Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Scarborough and Bogota

For one person, living is cheaper in Bogota: $1,323 a month against $2,466 in Scarborough, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Scarborough
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,466
/mo nomad
Bogota
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,323
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Scarborough and in Bogota

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Scarborough and in Bogota actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,466 per month in Scarborough vs $1,323 in Bogota, rent included.

  • Scarborough $2,466
  • Bogota $1,323

A couple spends around $3,385 per month in Scarborough vs $2,110 in Bogota, rent included.

  • Scarborough $3,385
  • Bogota $2,110

A family of three spends $4,304 per month in Scarborough vs $2,897 in Bogota, rent included.

  • Scarborough $4,304
  • Bogota $2,897

Scarborough costs about 86% more than Bogota, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Scarborough sits 83% above the global median, while Bogota is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Scarborough
Bogota
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.49 CA$23.31
$7.65 COP 24.3K
115.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.8 CA$97.2
$41.44 COP 131.4K
65.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.56 CA$14.93
$10.38 COP 32.9K
1.73%
Cappuccino
$3.87 CA$5.47
$2.53 COP 8,011
52.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 CA$2.92
$1.35 COP 4,277
53.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 CA$1.94
$0.87 COP 2,752
57.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.24 CA$8.82
$2.06 COP 6,542
202.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.08 CA$10.01
$3.98 COP 12.6K
77.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Scarborough
Bogota
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.51 CA$3.56
$1.65 COP 5,240
52.12%
White Bread (500g)
$2.68 CA$3.78
$2.40 COP 7,618
11.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.13 CA$3.01
$1.69 COP 5,345
26.04%
Eggs
$3.45 CA$4.88
$3.54 COP 11.2K
-2.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.94 CA$12.63
$7.89 COP 25.0K
13.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.01 CA$15.56
$7.30 COP 23.1K
50.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 CA$17.77
$9.87 COP 31.3K
27.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.22 CA$4.56
$3.58 COP 11.4K
-10.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.21 CA$1.71
$1.84 COP 5,822
-34.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.39 CA$4.79
$1.90 COP 6,012
78.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.00 CA$5.65
$1.74 COP 5,517
129.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.65 CA$2.33
$1.41 COP 4,484
17.02%
Onion (1kg)
$1.58 CA$2.24
$1.37 COP 4,332
15.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.28 CA$3.22
$1.30 COP 4,131
75.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 CA$1.68
$1.15 COP 3,643
3.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.74 CA$19.43
$4.32 COP 13.7K
218.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.75 CA$18.03
$12.76 COP 40.5K
-0.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.11 CA$2.99
$1.43 COP 4,542
47.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 CA$3.55
$2.83 COP 8,986
-11.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Scarborough
Bogota
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 CA$3.32
$1.08 COP 3,434
117.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$103 CA$146
$50.8 COP 161.1K
103.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.95 CA$4.17
$2.38 COP 7,550
23.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.26 CA$1.79
$2.34 COP 7,411
-46.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.32 CA$30.14
$9.20 COP 29.2K
131.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 CA$1.72
$1.33 COP 4,213
-9.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K CA$38.8K
$23.5K COP 74.4M
16.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.9K CA$28.1K
$35.6K COP 113.0M
-44.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Scarborough
Bogota
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$141 CA$199
$125 COP 397.8K
12.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.98 CA$49.45
$16.29 COP 51.6K
114.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.92 CA$67.7
$30.21 COP 95.8K
58.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Scarborough
Bogota
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.43 CA$50.1
$34.11 COP 108.2K
3.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.38 CA$50.0
$15.37 COP 48.7K
130.19%
Cinema Ticket
$12.45 CA$17.60
$7.84 COP 24.8K
58.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Scarborough
Bogota
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$808 CA$1,142
$501 COP 1.6M
61.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.4K CA$14.7K
$7,450 COP 23.6M
39.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Scarborough
Bogota
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.5 CA$72.9
$82.8 COP 262.6K
-37.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.00 CA$55.1
$47.40 COP 150.3K
-17.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.4 CA$119
$142 COP 449.4K
-40.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 CA$146
$106 COP 337.4K
-3.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Scarborough
Bogota
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,695 CA$2,396
$803 COP 2.5M
111.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,342 CA$1,898
$452 COP 1.4M
197.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,130 CA$3,011
$1,244 COP 3.9M
71.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,736 CA$2,454
$974 COP 3.1M
78.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,564 CA$10.7K
$2,816 COP 8.9M
168.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,121 CA$8,653
$2,354 COP 7.5M
159.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Scarborough
Bogota
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,908 CA$4,111
$813 COP 2.6M
257.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.55
12.81
-64.48%

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

Last update for Scarborough: October 13, 2026

Last update for Bogota: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Scarborough
$1.3K
Bogota
$452 66.3% $891
Groceries & Markets
Scarborough
$323
Bogota
$261 19.3% $63
Eating Out
Scarborough
$269
Bogota
$150 44.3% $119
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Scarborough
$223
Bogota
$172 23% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Scarborough
$125
Bogota
$170 36% $45
Getting Around
Scarborough
$122
Bogota
$69 43.3% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Scarborough
$60
Bogota
$50 17.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,695 in Scarborough versus $803 in Bogota. 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 258% 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 $69.0 in Scarborough versus $41.00 in Bogota. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $261 – making Bogota the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Scarborough
🇨🇴 Bogota
🕒 Local time
18:22 6:22 PM
17:22 5:22 PM
1 h behind Scarborough
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
29,960
8,181,047 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Scarborough Bogota 4,370 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Scarborough
  • Bogota

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Scarborough vs Bogota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bogota cheaper than Scarborough?
Yes – Scarborough is pricier by about 86%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,699 per month in Scarborough and $1,985 in Bogota. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bogota, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Scarborough and in Bogota?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,466 in Scarborough and $1,323 in Bogota. That's a gap of about 86%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 103% less in Bogota. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Scarborough or in Bogota?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bogota, where all-in costs run around $1,323, than in Scarborough at $2,466. In Bogota it covers expenses comfortably, while in Scarborough it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Scarborough or Bogota more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bogota – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bogota. 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.

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