Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Surrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Surrey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,510 in Calgary versus $2,727 in Surrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,653 in Calgary versus $4,080 in Surrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $5,433 in Surrey.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 8% less than in Surrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 87% above, Surrey 104% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.65 CA$25.54

$18.15 CA$24.86

2.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$97.4

$81.9 CA$112

-13.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 CA$14.82

$11.18 CA$15.32

-3.22%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.21

$4.18 CA$5.73

-9.09%

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

$2.05 CA$2.81

$2.14 CA$2.93

-4.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.29

$1.82 CA$2.49

-8.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.15

$5.81 CA$7.96

-10.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.84

$7.04 CA$9.65

-8.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.04

$2.56 CA$3.50

-13.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$2.60 CA$3.57

6.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.67

$5.61 CA$7.69

-39.22%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.75

$3.65 CA$5.00

-4.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.42 CA$19.75

$10.49 CA$14.38

37.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.85 CA$17.61

$11.62 CA$15.92

10.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 CA$22.25

$24.75 CA$33.90

-34.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$3.35 CA$4.59

33.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$1.28 CA$1.76

1.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$2.97 CA$4.08

25.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.86

$3.34 CA$4.58

27.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.66

$2.48 CA$3.40

7.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.02 CA$2.77

32.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 CA$3.76

$2.51 CA$3.44

9.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CA$2.69

$1.95 CA$2.67

0.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.55 CA$19.94

$15.01 CA$20.56

-3.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 CA$20.09

$14.60 CA$20.00

0.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.86

$3.93 CA$5.38

-28.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CA$5.47

$3.84 CA$5.26

3.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$3.08 CA$4.22

-11.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.7 CA$119

$128 CA$175

-32.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 CA$4.90

$2.75 CA$3.76

30.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 CA$1.77

$1.47 CA$2.01

-12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.58 CA$39.15

$29.10 CA$39.87

-1.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.48

$1.32 CA$1.81

-18.18%

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

$25.4K CA$34.8K

$24.6K CA$33.6K

3.59%

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

$21.6K CA$29.5K

$20.8K CA$28.6K

3.37%

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

$215 CA$294

$188 CA$257

14.38%

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

$40.83 CA$55.9

$41.29 CA$56.6

-1.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$79.4

$66.0 CA$90.4

-12.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 CA$74.0

$45.18 CA$61.9

19.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.7 CA$70.9

$18.75 CA$25.69

175.84%

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 CA$17.21

$12.40 CA$16.99

1.29%

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

$871 CA$1,193

$884 CA$1,211

-1.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.1K

$12.7K CA$17.3K

27.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$80.3

$56.8 CA$77.9

3.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.97 CA$64.4

$54.8 CA$75.1

-14.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$118

$103 CA$141

-16.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$150

$94.5 CA$130

15.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 CA$1,901

$1,627 CA$2,229

-14.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,618

$1,389 CA$1,903

-14.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 CA$3,202

$3,114 CA$4,266

-24.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,583

$2,458 CA$3,368

-23.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,823 CA$5,237

$10.5K CA$14.4K

-63.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,596 CA$4,926

$8,524 CA$11.7K

-57.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,125 CA$4,281

$3,110 CA$4,261

0.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.54

-12.69%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 25, 2026

Last update for Surrey: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,388 in Calgary and $1,627 in Surrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $82.0 in Surrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $407 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

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

Calgary vs Surrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 0% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,388 in Calgary versus $1,627 in Surrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $82.0 in Surrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,510 per month in Calgary versus $2,727 in Surrey – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Surrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.