Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,727 in Surrey versus $2,510 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,080 in Surrey versus $3,653 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,433 in Surrey versus $4,795 in Calgary.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Surrey 104% above, Calgary 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.15 CA$24.86

$18.65 CA$25.54

-2.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$112

$71.1 CA$97.4

15.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 CA$15.32

$10.82 CA$14.82

3.33%

Cappuccino

$4.18 CA$5.73

$3.80 CA$5.21

10.00%

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

$2.14 CA$2.93

$2.05 CA$2.81

4.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.49

$1.67 CA$2.29

8.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 CA$7.96

$5.22 CA$7.15

11.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 CA$9.65

$6.45 CA$8.84

9.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 CA$3.50

$2.22 CA$3.04

15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CA$3.57

$2.78 CA$3.81

-6.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.69

$3.41 CA$4.67

64.52%

Eggs

$3.65 CA$5.00

$3.47 CA$4.75

5.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 CA$14.38

$14.42 CA$19.75

-27.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 CA$15.92

$12.85 CA$17.61

-9.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.75 CA$33.90

$16.24 CA$22.25

52.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.59

$4.46 CA$6.11

-24.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.76

$1.30 CA$1.78

-1.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.08

$3.73 CA$5.11

-20.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.58

$4.27 CA$5.86

-21.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.40

$2.67 CA$3.66

-7.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.77

$2.68 CA$3.67

-24.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.44

$2.75 CA$3.76

-8.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.67

$1.96 CA$2.69

-0.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 CA$20.56

$14.55 CA$19.94

3.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.60 CA$20.00

$14.66 CA$20.09

-0.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.38

$2.81 CA$3.86

39.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$3.99 CA$5.47

-3.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 CA$4.22

$2.74 CA$3.75

12.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$128 CA$175

$86.7 CA$119

47.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 CA$3.76

$3.58 CA$4.90

-23.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.01

$1.29 CA$1.77

13.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.10 CA$39.87

$28.58 CA$39.15

1.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CA$1.81

$1.08 CA$1.48

22.22%

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

$24.6K CA$33.6K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

-3.46%

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

$20.8K CA$28.6K

$21.6K CA$29.5K

-3.26%

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

$188 CA$257

$215 CA$294

-12.57%

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

$41.29 CA$56.6

$40.83 CA$55.9

1.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 CA$90.4

$57.9 CA$79.4

13.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.18 CA$61.9

$54.0 CA$74.0

-16.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 CA$25.69

$51.7 CA$70.9

-63.75%

Cinema Ticket

$12.40 CA$16.99

$12.56 CA$17.21

-1.27%

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

$884 CA$1,211

$871 CA$1,193

1.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K CA$17.3K

$16.1K CA$22.1K

-21.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 CA$77.9

$58.6 CA$80.3

-3.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 CA$75.1

$46.97 CA$64.4

16.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$141

$86.3 CA$118

19.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 CA$130

$109 CA$150

-13.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 CA$2,229

$1,388 CA$1,901

17.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 CA$1,903

$1,181 CA$1,618

17.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,114 CA$4,266

$2,337 CA$3,202

33.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,458 CA$3,368

$1,886 CA$2,583

30.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K CA$14.4K

$3,823 CA$5,237

174.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,524 CA$11.7K

$3,596 CA$4,926

137.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,110 CA$4,261

$3,125 CA$4,281

-0.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.71

14.54%

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

Last update for Surrey: April 28, 2026

Last update for Calgary: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,627 in Surrey and $1,388 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Surrey vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $399 per month, with Calgary 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

Surrey vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 0% less. 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: $1,627 in Surrey versus $1,388 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $82.0 in Surrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,727 per month in Surrey versus $2,510 in Calgary – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary 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.

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