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 $2,404 per month in San Juan vs $2,572 in Scarborough, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,424 per month in San Juan vs $3,508 in Scarborough, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,444 per month in San Juan vs $4,445 in Scarborough, rent included.

San Juan is about 7% cheaper than Scarborough, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both San Juan and Scarborough sit above the global median – San Juan by 80%, Scarborough by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 $18.78

$18.07 CA$24.75

3.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.1 $82.1

$80.7 CA$111

1.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 $9.65

$10.88 CA$14.90

-11.31%

Cappuccino

$3.54 $3.54

$4.06 CA$5.56

-12.81%

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

$1.73 $1.73

$2.10 CA$2.87

-17.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.45 CA$1.98

-1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 $3.07

$6.02 CA$8.25

-49.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 $4.53

$6.76 CA$9.26

-32.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.28 CA$3.13

4.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.47 CA$3.39

40.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.65 CA$3.63

-17.74%

Eggs

$6.16 $6.16

$3.66 CA$5.01

68.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.68 $8.68

$13.45 CA$18.43

-35.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.56 $8.56

$11.26 CA$15.42

-23.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 $12.58

$14.99 CA$20.54

-16.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$3.44 CA$4.72

73.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.17 CA$1.60

128.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.83 CA$3.88

38.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.48 CA$4.77

13.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$1.65 CA$2.26

135.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.49 CA$3.41

16.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.19 CA$3.00

37.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.58 CA$2.17

26.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.08 $12.08

$13.24 CA$18.13

-8.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 $15.90

$13.06 CA$17.89

21.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.45 CA$3.35

3.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.49 CA$3.42

30.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.50 CA$3.42

-38.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.51 $29.51

$106 CA$146

-72.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 CA$4.40

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.22 CA$1.68

24.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.98 $14.98

$22.45 CA$30.75

-33.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.14 CA$1.56

-16.67%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$24.8K CA$34.0K

47.60%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$20.7K CA$28.4K

28.01%

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

$480 $480

$178 CA$244

169.64%

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

$79.4 $79.4

$41.24 CA$56.5

92.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$54.4 CA$74.5

34.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.88 $45.88

$36.11 CA$49.46

27.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.62 $34.62

Cinema Ticket

$11.97 $11.97

$14.24 CA$19.51

-15.94%

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

$470 $470

$836 CA$1,145

-43.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$11.1K CA$15.2K

-6.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.03 $45.03

$58.5 CA$80.1

-23.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 $57.2

$42.41 CA$58.1

34.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 $92.8

$85.5 CA$117

8.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$102 CA$140

4.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 $1,568

$1,769 CA$2,423

-11.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 $843

$1,369 CA$1,875

-38.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,363 $2,363

$2,209 CA$3,027

6.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 $1,431

$1,615 CA$2,212

-11.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,492 $7,492

$8,028 CA$11.0K

-6.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,326 $3,326

$6,346 CA$8,695

-47.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,602 $2,602

$3,118 CA$4,272

-16.57%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,568 in San Juan versus $1,769 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 20% 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 $82.0 in San Juan versus $81.0 in Scarborough. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $348 – 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 7% 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 $3,607 per month in San Juan and $3,858 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 $470 per month in San Juan and $836 in Scarborough. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% 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 $2,404 in San Juan and $2,572 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 $2,404 versus $2,572 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.