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: $2,726 in Surprise, AZ versus $2,555 in Canterbury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Surprise, AZ versus $3,771 in Canterbury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,499 in Surprise, AZ versus $4,987 in Canterbury.

Living in Surprise, AZ is roughly 7% more expensive than Canterbury, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Surprise, AZ 104% above, Canterbury 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.28 $20.28

$27.32 £20.25

-25.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 $81.1

$81.8 £60.6

-0.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.01 $12.01

$10.35 £7.67

16.04%

Cappuccino

$5.34 $5.34

$4.41 £3.27

21.09%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$1.73 £1.29

54.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.69 £1.26

28.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$6.54 £4.85

-8.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 $7.06

$6.19 £4.59

14.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.41 £1.04

-39.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.37 £1.02

181.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$1.91 £1.42

178.53%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.71 £2.75

28.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 $11.88

$10.12 £7.50

17.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.93 $11.93

$8.05 £5.97

48.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.75 $14.75

$12.95 £9.60

13.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$2.65 £1.96

80.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.52 £1.12

28.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.79 £2.07

39.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.73 £2.02

51.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.43 £1.06

73.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.37 £1.02

78.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.72 £0.53

161.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.53 £1.13

54.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 $11.66

$20.29 £15.03

-42.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.01 $15.01

$15.95 £11.82

-5.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.28 £1.69

-7.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.56 £3.38

-14.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.47 £2.57

12.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.8 $79.8

$228 £169

-64.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 $2.81

$5.26 £3.90

-46.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.57 £1.17

-11.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.43 $35.43

$14.91 £11.05

137.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.87 £1.39

-48.13%

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

$30.9K $30.9K

$38.9K £28.8K

-20.72%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$40.8K £30.2K

-36.40%

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

$259 $259

$222 £164

17.00%

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

$71.0 $71.0

$19.40 £14.37

265.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 $80.9

$44.28 £32.81

82.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 $61.2

$46.62 £34.55

31.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.95 £28.12

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 $12.92

$13.52 £10.02

-4.44%

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

$1,103 $1,103

$1,142 £846

-3.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K $15.5K

$16.1K £11.9K

-3.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$83.6 £61.9

-33.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.57 $39.57

$49.90 £36.97

-20.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 $83.1

$111 £82.3

-25.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$97.6 £72.3

8.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 $1,673

$1,365 £1,011

22.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 $1,276

$1,212 £898

5.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,384 $2,384

$2,201 £1,631

8.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,417 $2,417

$1,900 £1,408

27.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,245 £3,886

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,588 $1,588

$4,487 £3,325

-64.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,188 $4,188

$3,090 £2,290

35.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.53

16.82%

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

Last update for Surprise, AZ: April 27, 2026

Last update for Canterbury: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Surprise, AZ and $1,365 in Canterbury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surprise, AZ pays 36% 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: $81.0 in Surprise, AZ vs $82.0 in Canterbury. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $288, with Canterbury cheaper for home cooking.

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

Canterbury wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Surprise, AZ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Canterbury the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Surprise, AZ pays 36% 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: $1,673 in Surprise, AZ versus $1,365 in Canterbury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,103 in Surprise, AZ versus $1,142 in Canterbury. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Surprise, AZ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Canterbury 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 Canterbury gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Surprise, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.