Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Surrey: $2,236 a month against $5,142 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $34,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

110

Cost of Living Index in Surrey
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Surrey Living Index
245

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Surrey

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,236

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$5,142

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Surrey and in New York, NY

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Surrey and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,236 per month in Surrey vs $5,142 in New York, NY, rent included.

Surrey $2,236
New York, NY $5,142

A couple spends around $3,522 per month in Surrey vs $7,455 in New York, NY, rent included.

Surrey $3,522
New York, NY $7,455

A family of three spends $4,808 per month in Surrey vs $9,767 in New York, NY, rent included.

Surrey $4,808
New York, NY $9,767

Surrey is about 57% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Surrey and New York, NY sit above the global median – Surrey by 67%, New York, NY by 284%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.87 CA$25.48

$26.46 $26.46

-32.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 CA$78.7

$119 $119

-53.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 CA$14.62

$14.43 $14.43

-28.90%

Cappuccino

$3.63 CA$5.18

$6.55 $6.55

-44.58%

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

$2.11 CA$3.00

$3.84 $3.84

-45.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.23

$3.00 $3.00

-47.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.65 CA$8.05

$8.27 $8.27

-31.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 CA$8.48

$10.05 $10.05

-40.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.42

$1.31 $1.31

83.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 CA$2.91

$4.90 $4.90

-58.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 CA$5.09

$7.16 $7.16

-50.14%

Eggs

$3.23 CA$4.61

$5.92 $5.92

-45.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 CA$13.73

$19.06 $19.06

-49.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.29 CA$14.66

$17.38 $17.38

-40.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.56 CA$27.89

$18.94 $18.94

3.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.48

$6.96 $6.96

-54.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.86

$2.08 $2.08

-37.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.20

$6.10 $6.10

-51.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.20

$6.95 $6.95

-57.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.62

$3.98 $3.98

-36.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CA$2.92

$4.44 $4.44

-53.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 CA$2.82

$2.81 $2.81

-29.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.56

$2.51 $2.51

-28.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.93 CA$19.86

$19.27 $19.27

-27.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 CA$20.12

$19.67 $19.67

-28.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.51

$3.08 $3.08

-20.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.35

$3.68 $3.68

-17.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 CA$3.81

$3.02 $3.02

-11.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CA$150

$140 $140

-24.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 CA$3.66

$3.07 $3.07

-16.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.13

$2.13 $2.13

-30.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.20 CA$38.77

$41.21 $41.21

-34.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.86

$1.11 $1.11

18.02%

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

$27.8K CA$39.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.56%

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

$18.5K CA$26.3K

$25.4K $25.4K

-27.30%

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

$185 CA$263

$217 $217

-15.06%

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

$36.28 CA$51.7

$74.0 $74.0

-50.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 CA$90.1

$72.5 $72.5

-12.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.52 CA$49.21

$120 $120

-71.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.21 CA$35.93

$66.9 $66.9

-62.31%

Cinema Ticket

$12.70 CA$18.10

$22.32 $22.32

-43.10%

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

$832 CA$1,186

$3,425 $3,425

-75.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$17.0K

$61.2K $61.2K

-80.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 CA$78.7

$76.3 $76.3

-27.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 CA$85.9

$55.5 $55.5

8.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 CA$137

$119 $119

-19.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.2 CA$126

$131 $131

-32.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 CA$1,891

$4,506 $4,506

-70.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 CA$1,497

$3,155 $3,155

-66.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,676 CA$3,815

$8,817 $8,817

-69.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 CA$2,972

$5,532 $5,532

-62.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,553 CA$13.6K

$19.4K $19.4K

-50.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,388 CA$12.0K

$6,754 $6,754

24.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,988 CA$4,260

$5,290 $5,290

-43.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

6.82

-28.59%

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

Last update for Surrey: October 5, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Surrey

$1.1K 46.1%

New York, NY

$3.2K 63.2% 200% $2.1K

Groceries & Markets

Surrey

$348 15.3%

New York, NY

$546 11% 56.7% $198

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Surrey

$284 12.5%

New York, NY

$364 7.3% 28.1% $80

Eating Out

Surrey

$272 12%

New York, NY

$422 8.5% 55.2% $150

Clothing & Footwear

Surrey

$135 5.9%

New York, NY

$172 3.4% 27.2% $37

Getting Around

Surrey

$126 5.6%

New York, NY

$165 3.3% 31% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Surrey

$60 2.6%

New York, NY

$165 3.3% 176% $105

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,327 in Surrey versus $4,506 in New York, NY. 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 77% higher in New York, NY, 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 $55.0 in Surrey versus $119 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $546 – making Surrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Surrey

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

04:42 4:42 AM

07:42 7:42 AM

3 h ahead of Surrey

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

517,887

8,804,190

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Surrey New York, NY 3,880 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Surrey
New York, NY

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 130% more than Surrey, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,353 per month in Surrey and $7,714 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $832 per month in Surrey and $3,425 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Surrey, where all-in costs run around $2,236, than in New York, NY at $5,142. In Surrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surrey costs $2,236 versus $5,142 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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