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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,731 in Vancouver versus $2,126 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,956 in Vancouver versus $3,104 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,181 in Vancouver versus $4,082 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 28% more expensive than in Sault Ste. Marie, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 99% above, Sault Ste. Marie 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 CA$25.41

$17.21 CA$23.81

6.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$73.4 CA$102

-0.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.05

$10.49 CA$14.51

3.72%

Cappuccino

$4.25 CA$5.88

$3.65 CA$5.05

16.44%

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

$2.12 CA$2.93

$1.66 CA$2.30

27.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.41 CA$1.95

19.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 CA$7.95

$4.75 CA$6.57

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.21

$5.14 CA$7.11

29.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CA$2.97

$2.49 CA$3.45

-14.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.53

$2.07 CA$2.87

23.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.11

$3.33 CA$4.61

32.43%

Eggs

$4.24 CA$5.87

$2.99 CA$4.14

41.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 CA$16.80

$8.31 CA$11.51

46.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.91

$9.99 CA$13.83

36.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.78 CA$28.76

$10.61 CA$14.69

95.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.96

$3.16 CA$4.37

36.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.01 CA$1.39

37.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.53

$3.12 CA$4.32

28.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.62

$3.45 CA$4.78

17.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.90

$2.09 CA$2.89

34.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.08

$1.79 CA$2.48

64.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 CA$3.83

$2.74 CA$3.79

1.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.25

$1.27 CA$1.76

28.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.06 CA$22.22

$16.07 CA$22.23

-0.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.54 CA$20.11

$10.71 CA$14.82

35.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 CA$3.78

$1.79 CA$2.48

52.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$2.30 CA$3.18

33.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 CA$3.52

$2.30 CA$3.18

10.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 CA$118

$56.8 CA$78.6

49.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$3.55 CA$4.91

-23.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 CA$2.27

$2.40 CA$3.32

-31.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.75 CA$43.93

$23.67 CA$32.75

34.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.05 CA$1.45

36.19%

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

$28.9K CA$40.0K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

17.38%

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

$19.7K CA$27.2K

$19.1K CA$26.4K

3.09%

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

$77.6 CA$107

$183 CA$253

-57.56%

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

$35.35 CA$48.91

$45.85 CA$63.5

-22.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CA$71.5

$78.8 CA$109

-34.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.26 CA$64.0

$51.2 CA$70.9

-9.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.37 CA$18.51

$17.74 CA$24.54

-24.63%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$15.98

$11.63 CA$16.09

-0.69%

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

$1,137 CA$1,573

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K CA$29.3K

$5,053 CA$6,992

319.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 CA$82.0

$46.24 CA$64.0

28.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.02 CA$48.45

$36.29 CA$50.2

-3.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 CA$125

$76.5 CA$106

17.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 CA$133

$121 CA$168

-20.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 CA$2,553

$906 CA$1,253

103.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 CA$2,206

$952 CA$1,318

67.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,271 CA$4,527

$1,330 CA$1,840

145.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,499 CA$3,458

$1,512 CA$2,092

65.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,039 CA$12.5K

$1,863 CA$2,578

385.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,985 CA$9,665

$5,654 CA$7,824

23.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 CA$5,062

$3,052 CA$4,223

19.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

5.53

-23.51%

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

Last update for Vancouver: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sault Ste. Marie: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,845 in Vancouver and $906 in Sault Ste. Marie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 20% 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 Vancouver vs $73.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. Groceries flip the comparison at $409 vs $300, with Sault Ste. Marie cheaper for home cooking.

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

Vancouver 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. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 20% higher in Vancouver, 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: $1,845 in Vancouver versus $906 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 $73.0 versus $73.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Sault Ste. Marie runs roughly 50% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,126 in Sault Ste. Marie versus $2,731 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 28% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.