Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Scarborough Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Scarborough

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,620 in Scarborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $3,547 in Scarborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $4,474 in Scarborough.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 11% less than in Scarborough, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, Scarborough 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$17.68 CA$24.52

4.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$73.7 CA$102

-3.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$10.65 CA$14.77

0.28%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$3.99 CA$5.54

-1.50%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$2.14 CA$2.96

-5.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$1.48 CA$2.05

33.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$6.40 CA$8.87

-23.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$7.07 CA$9.80

-16.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.81 CA$3.89

-27.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.75 CA$3.82

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$2.60 CA$3.60

120.00%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$3.87 CA$5.37

-1.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$10.18 CA$14.12

13.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$11.36 CA$15.75

5.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$13.94 CA$19.34

36.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$3.45 CA$4.79

42.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.23 CA$1.71

15.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$3.54 CA$4.90

23.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$4.11 CA$5.70

-1.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$1.91 CA$2.65

42.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$1.54 CA$2.14

87.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.36 CA$3.27

8.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.50 CA$2.08

-0.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$14.71 CA$20.40

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$13.16 CA$18.25

18.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$2.26 CA$3.14

11.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$2.48 CA$3.44

31.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.32 CA$3.22

26.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

$106 CA$147

-15.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$3.11 CA$4.32

6.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.23 CA$1.71

11.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$22.09 CA$30.64

22.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.19 CA$1.65

2.52%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$27.0K CA$37.5K

5.74%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$21.0K CA$29.1K

-0.36%

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

$182 CA$253

$147 CA$204

24.03%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$35.50 CA$49.23

11.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$49.22 CA$68.3

4.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

$35.84 CA$49.70

52.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

$36.67 CA$50.9

-48.76%

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$13.07 CA$18.12

11.09%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$771 CA$1,070

6.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$11.0K CA$15.2K

49.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$52.5 CA$72.9

17.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$42.36 CA$58.8

-5.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$86.7 CA$120

8.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$105 CA$146

8.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$1,733 CA$2,404

-27.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$1,427 CA$1,979

-23.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$2,210 CA$3,065

-9.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

$1,788 CA$2,480

-4.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

$7,775 CA$10.8K

-53.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

$6,259 CA$8,680

-45.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

$3,099 CA$4,297

4.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.51

-0.67%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $1,733 in Scarborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $74.0 in Scarborough. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $349, with Scarborough 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

Calgary vs Scarborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Calgary, 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: $1,256 in Calgary versus $1,733 in Scarborough. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $74.0 in Scarborough. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,344 per month in Calgary versus $2,620 in Scarborough – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,620 in Scarborough, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Scarborough. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Scarborough. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.