Cost of Living Comparison Between Hackensack, NJ and Surrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Hackensack, NJ and Surrey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,007 in Hackensack, NJ versus $2,759 in Surrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,754 in Hackensack, NJ versus $4,117 in Surrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,502 in Hackensack, NJ versus $5,476 in Surrey.

Living in Hackensack, NJ is roughly 9% more expensive than Surrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hackensack, NJ 124% above, Surrey 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.83 $19.83

$18.54 CA$25.40

6.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 $98.5

$82.1 CA$112

20.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.15 $14.15

$10.98 CA$15.05

28.87%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$4.24 CA$5.80

28.30%

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

$2.36 $2.36

$2.05 CA$2.81

15.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.82 CA$2.49

3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$5.96 CA$8.16

14.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.13 $9.13

$6.90 CA$9.45

32.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$2.65 CA$3.63

-50.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.70 CA$3.69

40.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$5.58 CA$7.64

-7.35%

Eggs

$4.78 $4.78

$3.60 CA$4.93

32.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 $13.76

$10.36 CA$14.19

32.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.20 $10.20

$11.66 CA$15.97

-12.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.09 $17.09

$24.34 CA$33.35

-29.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.37 CA$4.61

50.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.33 CA$1.83

34.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.98 CA$4.08

30.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.36 CA$4.61

23.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.34 CA$3.20

23.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.01 CA$2.75

31.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.51 CA$3.44

-3.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.92 CA$2.64

39.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 $11.80

$14.77 CA$20.23

-20.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.67 CA$20.10

0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$3.80 CA$5.21

-55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 $4.29

$4.00 CA$5.47

7.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.16 CA$4.33

10.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.8 $60.8

$127 CA$174

-52.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.83 CA$3.87

4.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.54 CA$2.11

29.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.07 $24.07

$29.06 CA$39.81

-17.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.36 CA$1.86

-33.09%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$25.3K CA$34.7K

-7.60%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$21.0K CA$28.8K

20.49%

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

$218 $218

$189 CA$259

15.38%

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

$52.7 $52.7

$42.09 CA$57.7

25.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 $58.9

$66.3 CA$90.9

-11.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.46 $44.46

$43.84 CA$60.1

1.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.37 CA$25.17

Cinema Ticket

$20.02 $20.02

$12.55 CA$17.20

59.52%

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

$1,409 $1,409

$910 CA$1,247

54.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K $16.0K

$12.4K CA$17.0K

29.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$54.9 CA$75.2

-7.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 $63.4

$54.3 CA$74.4

16.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 $88.1

$103 CA$142

-14.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 $99.1

$96.8 CA$133

2.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 $1,799

$1,658 CA$2,271

8.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 $1,613

$1,404 CA$1,923

14.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,439 $3,439

$3,055 CA$4,185

12.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,264 $3,264

$2,407 CA$3,297

35.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,574 $3,574

$10.3K CA$14.2K

-65.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,236 $3,236

$8,277 CA$11.3K

-60.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,303 $6,303

$3,141 CA$4,303

100.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.54

1.22%

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

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: April 21, 2026

Last update for Surrey: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,799 in Hackensack, NJ and $1,658 in Surrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hackensack, NJ pays 101% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $98 in Hackensack, NJ vs $82 in Surrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $407 per month, with Surrey 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

Hackensack, NJ vs Surrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Hackensack, NJ pays 101% 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: $1,799 in Hackensack, NJ versus $1,658 in Surrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,409 in Hackensack, NJ versus $910 in Surrey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Hackensack, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Surrey is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Surrey delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,759 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Surrey hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Hackensack, NJ and Surrey 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 Surrey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Hackensack, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.