Cost of Living Comparison Between Scarborough and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Scarborough and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,651 per month in Scarborough vs $2,906 in Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,499 per month in Scarborough vs $4,209 in Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,347 per month in Scarborough vs $5,513 in Vancouver, rent included.

Scarborough is about 9% cheaper than Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Scarborough and Vancouver sit above the global median – Scarborough by 98%, Vancouver by 118%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.68

$18.62 CA$26.20

-1.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 CA$113

$77.9 CA$110

3.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.63

$10.84 CA$15.26

2.49%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.70

$3.93 CA$5.53

3.05%

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

$2.16 CA$3.03

$2.24 CA$3.16

-3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.75 CA$2.46

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.34

$6.05 CA$8.51

-1.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$7.30 CA$10.27

-7.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.34

$2.30 CA$3.24

3.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.59

$3.07 CA$4.32

-16.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$3.77 CA$5.30

-25.73%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.96

$4.32 CA$6.08

-18.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.31

$12.57 CA$17.69

9.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.16

$13.74 CA$19.34

-16.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.40

$15.99 CA$22.49

-9.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.84

$4.26 CA$6.00

-19.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.65

$1.52 CA$2.14

-22.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.17

$3.92 CA$5.52

-24.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$5.08 CA$7.15

-33.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.30

$3.20 CA$4.50

-48.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.65

$3.09 CA$4.34

-16.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$3.05

$2.60 CA$3.65

-16.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.23

$1.88 CA$2.65

-15.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 CA$18.87

$15.45 CA$21.74

-13.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 CA$17.88

$14.89 CA$20.95

-14.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.46

$3.12 CA$4.39

-21.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$3.80 CA$5.35

-32.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 CA$3.49

$2.42 CA$3.40

2.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CA$147

$83.0 CA$117

25.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 CA$4.47

$3.76 CA$5.28

-15.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 CA$1.67

$1.48 CA$2.09

-19.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.73 CA$31.98

$26.97 CA$37.95

-15.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.54

$1.30 CA$1.82

-16.15%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$25.2K CA$35.4K

0.31%

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

$21.3K CA$30.0K

$20.6K CA$28.9K

3.56%

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

$176 CA$248

$91.8 CA$129

92.18%

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

$42.59 CA$59.9

$39.34 CA$55.4

8.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 CA$75.7

$60.6 CA$85.3

-11.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 CA$52.2

$44.58 CA$62.7

-16.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

Cinema Ticket

$14.01 CA$19.71

$12.18 CA$17.13

15.02%

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

$846 CA$1,191

$1,185 CA$1,667

-28.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.5K

$18.5K CA$26.1K

-40.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$81.1

$62.5 CA$87.9

-7.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.87 CA$60.3

$42.38 CA$59.6

1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 CA$123

$95.0 CA$134

-8.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CA$144

$115 CA$162

-11.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,756 CA$2,471

$1,979 CA$2,785

-11.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 CA$1,950

$1,644 CA$2,313

-15.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,226 CA$3,133

$3,577 CA$5,033

-37.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 CA$2,248

$2,782 CA$3,915

-42.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 CA$10.8K

$8,754 CA$12.3K

-12.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,984 CA$8,419

$7,087 CA$9,972

-15.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,988 CA$4,205

$3,380 CA$4,756

-11.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.61

8.38%

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

Last update for Scarborough: July 13, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,756 in Scarborough versus $1,979 in Vancouver. 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 13% higher in Vancouver, 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 $78.0 in Vancouver. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Scarborough vs $414 in Vancouver – 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 Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,976 per month in Scarborough and $4,359 in Vancouver. 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.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Scarborough. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $846 per month in Scarborough and $1,185 in Vancouver. 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 $2,651 in Scarborough and $2,906 in Vancouver. 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, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.