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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Toronto is roughly 37% more expensive than in Sault Ste. Marie, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$16.78 CA$23.61

10.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$74.2 CA$104

12.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$9.91 CA$13.94

10.70%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$3.62 CA$5.09

10.22%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$1.81 CA$2.54

16.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.28 CA$1.80

32.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$4.44 CA$6.25

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$5.44 CA$7.65

19.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$2.74 CA$3.86

-1.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.25 CA$3.17

26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$3.87 CA$5.44

-8.01%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$2.87 CA$4.04

23.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$9.22 CA$12.97

43.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$10.32 CA$14.52

26.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$11.39 CA$16.03

47.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.08 CA$4.34

33.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.15 CA$1.62

-0.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$2.89 CA$4.07

17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$3.59 CA$5.06

11.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$2.31 CA$3.25

5.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$1.58 CA$2.22

86.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.60 CA$3.66

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$1.56 CA$2.20

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$11.94 CA$16.81

25.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$10.51 CA$14.78

36.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$1.91 CA$2.69

41.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.42 CA$3.41

28.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.43 CA$3.41

0.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$58.6 CA$82.4

92.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$3.49 CA$4.91

4.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.87 CA$2.63

-28.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$24.59 CA$34.60

3.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.17 CA$1.65

-5.13%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$25.0K CA$35.2K

1.12%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$20.3K CA$28.6K

7.29%

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

$117 CA$164

$169 CA$237

-30.85%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$42.02 CA$59.1

-10.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$69.8 CA$98.1

-23.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$32.48 CA$45.70

75.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$18.07 CA$25.43

15.44%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$12.72 CA$17.90

-9.12%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$517 CA$728

117.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$5,070 CA$7,134

263.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$46.59 CA$65.6

23.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$36.75 CA$51.7

6.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$61.6 CA$86.7

42.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$121 CA$170

-5.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$912 CA$1,283

101.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$909 CA$1,279

68.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$1,470 CA$2,069

98.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$1,512 CA$2,128

65.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$1,845 CA$2,596

372.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$5,517 CA$7,763

24.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$2,949 CA$4,150

17.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.67

-22.64%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $912 in Sault Ste. Marie. 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $74.0 in Sault Ste. Marie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $317 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

Toronto vs Sault Ste. Marie: 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.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Toronto, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,842 in Toronto versus $912 in Sault Ste. Marie. 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 $2,788 per month in Toronto versus $2,041 in Sault Ste. Marie – 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.