Cost of Living Comparison Between Canterbury and Surprise, AZ Cost of Living Comparison Between Canterbury and Surprise, AZ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,932 in Canterbury versus $2,689 in Surprise, AZ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,196 in Canterbury versus $4,140 in Surprise, AZ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,459 in Canterbury versus $5,590 in Surprise, AZ.

Living in Canterbury is roughly 9% more expensive than in Surprise, AZ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Canterbury 114% above, Surprise, AZ 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.67 £18.44

$20.61 $20.61

19.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 £67.4

$91.0 $91.0

-0.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 £7.92

$12.89 $12.89

-17.77%

Cappuccino

$4.78 £3.57

$6.27 $6.27

-23.76%

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

$2.66 £1.99

$2.74 $2.74

-2.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 £1.65

$2.45 $2.45

-9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.64 £5.71

$7.06 $7.06

8.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 £5.15

$8.12 $8.12

-15.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 £1.14

$0.95 $0.95

61.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 £0.99

$3.50 $3.50

-62.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 £1.24

$6.22 $6.22

-73.15%

Eggs

$3.28 £2.45

$4.64 $4.64

-29.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.43 £7.05

$13.64 $13.64

-30.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.04 £6.00

$13.65 $13.65

-41.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.79 £20.77

$16.78 $16.78

65.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 £2.39

$5.55 $5.55

-42.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 £1.06

$1.77 $1.77

-20.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 £2.38

$3.79 $3.79

-16.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 £2.47

$4.14 $4.14

-20.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 £1.27

$2.49 $2.49

-31.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 £1.11

$2.91 $2.91

-49.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 £1.30

$2.07 $2.07

-15.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 £2.14

$2.08 $2.08

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.07 £17.98

$10.69 $10.69

125.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.31 £12.19

$13.55 $13.55

20.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 £2.00

$2.47 $2.47

8.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 £3.08

$3.20 $3.20

28.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.06 £3.04

$3.93 $3.93

3.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$145 £108

$81.4 $81.4

78.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 £3.75

$2.80 $2.80

79.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 £2.05

$1.35 $1.35

102.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.93 £16.39

$36.48 $36.48

-39.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 £1.49

$1.04 $1.04

91.35%

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

$37.8K £28.2K

$36.7K $36.7K

3.07%

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

$41.5K £31.0K

$25.1K $25.1K

65.60%

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

$390 £292

$197 $197

97.79%

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

$35.86 £26.80

$61.0 $61.0

-41.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.40 £30.94

$74.4 $74.4

-44.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 £41.25

$61.1 $61.1

-9.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.57 £28.82

Cinema Ticket

$20.04 £14.98

$12.92 $12.92

55.11%

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

$868 £649

$1,113 $1,113

-21.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K £15.0K

$15.4K $15.4K

30.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.7 £73.7

$55.2 $55.2

78.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.53 £21.32

$43.38 $43.38

-34.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 £58.5

$98.1 $98.1

-20.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 £112

$114 $114

31.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 £1,055

$1,675 $1,675

-15.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,376 £1,028

$1,313 $1,313

4.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,436 £1,821

$2,208 $2,208

10.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 £1,505

$2,398 $2,398

-16.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,175 £3,868

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,448 £3,324

$1,606 $1,606

176.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,257 £2,434

$4,241 $4,241

-23.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.51

6.21

-11.27%

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

Last update for Canterbury: September 14, 2026

Last update for Surprise, AZ: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,412 in Canterbury and $1,675 in Surprise, AZ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surprise, AZ pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $90.0 in Canterbury vs $91.0 in Surprise, AZ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $414 per month, with Canterbury 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

Canterbury vs Surprise, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surprise, AZ wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Canterbury. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Surprise, AZ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Surprise, AZ. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,412 in Canterbury versus $1,675 in Surprise, AZ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $868 in Canterbury versus $1,113 in Surprise, AZ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Canterbury pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Surprise, AZ 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.

Safety-wise, Canterbury and Surprise, AZ are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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