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 $2,626 per month in Scarborough vs $2,215 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,587 per month in Scarborough vs $3,318 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,548 per month in Scarborough vs $4,422 in San Juan, rent included.

Scarborough costs about 19% more than San Juan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Scarborough and San Juan sit above the global median – Scarborough by 91%, San Juan by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.52 CA$24.16

$18.92 $18.92

-7.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 CA$100

$82.5 $82.5

-11.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.01

$9.32 $9.32

16.74%

Cappuccino

$4.02 CA$5.54

$3.71 $3.71

8.36%

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

$2.05 CA$2.83

$1.77 $1.77

15.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.04

$1.44 $1.44

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.54 CA$9.01

$2.95 $2.95

121.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 CA$9.76

$4.94 $4.94

43.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.76

$2.28 $2.28

19.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.78

$3.68 $3.68

-25.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.41

$2.40 $2.40

2.92%

Eggs

$3.80 CA$5.24

$7.55 $7.55

-49.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 CA$13.71

$12.38 $12.38

-19.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 CA$15.34

$9.73 $9.73

14.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 CA$19.17

$13.48 $13.48

3.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.69

$5.13 $5.13

-33.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.68

$2.61 $2.61

-53.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.87

$4.91 $4.91

-28.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.51

$4.87 $4.87

-17.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.66

$3.74 $3.74

-48.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$3.99 $3.99

-61.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 CA$3.20

$3.54 $3.54

-34.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.99

$1.59 $1.59

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.64 CA$20.19

$12.17 $12.17

20.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 CA$17.61

$15.64 $15.64

-18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.21

$2.99 $2.99

-22.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.44

$3.92 $3.92

-36.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.23

$0.77 $0.77

203.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CA$147

$30.40 $30.40

250.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 CA$4.25

$2.47 $2.47

24.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 CA$1.70

$1.49 $1.49

-17.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.10 CA$30.48

$41.18 $41.18

-46.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.67

$1.16 $1.16

4.31%

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

$26.9K CA$37.1K

$39.7K $39.7K

-32.27%

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

$20.6K CA$28.4K

$28.1K $28.1K

-26.79%

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

$145 CA$201

$326 $326

-55.46%

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

$37.44 CA$51.6

$69.0 $69.0

-45.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.51 CA$68.3

$70.1 $70.1

-29.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.30 CA$50.1

$40.23 $40.23

-9.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.50 CA$50.3

$7.67 $7.67

375.88%

Cinema Ticket

$12.96 CA$17.88

$10.36 $10.36

25.10%

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

$789 CA$1,087

$837 $837

-5.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.2K

$12.4K $12.4K

-11.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 CA$76.8

$56.5 $56.5

-1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.99 CA$56.5

$60.5 $60.5

-32.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$117

$108 $108

-21.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$144

$112 $112

-6.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 CA$2,407

$1,789 $1,789

-2.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 CA$1,923

$846 $846

64.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 CA$3,045

$2,909 $2,909

-24.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,775 CA$2,448

$1,465 $1,465

21.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 CA$10.8K

$7,363 $7,363

5.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,095 CA$8,405

$3,334 $3,334

82.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,015 CA$4,157

$2,743 $2,743

9.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

6.55

-31.15%

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

Last update for Scarborough: August 31, 2026

Last update for San Juan: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,745 in Scarborough versus $1,789 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 10% 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 $73.0 in Scarborough versus $82.0 in San Juan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $418 – 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 19% 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 $3,939 per month in Scarborough and $3,322 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 $789 per month in Scarborough and $837 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 22% 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 $2,626 in Scarborough and $2,215 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 $2,215 versus $2,626 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.