Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Scarborough Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Scarborough

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,439 per month in San Juan vs $2,574 in Scarborough, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,475 per month in San Juan vs $3,516 in Scarborough, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,511 per month in San Juan vs $4,457 in Scarborough, rent included.

San Juan is about 5% cheaper than Scarborough, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both San Juan and Scarborough sit above the global median – San Juan by 83%, Scarborough by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.11 $19.11

$18.37 CA$25.79

4.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 $81.5

$79.5 CA$112

2.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 $9.73

$10.95 CA$15.37

-11.14%

Cappuccino

$3.63 $3.63

$4.03 CA$5.66

-9.93%

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

$1.72 $1.72

$2.14 CA$3.00

-19.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.47 CA$2.06

-1.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 $2.96

$6.06 CA$8.50

-51.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 $4.47

$6.58 CA$9.24

-32.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.30 CA$3.22

3.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.56 CA$3.59

33.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.80 CA$3.93

-20.00%

Eggs

$5.96 $5.96

$3.66 CA$5.13

62.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$13.41 CA$18.82

-32.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 $8.39

$11.46 CA$16.09

-26.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 $12.70

$14.75 CA$20.70

-13.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$3.45 CA$4.84

65.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.14 CA$1.59

141.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.97 CA$4.16

29.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.38 CA$4.74

16.57%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.63 CA$2.29

150.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.58 CA$3.62

14.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.19 CA$3.07

42.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.64 CA$2.30

17.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.03 $12.03

$13.16 CA$18.46

-8.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 $15.31

$12.57 CA$17.64

21.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.45 CA$3.44

1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.50 CA$3.51

30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.46 CA$3.45

-37.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.61 $29.61

$105 CA$147

-71.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 CA$4.51

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.23 CA$1.73

23.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.86 $14.86

$23.21 CA$32.57

-35.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.14 CA$1.61

-16.67%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$24.6K CA$34.5K

49.08%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$21.2K CA$29.7K

24.70%

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

$484 $484

$175 CA$245

177.20%

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

$79.6 $79.6

$42.57 CA$59.8

86.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$54.2 CA$76.0

34.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.56 $46.56

$36.50 CA$51.2

27.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.54 $34.54

Cinema Ticket

$12.06 $12.06

$13.88 CA$19.48

-13.11%

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

$473 $473

$859 CA$1,205

-44.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$11.2K CA$15.8K

-7.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.48 $45.48

$58.5 CA$82.1

-22.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 $57.1

$43.11 CA$60.5

32.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 $89.6

$87.6 CA$123

2.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$104 CA$146

1.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,557 $1,557

$1,765 CA$2,477

-11.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$870 $870

$1,367 CA$1,918

-36.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,434 $2,434

$2,177 CA$3,055

11.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 $1,390

$1,596 CA$2,240

-12.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,544 $7,544

$7,647 CA$10.7K

-1.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,419 $3,419

$5,997 CA$8,418

-43.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,690 $2,690

$2,935 CA$4,120

-8.35%

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 San Juan: July 26, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,557 in San Juan versus $1,765 in Scarborough. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 9% higher in Scarborough, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in San Juan versus $80.0 in Scarborough. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $381 vs $350 – making Scarborough the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

San Juan vs Scarborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Scarborough costs about 6% more than San Juan, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,658 per month in San Juan and $3,861 in Scarborough. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $473 per month in San Juan and $859 in Scarborough. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Scarborough – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,439 in San Juan and $2,574 in Scarborough. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Juan costs $2,439 versus $2,574 in Scarborough. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with San Juan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Scarborough makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.