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 $2,593 per month in Scarborough vs $2,371 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,460 per month in Scarborough vs $3,465 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,326 per month in Scarborough vs $4,558 in San Juan, rent included.

Scarborough costs about 9% more than San Juan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Scarborough and San Juan sit above the global median – Scarborough by 94%, San Juan by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.39

$18.99 $18.99

-3.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 CA$111

$80.1 $80.1

-0.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 CA$15.52

$9.78 $9.78

14.11%

Cappuccino

$4.22 CA$5.86

$3.65 $3.65

15.62%

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

$2.17 CA$3.02

$1.71 $1.71

26.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.10

$1.38 $1.38

9.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 CA$7.99

$3.05 $3.05

88.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.57 CA$9.14

$4.56 $4.56

44.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$2.50 $2.50

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 CA$3.56

$3.56 $3.56

-28.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.74

$2.19 $2.19

22.83%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.91

$6.12 $6.12

-42.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 CA$18.86

$8.56 $8.56

58.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$8.57 $8.57

34.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.90 CA$20.72

$12.67 $12.67

17.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.80

$6.01 $6.01

-42.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$2.60 $2.60

-56.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.84 $3.84

-23.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.91

$4.11 $4.11

-14.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.23

$3.95 $3.95

-59.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.62

$2.92 $2.92

-10.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.08

$3.03 $3.03

-27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.22

$1.98 $1.98

-19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.38 CA$18.61

$12.21 $12.21

9.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 CA$17.74

$15.69 $15.69

-18.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$2.44 $2.44

3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.52

$3.12 $3.12

-18.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.35

$1.48 $1.48

62.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CA$146

$30.51 $30.51

244.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.31

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.47 $1.47

-16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.02 CA$32.01

$15.23 $15.23

51.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$0.98 $0.98

12.24%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$36.2K $36.2K

-31.87%

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

$21.3K CA$29.6K

$26.5K $26.5K

-19.82%

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

$179 CA$249

$491 $491

-63.54%

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

$42.53 CA$59.2

$77.7 $77.7

-45.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$74.7

$74.9 $74.9

-28.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.41 CA$52.0

$46.16 $46.16

-18.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.34 $34.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.24 CA$19.80

$11.95 $11.95

19.16%

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

$843 CA$1,173

$466 $466

80.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K CA$15.1K

$10.6K $10.6K

2.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 CA$80.3

$45.64 $45.64

26.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 CA$59.8

$56.6 $56.6

-23.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 CA$120

$92.4 $92.4

-6.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$143

$106 $106

-3.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 CA$2,420

$1,567 $1,567

11.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 CA$1,947

$864 $864

61.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 CA$3,063

$2,447 $2,447

-9.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,265

$1,407 $1,407

15.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,653 CA$10.6K

$7,475 $7,475

2.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,335 CA$8,810

$3,403 $3,403

86.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,040 CA$4,228

$2,845 $2,845

6.84%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for San Juan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,740 in Scarborough versus $1,567 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 7% 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 $80.0 in Scarborough versus $80.0 in San Juan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $385 – making Scarborough the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 9% 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 $3,889 per month in Scarborough and $3,557 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 $843 per month in Scarborough and $466 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 9% cheaper in Scarborough – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan, where all-in costs run around $2,371, than in Scarborough at $2,593. In San Juan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Scarborough it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Juan costs $2,371 versus $2,593 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.