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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Surprise, AZ costs roughly 8% less than in Canterbury, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.61 $20.61

$24.67 £18.44

-16.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 $91.0

$90.2 £67.4

0.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 $12.89

$10.60 £7.92

21.60%

Cappuccino

$6.27 $6.27

$4.78 £3.57

31.17%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.66 £1.99

3.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.21 £1.65

10.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$7.64 £5.71

-7.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 $8.12

$6.89 £5.15

17.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.53 £1.14

-37.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.32 £0.99

165.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.22 $6.22

$1.67 £1.24

272.46%

Eggs

$4.64 $4.64

$3.28 £2.45

41.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.64 $13.64

$9.43 £7.05

44.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$8.04 £6.00

69.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 $16.78

$27.79 £20.77

-39.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$3.19 £2.39

73.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.41 £1.06

25.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.18 £2.38

19.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.31 £2.47

25.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.70 £1.27

46.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.48 £1.11

96.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.74 £1.30

18.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.86 £2.14

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.69 $10.69

$24.07 £17.98

-55.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 $13.55

$16.31 £12.19

-16.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.68 £2.00

-7.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$4.12 £3.08

-22.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.06 £3.04

-3.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.4 $81.4

$145 £108

-43.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$5.02 £3.75

-44.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 $1.35

$2.74 £2.05

-50.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.48 $36.48

$21.93 £16.39

66.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.99 £1.49

-47.74%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$37.8K £28.2K

-2.97%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$41.5K £31.0K

-39.61%

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

$197 $197

$390 £292

-49.44%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$35.86 £26.80

70.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.4 $74.4

$41.40 £30.94

79.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 $61.1

$55.2 £41.25

10.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.57 £28.82

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 $12.92

$20.04 £14.98

-35.53%

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

$1,113 $1,113

$868 £649

28.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K $15.4K

$20.1K £15.0K

-23.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 $55.2

$98.7 £73.7

-44.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.38 $43.38

$28.53 £21.32

52.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 $98.1

$78.3 £58.5

25.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$150 £112

-24.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,675 $1,675

$1,412 £1,055

18.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 $1,313

$1,376 £1,028

-4.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 $2,208

$2,436 £1,821

-9.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,398 $2,398

$2,013 £1,505

19.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,175 £3,868

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,606 $1,606

$4,448 £3,324

-63.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,241 $4,241

$3,257 £2,434

30.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

5.51

12.70%

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

Last update for Surprise, AZ: September 13, 2026

Last update for Canterbury: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,675 in Surprise, AZ and $1,412 in Canterbury. 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: $91.0 in Surprise, AZ vs $90.0 in Canterbury for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $357 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

Surprise, AZ vs Canterbury: 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.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Surprise, AZ, 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: $1,675 in Surprise, AZ versus $1,412 in Canterbury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,113 in Surprise, AZ versus $868 in Canterbury. 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, Surprise, AZ and Canterbury 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.