States › Michigan › Sault Ste. Marie

Is Sault Ste. Marie, MI expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 18 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$87850% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$59,671about $4,973/month · 31% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$139,40058% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards. Commutes are short, about 12 minutes.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $35,120 a year. That is $17 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Michigan cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Michigan. It is number 14 of 179 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Sault Ste. Marie
$878
Coldwater
$1,292
Rochester
$1,659
Ionia
$929
Woodhaven
$1,251
Melvindale
$1,228
Escanaba
$1,026

How much do households earn in Sault Ste. Marie?

Under $25k
22.8%
$25k–50k
26.6%
$50k–100k
35.0%
$100k–150k
8.2%
$150k+
3.3%

Share of households by yearly income. 11.5% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Sault Ste. Marie

SizeSault Ste. MarieU.S. average
Studio$636$1,338
1 bedroom$817$1,324
2 bedrooms$874$1,509
3 bedrooms$998$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,012$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Sault Ste. Marie overall?

Everyday prices in Michigan overall are 4% below the U.S. average (index 96.2, U.S. = 100).

Housing
82
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
100
Other services
101
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Sault Ste. Marie, so the Michigan figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Sault Ste. Marie

🏛️ Property tax$2,538a year · 1.82% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$94a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Sault Ste. Marie

Commute to work12 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree27%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home60.5%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line17.8%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment4.9%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Sault Ste. Marie?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $89 a month less.

Renting
$878
Owning
$967

Owning assumes a typical $139,400 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $13,940 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Sault Ste. Marie, MI?

Renting in Sault Ste. Marie costs a median of about $878 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Michigan median is $1,314.

How much do I need to make to live in Sault Ste. Marie?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $35,120 a year, or $17 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Sault Ste. Marie cheap or expensive?

Sault Ste. Marie is rated Cheap: rent takes 17.7% of the typical household income of $59,671. It ranks 14th cheapest of 179 Michigan cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Sault Ste. Marie?

The median homeowner in Sault Ste. Marie pays $2,538 a year in property taxes, about 1.82% of the median home value.

Is Sault Ste. Marie more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Michigan are 4% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Sault Ste. Marie?

The median home value in Sault Ste. Marie is $139,400, about 2.3 times the typical yearly household income.

13,335 people live in Sault Ste. Marie. Numbers are typical (middle) values.