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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,768 per month in Toronto vs $2,626 in Scarborough, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,066 per month in Toronto vs $3,481 in Scarborough, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,364 per month in Toronto vs $4,336 in Scarborough, rent included.

Toronto costs about 5% more than Scarborough, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Toronto and Scarborough sit above the global median – Toronto by 106%, Scarborough by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.40 CA$25.20

$18.31 CA$25.08

0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 CA$111

$80.8 CA$111

0.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$14.97

$11.01 CA$15.08

-0.82%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.25

$4.08 CA$5.59

-6.13%

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

$2.19 CA$3.01

$2.17 CA$2.97

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.25

$1.45 CA$1.98

13.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.05

$5.99 CA$8.21

-2.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.24

$6.77 CA$9.27

-0.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 CA$3.68

$2.33 CA$3.19

15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$2.56 CA$3.51

8.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.81

$2.76 CA$3.79

27.17%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.76

$3.49 CA$4.78

-0.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 CA$18.15

$13.23 CA$18.13

0.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.70

$11.29 CA$15.46

14.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.38 CA$22.44

$14.42 CA$19.76

13.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.52

$3.54 CA$4.85

13.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.61

$1.17 CA$1.60

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.59

$2.87 CA$3.93

16.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.50

$3.35 CA$4.59

19.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CA$3.34

$1.60 CA$2.20

52.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.90

$2.54 CA$3.48

11.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 CA$3.27

$2.22 CA$3.04

7.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.57 CA$2.15

26.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.82 CA$20.31

$13.21 CA$18.09

12.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 CA$19.68

$13.28 CA$18.20

8.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 CA$3.79

$2.47 CA$3.38

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.52

$2.57 CA$3.53

28.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.35

$2.47 CA$3.39

-0.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$155

$104 CA$142

9.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 CA$4.95

$3.18 CA$4.36

13.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.94

$1.18 CA$1.62

20.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.90 CA$35.48

$22.61 CA$30.97

14.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.50

$1.10 CA$1.51

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

$25.5K CA$35.0K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

0.67%

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

$21.0K CA$28.7K

$20.8K CA$28.5K

0.73%

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

$119 CA$163

$178 CA$244

-33.46%

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

$37.69 CA$51.6

$42.30 CA$58.0

-10.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 CA$74.7

$55.1 CA$75.5

-0.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 CA$78.5

$36.23 CA$49.63

58.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 CA$28.33

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 CA$15.92

$14.25 CA$19.53

-18.46%

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

$1,118 CA$1,531

$839 CA$1,150

33.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K CA$25.0K

$10.8K CA$14.9K

68.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$78.6

$57.6 CA$78.8

-0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.80 CA$54.5

$42.86 CA$58.7

-7.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$87.2 CA$120

1.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$159

$104 CA$143

10.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 CA$2,516

$1,745 CA$2,390

5.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 CA$2,124

$1,396 CA$1,912

11.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,991 CA$4,097

$2,225 CA$3,049

34.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,492 CA$3,415

$1,647 CA$2,257

51.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,566 CA$11.7K

$7,846 CA$10.7K

9.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,905 CA$9,460

$6,164 CA$8,445

12.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,697 CA$5,064

$3,074 CA$4,211

20.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.08

-15.13%

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

Last update for Toronto: April 13, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,836 in Toronto versus $1,745 in Scarborough. 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, 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 in Toronto versus $81 in Scarborough. Groceries tell a different story – $392 in Toronto vs $348 in Scarborough – 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

Toronto vs Scarborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 5%, 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 $4,153 per month in Toronto and $3,939 in Scarborough. 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 9% less in Scarborough. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,118 per month in Toronto and $839 in Scarborough. 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 $2,768 in Toronto and $2,626 in Scarborough. 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.