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: $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,626 in Scarborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $3,481 in Scarborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $4,336 in Scarborough.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 7% less than in Scarborough, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 81% above, Scarborough 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$18.31 CA$25.08

-0.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$80.8 CA$111

-13.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$11.01 CA$15.08

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$4.08 CA$5.59

-8.58%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$2.17 CA$2.97

-8.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.45 CA$1.98

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$5.99 CA$8.21

-12.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$6.77 CA$9.27

-1.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$2.33 CA$3.19

-7.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.56 CA$3.51

4.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$2.76 CA$3.79

23.19%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$3.49 CA$4.78

-6.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$13.23 CA$18.13

10.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$11.29 CA$15.46

11.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$14.42 CA$19.76

11.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$3.54 CA$4.85

25.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.17 CA$1.60

14.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$2.87 CA$3.93

29.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.35 CA$4.59

28.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$1.60 CA$2.20

66.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.54 CA$3.48

2.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.22 CA$3.04

23.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.57 CA$2.15

21.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$13.21 CA$18.09

13.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$13.28 CA$18.20

7.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$2.47 CA$3.38

17.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$2.57 CA$3.53

54.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.47 CA$3.39

8.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$104 CA$142

-15.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$3.18 CA$4.36

12.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.18 CA$1.62

13.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$22.61 CA$30.97

29.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.10 CA$1.51

2.73%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

-1.00%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$20.8K CA$28.5K

6.77%

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

$218 CA$299

$178 CA$244

22.23%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$42.30 CA$58.0

-2.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$55.1 CA$75.5

5.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$36.23 CA$49.63

48.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$14.25 CA$19.53

-11.16%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$839 CA$1,150

5.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$10.8K CA$14.9K

48.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$57.6 CA$78.8

0.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$42.86 CA$58.7

12.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$87.2 CA$120

1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$104 CA$143

1.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$1,745 CA$2,390

-19.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$1,396 CA$1,912

-15.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$2,225 CA$3,049

3.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$1,647 CA$2,257

12.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$7,846 CA$10.7K

-51.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$6,164 CA$8,445

-43.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$3,074 CA$4,211

1.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.08

-6.09%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $1,745 in Scarborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70 in Calgary vs $81 in Scarborough. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $348, 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 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 1% 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: $1,396 in Calgary versus $1,745 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 $70.0 versus $81.0 in Scarborough. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,433 per month in Calgary versus $2,626 in Scarborough – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,626 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 8% less than in Scarborough. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.