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: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $2,002 in Sault Ste. Marie.

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

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

Living in Vancouver is roughly 41% more expensive than Sault Ste. Marie, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.39

$16.61 CA$23.10

9.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$73.2 CA$102

6.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.09

$9.96 CA$13.85

8.94%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.54

$3.51 CA$4.88

13.39%

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

$2.12 CA$2.95

$1.74 CA$2.42

21.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.34 CA$1.86

32.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$4.47 CA$6.22

29.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.51

$5.43 CA$7.55

39.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$2.66 CA$3.70

-12.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$2.32 CA$3.23

33.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$3.82 CA$5.31

1.83%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.30

$2.94 CA$4.09

54.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.96

$9.03 CA$12.56

43.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.67

$10.24 CA$14.24

38.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.89

$11.61 CA$16.14

35.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.92

$3.05 CA$4.24

39.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.16 CA$1.61

26.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.06 CA$4.25

31.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.04

$3.59 CA$5.00

40.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$2.20 CA$3.07

37.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$1.58 CA$2.20

86.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.62

$2.74 CA$3.80

-5.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.62 CA$2.26

16.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.14

$11.66 CA$16.22

30.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.88

$10.95 CA$15.23

30.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$1.89 CA$2.63

62.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$2.48 CA$3.44

50.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$2.42 CA$3.37

0.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$58.7 CA$81.6

44.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.60 CA$5.01

3.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.87 CA$2.60

-19.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.15

$24.31 CA$33.81

12.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.11 CA$1.55

20.72%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$24.7K CA$34.3K

1.85%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$20.0K CA$27.8K

3.63%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$167 CA$232

-44.91%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$41.14 CA$57.2

-4.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$69.1 CA$96.1

-11.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$33.11 CA$46.05

35.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.81

$18.38 CA$25.55

-14.69%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.20

$12.58 CA$17.50

-1.67%

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

$1,180 CA$1,641

$510 CA$709

131.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$5,122 CA$7,123

266.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.2

$47.27 CA$65.7

32.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$60.0

$36.55 CA$50.8

18.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$62.2 CA$86.5

52.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$125 CA$174

-5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,774

$901 CA$1,253

121.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,266

$915 CA$1,272

78.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,991

$1,477 CA$2,054

143.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,851

$1,528 CA$2,125

81.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.9K

$1,847 CA$2,569

400.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,854

$5,607 CA$7,797

26.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,831

$3,036 CA$4,222

14.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.67

-15.89%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sault Ste. Marie: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $901 in Sault Ste. Marie. 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: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $73.0 in Sault Ste. Marie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $319 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

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, Sport & Entertainment. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Vancouver pays 14% more on average, 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: $1,995 in Vancouver versus $901 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 $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,831 per month in Vancouver versus $2,002 in Sault Ste. Marie – 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.