Cost of Living Comparison Between Scarborough and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Scarborough and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,651 in Scarborough versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Scarborough versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,347 in Scarborough versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Scarborough is roughly 8% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Scarborough 98% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.68

$18.33 CA$25.79

-0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 CA$113

$69.9 CA$98.3

15.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.63

$10.95 CA$15.41

1.46%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.70

$3.74 CA$5.26

8.29%

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

$2.16 CA$3.03

$2.04 CA$2.87

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.67 CA$2.35

-13.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.34

$5.20 CA$7.32

14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$6.71 CA$9.45

0.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.34

$2.25 CA$3.16

5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.59

$2.75 CA$3.87

-7.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$3.23 CA$4.54

-13.31%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.96

$3.45 CA$4.85

2.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.31

$14.40 CA$20.26

-4.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.16

$12.89 CA$18.13

-10.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.40

$15.86 CA$22.32

-8.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.84

$4.30 CA$6.05

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.65

$1.34 CA$1.89

-11.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.17

$3.85 CA$5.42

-23.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$4.25 CA$5.99

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.30

$2.55 CA$3.58

-35.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.65

$2.62 CA$3.69

-1.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$3.05

$2.80 CA$3.94

-22.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.23

$1.95 CA$2.74

-18.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 CA$18.87

$14.97 CA$21.06

-10.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 CA$17.88

$13.90 CA$19.57

-8.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.46

$2.92 CA$4.11

-15.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$3.91 CA$5.50

-34.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 CA$3.49

$2.74 CA$3.85

-9.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CA$147

$87.8 CA$124

18.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 CA$4.47

$3.60 CA$5.06

-11.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 CA$1.67

$1.30 CA$1.83

-8.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.73 CA$31.98

$28.70 CA$40.39

-20.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.54

$1.12 CA$1.57

-2.68%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-0.82%

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

$21.3K CA$30.0K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

-2.08%

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

$176 CA$248

$213 CA$300

-17.14%

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

$42.59 CA$59.9

$40.96 CA$57.6

3.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 CA$75.7

$57.9 CA$81.5

-7.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 CA$52.2

$54.2 CA$76.2

-31.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

Cinema Ticket

$14.01 CA$19.71

$12.63 CA$17.77

10.93%

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

$846 CA$1,191

$874 CA$1,230

-3.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.5K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-30.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$81.1

$58.6 CA$82.5

-1.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.87 CA$60.3

$47.01 CA$66.2

-8.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 CA$123

$85.1 CA$120

2.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CA$144

$108 CA$151

-5.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,756 CA$2,471

$1,380 CA$1,942

27.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 CA$1,950

$1,159 CA$1,631

19.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,226 CA$3,133

$2,324 CA$3,270

-4.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 CA$2,248

$1,905 CA$2,680

-16.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 CA$10.8K

$3,786 CA$5,327

102.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,984 CA$8,419

$3,511 CA$4,940

70.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,988 CA$4,205

$2,940 CA$4,136

1.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.71

6.48%

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

Last update for Scarborough: July 13, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,756 in Scarborough and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Scarborough pays 2% 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: $81.0 in Scarborough vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $350 vs $396, 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

Scarborough vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Scarborough, 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: $1,756 in Scarborough versus $1,380 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $81.0 in Scarborough. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,651 per month in Scarborough versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,651 in Scarborough, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Scarborough. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Scarborough. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.