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: $2,593 in Scarborough versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,460 in Scarborough versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,326 in Scarborough versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Scarborough is roughly 3% more expensive than Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Scarborough 94% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.39

$18.59 CA$25.86

-1.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 CA$111

$70.0 CA$97.4

14.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 CA$15.52

$10.96 CA$15.24

1.82%

Cappuccino

$4.22 CA$5.86

$3.73 CA$5.19

13.14%

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

$2.17 CA$3.02

$1.99 CA$2.77

9.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.10

$1.72 CA$2.40

-12.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 CA$7.99

$5.01 CA$6.97

14.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.57 CA$9.14

$6.50 CA$9.05

1.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$2.22 CA$3.09

8.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 CA$3.56

$2.67 CA$3.71

-4.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.74

$3.26 CA$4.54

-17.48%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.91

$3.35 CA$4.66

5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 CA$18.86

$14.50 CA$20.16

-6.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$12.95 CA$18.01

-10.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.90 CA$20.72

$16.15 CA$22.46

-7.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.80

$4.32 CA$6.01

-20.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.35 CA$1.88

-16.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.83 CA$5.32

-22.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.91

$4.18 CA$5.81

-15.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.23

$2.65 CA$3.68

-39.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.62

$2.74 CA$3.81

-5.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.08

$2.76 CA$3.84

-19.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.22

$1.95 CA$2.71

-18.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.38 CA$18.61

$14.98 CA$20.83

-10.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 CA$17.74

$14.67 CA$20.40

-13.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$2.84 CA$3.95

-11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.52

$4.02 CA$5.59

-37.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.35

$2.80 CA$3.90

-13.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CA$146

$86.2 CA$120

21.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$3.60 CA$5.01

-13.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.32 CA$1.83

-6.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.02 CA$32.01

$29.01 CA$40.35

-20.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.12 CA$1.56

-1.79%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

-0.69%

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

$21.3K CA$29.6K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-3.21%

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

$179 CA$249

$217 CA$302

-17.56%

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

$42.53 CA$59.2

$41.55 CA$57.8

2.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$74.7

$58.1 CA$80.8

-7.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.41 CA$52.0

$54.7 CA$76.1

-31.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

Cinema Ticket

$14.24 CA$19.80

$12.77 CA$17.75

11.51%

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

$843 CA$1,173

$874 CA$1,215

-3.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K CA$15.1K

$15.9K CA$22.2K

-31.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 CA$80.3

$58.8 CA$81.8

-1.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 CA$59.8

$46.47 CA$64.6

-7.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 CA$120

$87.2 CA$121

-1.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$143

$109 CA$151

-5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 CA$2,420

$1,414 CA$1,966

23.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 CA$1,947

$1,172 CA$1,630

19.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 CA$3,063

$2,319 CA$3,225

-5.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,265

$1,886 CA$2,623

-13.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,653 CA$10.6K

$3,892 CA$5,413

96.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,335 CA$8,810

$3,503 CA$4,872

80.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,040 CA$4,228

$3,149 CA$4,380

-3.47%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,740 in Scarborough and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $80.0 in Scarborough vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $397, 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 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 4% less. 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: $1,740 in Scarborough versus $1,414 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 $80.0 in Scarborough. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,593 per month in Scarborough versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 3% less than in Scarborough. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.