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: $2,620 in Scarborough versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,547 in Scarborough versus $3,499 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,474 in Scarborough versus $4,655 in Calgary.

Living in Scarborough is roughly 12% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Scarborough 90% above, Calgary 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.52

$18.45 CA$25.59

-4.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 CA$102

$71.5 CA$99.2

3.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 CA$14.77

$10.68 CA$14.81

-0.28%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.54

$3.93 CA$5.46

1.53%

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

$2.14 CA$2.96

$2.02 CA$2.80

5.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.05

$1.97 CA$2.73

-24.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 CA$8.87

$4.92 CA$6.82

30.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 CA$9.80

$5.90 CA$8.19

19.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.81 CA$3.89

$2.03 CA$2.82

38.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.82

$2.86 CA$3.97

-3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$5.72 CA$7.93

-54.55%

Eggs

$3.87 CA$5.37

$3.81 CA$5.29

1.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 CA$14.12

$11.56 CA$16.04

-11.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 CA$15.75

$11.95 CA$16.57

-4.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 CA$19.34

$18.97 CA$26.30

-26.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.79

$4.91 CA$6.82

-29.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.42 CA$1.97

-13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.90

$4.36 CA$6.04

-18.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.70

$4.03 CA$5.59

1.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.65

$2.72 CA$3.77

-29.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.14

$2.88 CA$3.99

-46.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 CA$3.27

$2.57 CA$3.57

-8.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.49 CA$2.07

0.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.40

$14.71 CA$20.41

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 CA$18.25

$15.57 CA$21.60

-15.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$2.52 CA$3.50

-10.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$3.27 CA$4.53

-24.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.22

$2.94 CA$4.07

-21.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CA$147

$89.8 CA$125

18.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 CA$4.32

$3.30 CA$4.58

-5.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.37 CA$1.90

-10.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.09 CA$30.64

$27.07 CA$37.54

-18.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.65

$1.22 CA$1.69

-2.46%

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

$27.0K CA$37.5K

$28.6K CA$39.6K

-5.43%

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

$21.0K CA$29.1K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

0.36%

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

$147 CA$204

$182 CA$253

-19.37%

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

$35.50 CA$49.23

$39.50 CA$54.8

-10.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.22 CA$68.3

$51.4 CA$71.3

-4.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.84 CA$49.70

$54.8 CA$76.0

-34.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.67 CA$50.9

$18.79 CA$26.07

95.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 CA$18.12

$14.52 CA$20.14

-9.99%

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

$771 CA$1,070

$819 CA$1,136

-5.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.2K

$16.3K CA$22.7K

-32.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 CA$72.9

$61.8 CA$85.8

-15.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.36 CA$58.8

$40.15 CA$55.7

5.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 CA$120

$94.3 CA$131

-8.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$146

$114 CA$158

-7.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 CA$2,404

$1,256 CA$1,741

38.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 CA$1,979

$1,089 CA$1,510

31.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,210 CA$3,065

$1,994 CA$2,766

10.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,788 CA$2,480

$1,706 CA$2,367

4.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,775 CA$10.8K

$3,627 CA$5,031

114.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,259 CA$8,680

$3,403 CA$4,719

83.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,099 CA$4,297

$3,246 CA$4,502

-4.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.48

0.67%

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

Last update for Scarborough: September 6, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,733 in Scarborough and $1,256 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Scarborough vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $401, 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Calgary. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,733 in Scarborough versus $1,256 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 $71.0 versus $74.0 in Scarborough. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,620 per month in Scarborough versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,620 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 12% less than in Scarborough. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.