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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,706 per month in Surrey vs $2,073 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,121 per month in Surrey vs $3,175 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,535 per month in Surrey vs $4,277 in Montreal, rent included.

Surrey costs about 31% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Surrey and Montreal sit above the global median – Surrey by 103%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.30 CA$25.65

$16.22 CA$22.74

12.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 CA$112

$74.3 CA$104

7.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 CA$15.40

$11.14 CA$15.61

-1.35%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.75

$3.83 CA$5.37

7.05%

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

$2.03 CA$2.84

$2.13 CA$2.99

-4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$1.45 CA$2.03

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.47

$6.11 CA$8.57

-0.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 CA$9.86

$6.46 CA$9.05

8.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$2.24 CA$3.14

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.66

$3.22 CA$4.51

-18.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 CA$7.56

$3.65 CA$5.12

47.67%

Eggs

$3.58 CA$5.02

$3.36 CA$4.71

6.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 CA$14.51

$15.97 CA$22.37

-35.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.66 CA$16.34

$11.84 CA$16.59

-1.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.92 CA$34.92

$15.18 CA$21.28

64.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.68

$3.74 CA$5.24

-10.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.70 CA$2.38

-21.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$3.98 CA$5.57

-22.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.77

$4.45 CA$6.24

-23.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$2.66 CA$3.72

-7.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CA$2.79

$2.57 CA$3.60

-22.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$2.22 CA$3.11

8.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.77

$1.71 CA$2.40

15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.61 CA$20.48

$13.02 CA$18.24

12.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 CA$19.60

$10.74 CA$15.05

30.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 CA$5.39

$3.07 CA$4.30

25.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 CA$5.64

$3.55 CA$4.97

13.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$2.69 CA$3.76

18.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$127 CA$178

$74.0 CA$104

71.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 CA$3.90

$3.64 CA$5.10

-23.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.44 CA$2.02

3.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.40 CA$39.80

$34.18 CA$47.90

-16.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.17 CA$1.64

11.97%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

1.80%

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

$20.9K CA$29.3K

$22.0K CA$30.9K

-5.02%

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

$192 CA$269

$75.2 CA$105

155.63%

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

$42.36 CA$59.4

$36.93 CA$51.8

14.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 CA$92.6

$44.25 CA$62.0

49.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 CA$62.0

$42.03 CA$58.9

5.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 CA$26.21

$16.79 CA$23.53

11.38%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 CA$17.51

$10.87 CA$15.24

15.00%

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

$909 CA$1,273

$624 CA$874

45.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K CA$17.6K

$5,856 CA$8,207

114.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 CA$77.9

$61.7 CA$86.4

-9.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 CA$74.0

$44.74 CA$62.7

18.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$102 CA$142

1.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 CA$133

$121 CA$169

-21.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 CA$2,284

$1,220 CA$1,710

33.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 CA$1,916

$956 CA$1,339

43.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,074 CA$4,307

$2,044 CA$2,865

50.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,424 CA$3,397

$1,584 CA$2,219

53.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,719 CA$13.6K

$5,158 CA$7,228

88.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,636 CA$12.1K

$3,803 CA$5,329

127.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,016 CA$4,226

$2,899 CA$4,062

4.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.01

30.54%

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

Last update for Surrey: July 26, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,630 in Surrey versus $1,220 in Montreal. 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 4% 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 $80.0 in Surrey versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $389 – 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

Surrey vs Montreal: 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 $4,059 per month in Surrey and $3,110 in Montreal. 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 $80.0 in Surrey and $74.0 in Montreal. 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 $2,073, than in Surrey at $2,706. 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 $2,073 versus $2,706 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.