Cost of Living Comparison Between Scarborough and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Scarborough and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,626 per month in Scarborough vs $2,065 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,481 per month in Scarborough vs $3,180 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,336 per month in Scarborough vs $4,296 in Montreal, rent included.

Scarborough costs about 27% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Scarborough and Montreal sit above the global median – Scarborough by 95%, Montreal by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 CA$25.08

$16.08 CA$22.03

13.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 CA$111

$73.8 CA$101

9.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.08

$10.91 CA$14.95

0.92%

Cappuccino

$4.08 CA$5.59

$3.67 CA$5.03

11.17%

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

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.06 CA$2.83

5.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$1.98

$1.44 CA$1.97

0.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.99 CA$8.21

$6.21 CA$8.50

-3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.77 CA$9.27

$6.44 CA$8.82

5.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.19

$2.34 CA$3.21

-0.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 CA$3.51

$3.23 CA$4.42

-20.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 CA$3.79

$3.84 CA$5.26

-28.13%

Eggs

$3.49 CA$4.78

$3.32 CA$4.54

5.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.23 CA$18.13

$16.35 CA$22.40

-19.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.29 CA$15.46

$11.92 CA$16.33

-5.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 CA$19.76

$15.10 CA$20.69

-4.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.85

$3.68 CA$5.04

-3.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.60

$1.69 CA$2.32

-30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.93

$4.12 CA$5.64

-30.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.59

$4.29 CA$5.88

-21.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.20

$2.79 CA$3.82

-42.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.48

$2.70 CA$3.70

-5.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.04

$2.17 CA$2.97

2.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.15

$1.78 CA$2.44

-11.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.21 CA$18.09

$13.22 CA$18.12

-0.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.28 CA$18.20

$11.04 CA$15.12

20.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.38

$2.97 CA$4.07

-16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.53

$3.44 CA$4.71

-25.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.39

$2.80 CA$3.84

-11.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CA$142

$72.2 CA$98.9

43.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 CA$4.36

$3.67 CA$5.03

-13.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 CA$1.62

$1.40 CA$1.92

-15.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.61 CA$30.97

$34.07 CA$46.68

-33.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.51

$1.21 CA$1.66

-9.09%

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

$25.4K CA$34.8K

$25.3K CA$34.7K

0.21%

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

$20.8K CA$28.5K

$21.9K CA$30.0K

-4.84%

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

$178 CA$244

$74.4 CA$102

139.83%

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

$42.30 CA$58.0

$36.64 CA$50.2

15.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 CA$75.5

$43.41 CA$59.5

26.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 CA$49.63

$43.20 CA$59.2

-16.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 CA$23.54

Cinema Ticket

$14.25 CA$19.53

$10.99 CA$15.06

29.66%

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

$839 CA$1,150

$614 CA$842

36.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K CA$14.9K

$5,855 CA$8,022

85.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$78.8

$62.6 CA$85.8

-8.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.86 CA$58.7

$44.25 CA$60.6

-3.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$120

$103 CA$142

-15.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$143

$122 CA$167

-14.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 CA$2,390

$1,190 CA$1,631

46.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,912

$946 CA$1,296

47.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,225 CA$3,049

$2,037 CA$2,791

9.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,647 CA$2,257

$1,548 CA$2,120

6.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,846 CA$10.7K

$5,398 CA$7,395

45.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,164 CA$8,445

$4,014 CA$5,499

53.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,074 CA$4,211

$3,013 CA$4,128

2.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.01

21.36%

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

Last update for Scarborough: April 13, 2026

Last update for Montreal: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,745 in Scarborough versus $1,190 in Montreal. 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 2% 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 $81 in Scarborough versus $74 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $348 in Scarborough vs $392 in Montreal – so Scarborough wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Scarborough costs about 27% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,939 per month in Scarborough and $3,097 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Scarborough – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Scarborough and $74.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,065, than in Scarborough at $2,626. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Scarborough it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,065 versus $2,626 in Scarborough. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Montreal. 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.