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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,845 per month in Vancouver vs $2,626 in Scarborough, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,183 per month in Vancouver vs $3,481 in Scarborough, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,520 per month in Vancouver vs $4,336 in Scarborough, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 8% more than Scarborough, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Scarborough sit above the global median – Vancouver by 111%, Scarborough by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.01

$18.31 CA$25.08

-0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$108

$80.8 CA$111

-2.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 CA$15.30

$11.01 CA$15.08

1.45%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.37

$4.08 CA$5.59

-3.92%

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

$2.23 CA$3.05

$2.17 CA$2.97

2.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.51

$1.45 CA$1.98

26.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.02

$5.99 CA$8.21

-2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CA$9.82

$6.77 CA$9.27

5.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.02

$2.33 CA$3.19

-5.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.41

$2.56 CA$3.51

25.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.13

$2.76 CA$3.79

35.87%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$5.98

$3.49 CA$4.78

24.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.71 CA$17.41

$13.23 CA$18.13

-3.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.90 CA$19.04

$11.29 CA$15.46

23.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.45

$14.42 CA$19.76

8.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.81

$3.54 CA$4.85

19.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.11

$1.17 CA$1.60

31.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.30

$2.87 CA$3.93

34.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$6.96

$3.35 CA$4.59

51.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.38

$1.60 CA$2.20

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.02

$2.54 CA$3.48

15.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.60

$2.22 CA$3.04

18.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.55

$1.57 CA$2.15

18.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.36 CA$21.04

$13.21 CA$18.09

16.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 CA$21.20

$13.28 CA$18.20

16.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.25

$2.47 CA$3.38

25.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$2.57 CA$3.53

45.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.27

$2.47 CA$3.39

-3.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.0 CA$115

$104 CA$142

-18.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.01

$3.18 CA$4.36

15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.03

$1.18 CA$1.62

25.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 CA$36.96

$22.61 CA$30.97

19.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.76

$1.10 CA$1.51

16.36%

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

$25.6K CA$35.0K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

0.73%

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

$20.8K CA$28.6K

$20.8K CA$28.5K

0.19%

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

$91.0 CA$125

$178 CA$244

-48.99%

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

$40.15 CA$55.0

$42.30 CA$58.0

-5.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 CA$83.3

$55.1 CA$75.5

10.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.05 CA$63.1

$36.23 CA$49.63

27.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 CA$21.61

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 CA$16.79

$14.25 CA$19.53

-14.04%

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

$1,165 CA$1,596

$839 CA$1,150

38.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.2K

$10.8K CA$14.9K

69.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.7

$57.6 CA$78.8

8.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.30 CA$58.0

$42.86 CA$58.7

-1.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 CA$134

$87.2 CA$120

12.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$156

$104 CA$143

9.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 CA$2,724

$1,745 CA$2,390

13.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CA$2,287

$1,396 CA$1,912

19.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,580 CA$4,904

$2,225 CA$3,049

60.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 CA$3,738

$1,647 CA$2,257

65.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,014 CA$12.3K

$7,846 CA$10.7K

14.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,085 CA$9,707

$6,164 CA$8,445

14.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,588 CA$4,916

$3,074 CA$4,211

16.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.08

-7.73%

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

Last update for Vancouver: April 12, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,988 in Vancouver 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 17% 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 $79 in Vancouver versus $81 in Scarborough. Groceries tell a different story – $415 in Vancouver 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

Vancouver vs Scarborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 8%, 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 $4,268 per month in Vancouver 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 23% less in Scarborough. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,165 per month in Vancouver 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 $2,845 in Vancouver 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, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.