Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Surrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Surrey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,084 per month in Montreal vs $2,737 in Surrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,161 per month in Montreal vs $4,155 in Surrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,239 per month in Montreal vs $5,573 in Surrey, rent included.

Montreal is about 24% cheaper than Surrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Montreal and Surrey sit above the global median – Montreal by 55%, Surrey by 104%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 CA$22.30

$18.61 CA$25.99

-14.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 CA$102

$79.9 CA$112

-8.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.32

$10.92 CA$15.25

0.46%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.29

$4.14 CA$5.78

-8.45%

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

$2.16 CA$3.01

$2.04 CA$2.85

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.73 CA$2.42

-13.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 CA$8.24

$5.84 CA$8.16

1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 CA$9.52

$7.19 CA$10.04

-5.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$2.65 CA$3.71

-12.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 CA$4.72

$2.64 CA$3.69

28.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.36

$5.56 CA$7.77

-31.12%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.75

$3.59 CA$5.02

-5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.11 CA$22.50

$10.42 CA$14.55

54.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 CA$16.46

$11.79 CA$16.47

-0.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 CA$21.40

$24.99 CA$34.90

-38.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.11

$3.46 CA$4.83

5.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$1.34 CA$1.87

20.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.68

$3.08 CA$4.30

32.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.14

$3.53 CA$4.92

24.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$2.40 CA$3.35

11.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.72

$2.02 CA$2.82

31.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.20

$2.48 CA$3.47

-7.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.48

$2.03 CA$2.83

-12.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.07 CA$18.25

$14.57 CA$20.35

-10.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 CA$14.94

$14.30 CA$19.98

-25.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 CA$4.37

$3.82 CA$5.33

-18.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 CA$4.82

$3.98 CA$5.55

-13.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$3.09 CA$4.32

-8.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$102

$129 CA$181

-43.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.92

$2.69 CA$3.76

30.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.47 CA$2.06

-2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.29 CA$46.48

$28.31 CA$39.53

17.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.35 CA$1.89

-8.89%

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

$25.4K CA$35.4K

$24.7K CA$34.5K

2.73%

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

$21.5K CA$30.0K

$20.7K CA$29.0K

3.44%

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

$73.9 CA$103

$188 CA$263

-60.73%

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

$36.87 CA$51.5

$42.02 CA$58.7

-12.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.97 CA$60.0

$67.8 CA$94.7

-36.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.82 CA$59.8

$44.10 CA$61.6

-2.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 CA$23.55

$18.11 CA$25.29

-6.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 CA$15.63

$12.33 CA$17.22

-9.25%

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

$608 CA$850

$907 CA$1,267

-32.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 CA$8,132

$12.6K CA$17.5K

-53.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 CA$85.3

$57.0 CA$79.5

7.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.96 CA$62.8

$53.6 CA$74.8

-16.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$143

$105 CA$147

-2.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$170

$94.8 CA$132

28.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 CA$1,674

$1,631 CA$2,278

-26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 CA$1,316

$1,363 CA$1,904

-30.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 CA$2,914

$3,112 CA$4,346

-32.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 CA$2,178

$2,444 CA$3,413

-36.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,093 CA$7,112

$9,608 CA$13.4K

-46.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,283

$8,793 CA$12.3K

-56.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,880 CA$4,022

$3,153 CA$4,403

-8.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.54

-23.39%

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

Last update for Montreal: June 7, 2026

Last update for Surrey: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,198 in Montreal versus $1,631 in Surrey. 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 9% higher in Surrey, 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 $73.0 in Montreal versus $80.0 in Surrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $411 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Montreal vs Surrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surrey costs about 31% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,126 per month in Montreal and $4,105 in Surrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Surrey, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal and $80.0 in Surrey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,084, than in Surrey at $2,737. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,084 versus $2,737 in Surrey. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surrey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.