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: $2,593 in Scarborough versus $2,671 in Ontario, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,460 in Scarborough versus $4,195 in Ontario, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,326 in Scarborough versus $5,718 in Ontario, CA.

Living in Scarborough costs roughly 3% less than in Ontario, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Scarborough 94% above, Ontario, CA 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.39

$17.80 $17.80

2.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 CA$111

$79.1 $79.1

1.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 CA$15.52

$11.94 $11.94

-6.53%

Cappuccino

$4.22 CA$5.86

$5.08 $5.08

-16.93%

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

$2.17 CA$3.02

$2.70 $2.70

-19.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.10

$2.04 $2.04

-25.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 CA$7.99

$7.20 $7.20

-20.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.57 CA$9.14

$7.11 $7.11

-7.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$1.06 $1.06

126.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 CA$3.56

$3.92 $3.92

-34.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.74

$4.01 $4.01

-32.92%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.91

$4.10 $4.10

-13.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 CA$18.86

$10.53 $10.53

28.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$8.76 $8.76

31.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.90 CA$20.72

$14.49 $14.49

2.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.80

$3.49 $3.49

-1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.66 $1.66

-31.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$4.16 $4.16

-29.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.91

$5.47 $5.47

-35.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.23

$3.18 $3.18

-49.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.62

$2.91 $2.91

-10.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.08

$1.44 $1.44

53.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.22

$2.08 $2.08

-23.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.38 CA$18.61

$10.79 $10.79

24.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 CA$17.74

$16.10 $16.10

-20.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$2.01 $2.01

25.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.52

$3.48 $3.48

-27.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.35

$2.03 $2.03

18.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CA$146

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$6.46 $6.46

-52.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$4.43 $4.43

-72.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.02 CA$32.01

$29.22 $29.22

-21.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.30 $1.30

-15.38%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$25.9K $25.9K

-4.52%

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

$21.3K CA$29.6K

$28.5K $28.5K

-25.25%

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

$179 CA$249

$248 $248

-27.74%

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

$42.53 CA$59.2

$46.53 $46.53

-8.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$74.7

$58.3 $58.3

-7.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.41 CA$52.0

$98.3 $98.3

-61.94%

Cinema Ticket

$14.24 CA$19.80

$13.83 $13.83

2.96%

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

$843 CA$1,173

$1,228 $1,228

-31.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K CA$15.1K

$23.3K $23.3K

-53.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 CA$80.3

$46.94 $46.94

23.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 CA$59.8

$33.77 $33.77

27.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 CA$120

$86.6 $86.6

-0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$143

$86.6 $86.6

18.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 CA$2,420

$1,881 $1,881

-7.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 CA$1,947

$1,329 $1,329

5.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 CA$3,063

$2,808 $2,808

-21.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,265

$2,901 $2,901

-43.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,653 CA$10.6K

$4,015 $4,015

90.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,335 CA$8,810

$3,603 $3,603

75.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,040 CA$4,228

$3,620 $3,620

-16.03%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ontario, CA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,740 in Scarborough and $1,881 in Ontario, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ontario, CA pays 19% 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: $80.0 in Scarborough vs $79.0 in Ontario, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $368, 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, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ontario, CA earns 19% 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 $1,881 in Ontario, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Ontario, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,593 per month in Scarborough versus $2,671 in Ontario, CA – 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. 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 3% less than in Ontario, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.