Cost of Living Comparison Between Scarborough and Ontario, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Scarborough and Ontario, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,651 in Scarborough versus $2,626 in Ontario, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Scarborough versus $4,222 in Ontario, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,347 in Scarborough versus $5,818 in Ontario, CA.

Living in Scarborough is roughly 1% more expensive than in Ontario, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Scarborough 98% above, Ontario, CA 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.68

$18.34 $18.34

-0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 CA$113

$80.5 $80.5

0.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.63

$11.78 $11.78

-5.69%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.70

$5.11 $5.11

-20.74%

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

$2.16 CA$3.03

$2.78 $2.78

-22.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$2.02 $2.02

-28.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.34

$6.94 $6.94

-14.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$7.16 $7.16

-6.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.34

$1.11 $1.11

113.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.59

$3.98 $3.98

-35.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$4.17 $4.17

-32.85%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.96

$4.06 $4.06

-13.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.31

$10.45 $10.45

31.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.16

$8.58 $8.58

33.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.40

$14.26 $14.26

1.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.84

$3.46 $3.46

-0.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.65

$1.74 $1.74

-32.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.17

$3.99 $3.99

-25.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$5.66 $5.66

-39.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.30

$3.24 $3.24

-49.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.65

$2.92 $2.92

-11.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$3.05

$1.46 $1.46

48.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.23

$2.18 $2.18

-27.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 CA$18.87

$11.19 $11.19

19.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 CA$17.88

$16.28 $16.28

-21.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.46

$1.91 $1.91

28.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$3.40 $3.40

-24.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 CA$3.49

$1.95 $1.95

27.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CA$147

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 CA$4.47

$6.48 $6.48

-50.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 CA$1.67

$4.45 $4.45

-73.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.73 CA$31.98

$28.92 $28.92

-21.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.54

$1.23 $1.23

-11.38%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$25.2K $25.2K

0.11%

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

$21.3K CA$30.0K

$29.2K $29.2K

-27.18%

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

$176 CA$248

$254 $254

-30.42%

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

$42.59 CA$59.9

$47.22 $47.22

-9.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 CA$75.7

$59.5 $59.5

-9.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 CA$52.2

$102 $102

-63.55%

Cinema Ticket

$14.01 CA$19.71

$14.27 $14.27

-1.82%

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

$846 CA$1,191

$1,228 $1,228

-31.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.5K

$23.4K $23.4K

-52.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$81.1

$48.20 $48.20

19.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.87 CA$60.3

$33.96 $33.96

26.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 CA$123

$86.3 $86.3

1.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CA$144

$85.1 $85.1

20.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,756 CA$2,471

$1,864 $1,864

-5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 CA$1,950

$1,355 $1,355

2.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,226 CA$3,133

$2,829 $2,829

-21.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 CA$2,248

$2,845 $2,845

-43.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 CA$10.8K

$3,997 $3,997

91.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,984 CA$8,419

$3,587 $3,587

66.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,988 CA$4,205

$3,624 $3,624

-17.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

6.58

-7.60%

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

Last update for Scarborough: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ontario, CA: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,756 in Scarborough and $1,864 in Ontario, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ontario, CA pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Scarborough vs $81.0 in Ontario, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $369 per month, with Scarborough cheaper across the board.

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 Ontario, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ontario, CA is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Ontario, CA. 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: $1,756 in Scarborough versus $1,864 in Ontario, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Scarborough pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,651 per month in Scarborough versus $2,626 in Ontario, CA – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Ontario, CA 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 Ontario, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Scarborough. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.