Cost of Living Comparison Between Scarborough and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Scarborough and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,626 per month in Scarborough vs $2,628 in Toronto, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,587 per month in Scarborough vs $3,848 in Toronto, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,548 per month in Scarborough vs $5,067 in Toronto, rent included.

Scarborough and Toronto have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Scarborough and Toronto sit above the global median – Scarborough by 91%, Toronto by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.52 CA$24.16

$17.88 CA$24.66

-2.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 CA$100

$87.9 CA$121

-17.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.01

$10.93 CA$15.08

-0.46%

Cappuccino

$4.02 CA$5.54

$4.06 CA$5.60

-0.99%

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

$2.05 CA$2.83

$2.18 CA$3.01

-5.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.04

$1.70 CA$2.34

-12.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.54 CA$9.01

$6.69 CA$9.22

-2.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 CA$9.76

$7.35 CA$10.13

-3.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.76

$2.78 CA$3.83

-1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.78

$2.89 CA$3.99

-5.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.41

$2.56 CA$3.54

-3.52%

Eggs

$3.80 CA$5.24

$3.79 CA$5.22

0.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 CA$13.71

$10.17 CA$14.02

-2.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 CA$15.34

$11.95 CA$16.48

-6.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 CA$19.17

$16.12 CA$22.23

-13.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.69

$3.89 CA$5.37

-12.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.68

$1.27 CA$1.76

-3.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.87

$3.88 CA$5.35

-9.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.51

$4.33 CA$5.97

-7.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.66

$1.83 CA$2.52

5.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.50 CA$2.06

3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 CA$3.20

$2.28 CA$3.14

1.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.99

$1.44 CA$1.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.64 CA$20.19

$14.20 CA$19.58

3.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 CA$17.61

$14.24 CA$19.64

-10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.21

$2.25 CA$3.10

3.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.44

$2.53 CA$3.49

-1.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.23

$2.47 CA$3.41

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CA$147

$112 CA$154

-4.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 CA$4.25

$3.05 CA$4.20

0.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 CA$1.70

$1.24 CA$1.70

-0.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.10 CA$30.48

$22.44 CA$30.94

-1.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.67

$1.24 CA$1.70

-2.42%

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

$26.9K CA$37.1K

$27.5K CA$37.9K

-2.31%

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

$20.6K CA$28.4K

$21.1K CA$29.2K

-2.61%

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

$145 CA$201

$128 CA$176

13.98%

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

$37.44 CA$51.6

$33.79 CA$46.59

10.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.51 CA$68.3

$49.25 CA$67.9

0.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.30 CA$50.1

$40.93 CA$56.5

-11.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.50 CA$50.3

$24.62 CA$33.95

48.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.96 CA$17.88

$13.16 CA$18.15

-1.52%

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

$789 CA$1,087

$792 CA$1,093

-0.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.2K

$24.1K CA$33.3K

-54.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 CA$76.8

$54.5 CA$75.2

2.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.99 CA$56.5

$43.11 CA$59.5

-4.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$117

$102 CA$140

-16.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$144

$123 CA$170

-15.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 CA$2,407

$1,653 CA$2,279

5.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 CA$1,923

$1,452 CA$2,002

-3.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 CA$3,045

$2,694 CA$3,716

-18.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,775 CA$2,448

$2,149 CA$2,964

-17.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 CA$10.8K

$8,347 CA$11.5K

-6.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,095 CA$8,405

$6,816 CA$9,399

-10.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,015 CA$4,157

$3,614 CA$4,984

-16.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.49

0.45%

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

Last update for Scarborough: August 31, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,745 in Scarborough versus $1,653 in Toronto. 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 20% higher in Toronto. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Scarborough versus $88.0 in Toronto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $365 – 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 Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,939 per month in Scarborough and $3,942 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 6% more in Toronto, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $789 per month in Scarborough and $792 in Toronto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,626 in Scarborough and $2,628 in Toronto. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Scarborough – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Scarborough. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Toronto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.