Cost of Living Comparison Between Ontario, CA and Scarborough Cost of Living Comparison Between Ontario, CA and Scarborough

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,819 in Ontario, CA versus $2,549 in Scarborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,781 in Ontario, CA versus $3,496 in Scarborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Ontario, CA versus $4,443 in Scarborough.

Living in Ontario, CA is roughly 11% more expensive than in Scarborough, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ontario, CA 106% above, Scarborough 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.91 $14.91

$17.54 CA$24.54

-14.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 $64.0

$71.7 CA$100

-10.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 $9.80

$10.85 CA$15.18

-9.68%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$4.09 CA$5.72

30.81%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$2.10 CA$2.94

32.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.41 CA$1.97

45.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 $5.94

$6.44 CA$9.01

-7.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.01 CA$9.81

-0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$2.78 CA$3.88

-68.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.63 CA$3.68

30.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.59 CA$3.63

24.32%

Eggs

$4.19 $4.19

$3.85 CA$5.39

8.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.32 $19.32

$10.07 CA$14.08

91.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$11.16 CA$15.62

30.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 $10.84

$13.51 CA$18.90

-19.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.51 CA$4.91

-37.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.20 CA$1.69

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.41 CA$4.77

-37.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$4.10 CA$5.74

-62.93%

Potato (1kg)

$8.42 $8.42

$1.85 CA$2.59

355.14%

Onion (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$1.53 CA$2.15

206.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.36 CA$3.30

47.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.49 CA$2.09

88.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.89 $11.89

$14.61 CA$20.44

-18.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 $16.10

$12.78 CA$17.88

25.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.23 CA$3.11

-21.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.54 CA$3.55

76.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.41 CA$3.37

-39.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.47 $30.47

$109 CA$153

-72.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.02 CA$4.22

-5.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.27 CA$1.78

94.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.4 $59.4

$22.04 CA$30.83

169.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.22 CA$1.71

18.03%

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

$32.4K $32.4K

$26.9K CA$37.6K

20.68%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$20.7K CA$28.9K

21.97%

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

$245 $245

$145 CA$202

69.85%

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

$49.67 $49.67

$36.27 CA$50.7

36.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 $63.4

$48.71 CA$68.1

30.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 $63.9

$35.49 CA$49.64

80.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.79 $28.79

$35.78 CA$50.1

-19.54%

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 $14.14

$13.01 CA$18.20

8.69%

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

$1,413 $1,413

$788 CA$1,103

79.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K $37.1K

$10.8K CA$15.1K

244.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.60 $39.60

$53.9 CA$75.4

-26.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.30 $46.30

$41.60 CA$58.2

11.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 $73.8

$86.1 CA$120

-14.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 $99.0

$106 CA$148

-6.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 $1,913

$1,732 CA$2,423

10.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 $1,473

$1,374 CA$1,922

7.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 $2,692

$2,128 CA$2,977

26.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 CA$2,478

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,043 $4,043

$7,645 CA$10.7K

-47.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,619 $3,619

$6,108 CA$8,545

-40.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,528 $3,528

$3,020 CA$4,225

16.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

4.51

38.36%

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

Last update for Ontario, CA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,913 in Ontario, CA and $1,732 in Scarborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ontario, CA pays 17% 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: $64.0 in Ontario, CA vs $72.0 in Scarborough. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $343, 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

Ontario, CA vs Scarborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Scarborough is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Ontario, CA, 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: $1,913 in Ontario, CA versus $1,732 in Scarborough. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,413 in Ontario, CA versus $788 in Scarborough. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Ontario, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Scarborough is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Scarborough gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Ontario, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.