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: $2,549 in Scarborough versus $2,819 in Ontario, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Scarborough versus $2,781 in Ontario, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,443 in Scarborough versus $2,743 in Ontario, CA.

Living in Scarborough costs roughly 10% less than in Ontario, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Scarborough 86% above, Ontario, CA 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.54 CA$24.54

$14.91 $14.91

17.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 CA$100

$64.0 $64.0

11.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$9.80 $9.80

10.71%

Cappuccino

$4.09 CA$5.72

$5.35 $5.35

-23.55%

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

$2.10 CA$2.94

$2.79 $2.79

-24.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 CA$1.97

$2.05 $2.05

-31.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.44 CA$9.01

$5.94 $5.94

8.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 CA$9.81

$6.98 $6.98

0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 CA$3.88

$0.88 $0.88

215.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$3.43 $3.43

-23.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.63

$3.22 $3.22

-19.57%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.39

$4.19 $4.19

-8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 CA$14.08

$19.32 $19.32

-47.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 CA$15.62

$14.52 $14.52

-23.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.51 CA$18.90

$10.84 $10.84

24.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.91

$2.21 $2.21

58.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$1.35 $1.35

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.77

$2.13 $2.13

60.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 CA$5.74

$1.52 $1.52

169.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 CA$2.59

$8.42 $8.42

-78.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.15

$4.69 $4.69

-67.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 CA$3.30

$3.47 $3.47

-31.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$2.81 $2.81

-46.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.61 CA$20.44

$11.89 $11.89

22.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 CA$17.88

$16.10 $16.10

-20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CA$3.11

$1.75 $1.75

27.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 CA$3.55

$4.49 $4.49

-43.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$1.47 $1.47

63.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CA$153

$30.47 $30.47

257.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 CA$4.22

$2.86 $2.86

5.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$2.47 $2.47

-48.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.04 CA$30.83

$59.4 $59.4

-62.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$1.44 $1.44

-15.28%

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

$26.9K CA$37.6K

$32.4K $32.4K

-17.14%

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

$20.7K CA$28.9K

$25.2K $25.2K

-18.01%

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

$145 CA$202

$245 $245

-41.12%

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

$36.27 CA$50.7

$49.67 $49.67

-26.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.71 CA$68.1

$63.4 $63.4

-23.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.49 CA$49.64

$63.9 $63.9

-44.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.78 CA$50.1

$28.79 $28.79

24.28%

Cinema Ticket

$13.01 CA$18.20

$14.14 $14.14

-7.99%

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

$788 CA$1,103

$1,413 $1,413

-44.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K CA$15.1K

$37.1K $37.1K

-70.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 CA$75.4

$39.60 $39.60

36.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 CA$58.2

$46.30 $46.30

-10.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 CA$120

$73.8 $73.8

16.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$99.0 $99.0

6.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 CA$2,423

$1,913 $1,913

-9.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 CA$1,922

$1,473 $1,473

-6.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,128 CA$2,977

$2,692 $2,692

-20.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 CA$2,478

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,645 CA$10.7K

$4,043 $4,043

89.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,108 CA$8,545

$3,619 $3,619

68.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,020 CA$4,225

$3,528 $3,528

-14.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

6.24

-27.72%

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

Last update for Scarborough: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ontario, CA: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,732 in Scarborough and $1,913 in Ontario, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ontario, CA pays 17% 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: $72.0 in Scarborough vs $64.0 in Ontario, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $343 vs $403, 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 Ontario, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Scarborough is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 17% 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: $1,732 in Scarborough versus $1,913 in Ontario, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $788 in Scarborough versus $1,413 in Ontario, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Ontario, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Scarborough 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 Scarborough gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Ontario, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.