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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,735 per month in Vancouver vs $2,549 in Scarborough, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,984 per month in Vancouver vs $3,496 in Scarborough, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,234 per month in Vancouver vs $4,443 in Scarborough, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 7% more than Scarborough, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Scarborough sit above the global median – Vancouver by 100%, Scarborough by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.93

$17.54 CA$24.54

1.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

$71.7 CA$100

1.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.30

$10.85 CA$15.18

0.74%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.86

$4.09 CA$5.72

2.44%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$2.10 CA$2.94

5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.29

$1.41 CA$1.97

16.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 CA$8.23

$6.44 CA$9.01

-8.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.11

$7.01 CA$9.81

-7.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$2.78 CA$3.88

-23.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$2.63 CA$3.68

0.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.21

$2.59 CA$3.63

71.43%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.89

$3.85 CA$5.39

9.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.85

$10.07 CA$14.08

19.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.46

$11.16 CA$15.62

24.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.62 CA$28.85

$13.51 CA$18.90

52.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.00

$3.51 CA$4.91

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.20 CA$1.69

11.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$3.41 CA$4.77

13.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.70

$4.10 CA$5.74

-0.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$1.85 CA$2.59

55.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.09

$1.53 CA$2.15

91.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.36 CA$3.30

11.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.49 CA$2.09

14.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.66 CA$21.91

$14.61 CA$20.44

7.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.91

$12.78 CA$17.88

11.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.89

$2.23 CA$3.11

24.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$2.54 CA$3.55

20.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.54

$2.41 CA$3.37

4.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CA$120

$109 CA$153

-21.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.73

$3.02 CA$4.22

-11.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$1.27 CA$1.78

26.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$45.24

$22.04 CA$30.83

46.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$1.22 CA$1.71

14.75%

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

$28.6K CA$40.0K

$26.9K CA$37.6K

6.24%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

$20.7K CA$28.9K

-4.09%

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

$78.8 CA$110

$145 CA$202

-45.45%

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

$35.70 CA$49.94

$36.27 CA$50.7

-1.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.5

$48.71 CA$68.1

4.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 CA$59.3

$35.49 CA$49.64

19.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 CA$18.24

$35.78 CA$50.1

-63.56%

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.34

$13.01 CA$18.20

-10.22%

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

$1,108 CA$1,549

$788 CA$1,103

40.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.8K

$10.8K CA$15.1K

84.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.7

$53.9 CA$75.4

5.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 CA$48.98

$41.60 CA$58.2

-15.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$123

$86.1 CA$120

2.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$128

$106 CA$148

-13.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 CA$2,579

$1,732 CA$2,423

6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,140

$1,374 CA$1,922

11.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 CA$4,415

$2,128 CA$2,977

48.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,464

$1,771 CA$2,478

39.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

$7,645 CA$10.7K

13.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,132

$6,108 CA$8,545

6.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 CA$5,213

$3,020 CA$4,225

23.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.51

-6.65%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,843 in Vancouver versus $1,732 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 23% 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 $72.0 in Vancouver versus $72.0 in Scarborough. Groceries tell a different story – $409 in Vancouver vs $343 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

Vancouver vs Scarborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 7%, 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 $4,103 per month in Vancouver and $3,823 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 28% less in Scarborough. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,108 per month in Vancouver and $788 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 $2,735 in Vancouver and $2,549 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, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.