Cost of Living Comparison Between Scarborough and San Juan Cost of Living Comparison Between Scarborough and San Juan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,651 per month in Scarborough vs $2,346 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,499 per month in Scarborough vs $3,474 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,347 per month in Scarborough vs $4,602 in San Juan, rent included.

Scarborough costs about 13% more than San Juan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Scarborough and San Juan sit above the global median – Scarborough by 98%, San Juan by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.68

$18.67 $18.67

-2.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 CA$113

$79.6 $79.6

1.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.63

$9.85 $9.85

12.79%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.70

$3.63 $3.63

11.57%

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

$2.16 CA$3.03

$1.72 $1.72

25.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.45 $1.45

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.34

$2.93 $2.93

102.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$4.37 $4.37

54.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.34

$2.41 $2.41

-1.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.59

$3.40 $3.40

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$2.25 $2.25

24.44%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.96

$6.09 $6.09

-42.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.31

$8.62 $8.62

59.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.16

$8.72 $8.72

31.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.40

$12.77 $12.77

13.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.84

$5.82 $5.82

-40.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.65

$2.69 $2.69

-56.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.17

$3.86 $3.86

-23.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$4.17 $4.17

-18.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.30

$4.01 $4.01

-59.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.65

$3.01 $3.01

-13.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$3.05

$3.01 $3.01

-27.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.23

$1.94 $1.94

-18.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 CA$18.87

$12.13 $12.13

10.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 CA$17.88

$15.69 $15.69

-18.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.46

$2.44 $2.44

0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$3.15 $3.15

-18.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 CA$3.49

$1.49 $1.49

66.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CA$147

$30.56 $30.56

241.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 CA$4.47

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 CA$1.67

$1.52 $1.52

-21.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.73 CA$31.98

$14.85 $14.85

53.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.54

$0.98 $0.98

11.22%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$36.6K $36.6K

-30.96%

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

$21.3K CA$30.0K

$26.9K $26.9K

-20.99%

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

$176 CA$248

$490 $490

-63.98%

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

$42.59 CA$59.9

$77.9 $77.9

-45.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 CA$75.7

$73.9 $73.9

-27.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 CA$52.2

$45.21 $45.21

-18.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.14 $35.14

Cinema Ticket

$14.01 CA$19.71

$11.78 $11.78

18.93%

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

$846 CA$1,191

$475 $475

77.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.5K

$10.4K $10.4K

5.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$81.1

$45.84 $45.84

25.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.87 CA$60.3

$57.3 $57.3

-25.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 CA$123

$92.4 $92.4

-5.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CA$144

$107 $107

-4.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,756 CA$2,471

$1,581 $1,581

11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 CA$1,950

$875 $875

58.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,226 CA$3,133

$2,407 $2,407

-7.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 CA$2,248

$1,426 $1,426

12.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 CA$10.8K

$7,397 $7,397

3.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,984 CA$8,419

$3,386 $3,386

76.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,988 CA$4,205

$2,702 $2,702

10.61%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for San Juan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,756 in Scarborough versus $1,581 in San Juan. 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 11% 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 $81.0 in Scarborough versus $80.0 in San Juan. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Scarborough vs $384 in San Juan – 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 San Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Scarborough costs about 13% more than San Juan, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,976 per month in Scarborough and $3,519 in San Juan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $846 per month in Scarborough and $475 in San Juan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Scarborough – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,651 in Scarborough and $2,346 in San Juan. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Juan costs $2,346 versus $2,651 in Scarborough. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with San Juan. 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.