.09

24.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.31 CA$33.81

$27.43 CA$38.15

-11.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.34 CA$1.86

-17.16%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$25.1K CA$34.9K

-1.82%

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

$20.0K CA$27.8K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

-3.51%

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

$167 CA$232

$91.8 CA$128

81.53%

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

$41.14 CA$57.2

$39.42 CA$54.8

4.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 CA$96.1

$61.1 CA$84.9

13.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.11 CA$46.05

$44.89 CA$62.4

-26.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.38 CA$25.55

$15.68 CA$21.81

17.22%

Cinema Ticket

$12.58 CA$17.50

$12.37 CA$17.20

1.70%

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

$510 CA$709

$1,180 CA$1,641

-56.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,122 CA$7,123

$18.8K CA$26.1K

-72.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.27 CA$65.7

$62.7 CA$87.2

-24.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.55 CA$50.8

$43.13 CA$60.0

-15.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 CA$86.5

$94.7 CA$132

-34.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 CA$174

$118 CA$165

5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 CA$1,253

$1,995 CA$2,774

-54.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 CA$1,272

$1,629 CA$2,266

-43.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,477 CA$2,054

$3,589 CA$4,991

-58.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,528 CA$2,125

$2,769 CA$3,851

-44.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,847 CA$2,569

$9,246 CA$12.9K

-80.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,607 CA$7,797

$7,086 CA$9,854

-20.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,036 CA$4,222

$3,474 CA$4,831

-12.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.61

18.89%

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 Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in Sault Ste. Marie and $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 14% 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 $78.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $415 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 Vancouver: 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 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Vancouver earns 14% 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 $1,995 in Vancouver. 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 $78.0 in Vancouver. 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 $2,831 in Vancouver – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,002 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,831 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Sault Ste. Marie but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. 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 41% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.