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: $2,661 in Ontario, CA versus $2,626 in Scarborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,170 in Ontario, CA versus $3,481 in Scarborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,679 in Ontario, CA versus $4,336 in Scarborough.

Living in Ontario, CA is roughly 1% more expensive than Scarborough, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ontario, CA 98% above, Scarborough 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 $17.67

$18.31 CA$25.08

-3.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$80.8 CA$111

-1.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$11.01 CA$15.08

7.99%

Cappuccino

$5.23 $5.23

$4.08 CA$5.59

28.19%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$2.17 CA$2.97

24.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.45 CA$1.98

38.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 $6.89

$5.99 CA$8.21

15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 $7.06

$6.77 CA$9.27

4.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$2.33 CA$3.19

-54.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.56 CA$3.51

53.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.76 CA$3.79

46.01%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$3.49 CA$4.78

17.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 $10.56

$13.23 CA$18.13

-20.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 $8.62

$11.29 CA$15.46

-23.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.22 $14.22

$14.42 CA$19.76

-1.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.54 CA$4.85

-1.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.17 CA$1.60

47.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.87 CA$3.93

39.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$3.35 CA$4.59

61.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.60 CA$2.20

106.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.54 CA$3.48

13.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.22 CA$3.04

-34.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.57 CA$2.15

40.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 $11.02

$13.21 CA$18.09

-16.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 $16.17

$13.28 CA$18.20

21.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.47 CA$3.38

-21.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.57 CA$3.53

39.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.47 CA$3.39

-19.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CA$142

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 $6.79

$3.18 CA$4.36

113.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 $4.24

$1.18 CA$1.62

259.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.65 $29.65

$22.61 CA$30.97

31.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.10 CA$1.51

17.27%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

1.15%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$20.8K CA$28.5K

39.69%

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

$251 $251

$178 CA$244

40.66%

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

$45.84 $45.84

$42.30 CA$58.0

8.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 $59.4

$55.1 CA$75.5

7.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 $102

$36.23 CA$49.63

181.37%

Cinema Ticket

$14.21 $14.21

$14.25 CA$19.53

-0.28%

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

$1,226 $1,226

$839 CA$1,150

46.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$10.8K CA$14.9K

116.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.11 $48.11

$57.6 CA$78.8

-16.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.95 $33.95

$42.86 CA$58.7

-20.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 $84.6

$87.2 CA$120

-3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 $85.8

$104 CA$143

-17.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,876 $1,876

$1,745 CA$2,390

7.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 $1,335

$1,396 CA$1,912

-4.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,811 $2,811

$2,225 CA$3,049

26.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,946 $2,946

$1,647 CA$2,257

78.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,002 $4,002

$7,846 CA$10.7K

-49.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,635 $3,635

$6,164 CA$8,445

-41.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,540 $3,540

$3,074 CA$4,211

15.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

6.08

8.22%

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

Last update for Ontario, CA: April 11, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,876 in Ontario, CA and $1,745 in Scarborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ontario, CA pays 15% 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: $79 in Ontario, CA vs $81 in Scarborough. Groceries flip the comparison at $368 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

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

Scarborough is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ontario, CA pays 15% 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: $1,876 in Ontario, CA versus $1,745 in Scarborough. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Ontario, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,661 per month in Ontario, CA versus $2,626 in Scarborough – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 1% less than in Ontario, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.