Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,706 in Surrey versus $2,843 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,121 in Surrey versus $4,122 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,535 in Surrey versus $5,402 in Toronto.

Living in Surrey costs roughly 5% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Surrey 103% above, Toronto 114% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.30 CA$25.65

$18.86 CA$26.43

-2.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 CA$112

$84.0 CA$118

-4.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 CA$15.40

$11.20 CA$15.70

-1.87%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.75

$3.93 CA$5.51

4.33%

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

$2.03 CA$2.84

$2.15 CA$3.01

-5.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$1.61 CA$2.26

8.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.47

$5.85 CA$8.20

3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 CA$9.86

$6.75 CA$9.46

4.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$2.69 CA$3.77

-1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.66

$2.74 CA$3.84

-4.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 CA$7.56

$3.54 CA$4.96

52.26%

Eggs

$3.58 CA$5.02

$3.48 CA$4.88

2.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 CA$14.51

$13.55 CA$18.98

-23.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.66 CA$16.34

$13.13 CA$18.40

-11.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.92 CA$34.92

$16.52 CA$23.15

50.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.68

$4.11 CA$5.76

-18.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.13 CA$1.58

17.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$3.39 CA$4.75

-9.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.77

$4.04 CA$5.66

-15.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$2.56 CA$3.59

-3.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CA$2.79

$2.82 CA$3.96

-29.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$2.47 CA$3.47

-2.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.77

$1.92 CA$2.69

3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.61 CA$20.48

$14.66 CA$20.54

-0.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 CA$19.60

$13.89 CA$19.46

0.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 CA$5.39

$2.71 CA$3.80

42.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 CA$5.64

$3.17 CA$4.45

27.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$2.46 CA$3.44

30.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$127 CA$178

$114 CA$160

10.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 CA$3.90

$3.60 CA$5.05

-22.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.36 CA$1.91

9.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.40 CA$39.80

$25.82 CA$36.18

9.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.14 CA$1.59

14.91%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$24.7K CA$34.6K

2.71%

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

$20.9K CA$29.3K

$21.2K CA$29.8K

-1.45%

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

$192 CA$269

$119 CA$166

61.93%

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

$42.36 CA$59.4

$36.98 CA$51.8

14.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 CA$92.6

$54.3 CA$76.1

21.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 CA$62.0

$56.0 CA$78.4

-20.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 CA$26.21

$20.56 CA$28.82

-9.05%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 CA$17.51

$11.59 CA$16.24

7.85%

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

$909 CA$1,273

$1,155 CA$1,618

-21.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K CA$17.6K

$17.9K CA$25.1K

-29.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 CA$77.9

$58.3 CA$81.7

-4.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 CA$74.0

$39.15 CA$54.9

34.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$87.5 CA$123

17.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 CA$133

$115 CA$161

-17.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 CA$2,284

$1,785 CA$2,501

-8.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 CA$1,916

$1,543 CA$2,162

-11.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,074 CA$4,307

$2,918 CA$4,089

5.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,424 CA$3,397

$2,471 CA$3,462

-1.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,719 CA$13.6K

$8,725 CA$12.2K

11.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,636 CA$12.1K

$6,800 CA$9,528

27.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,016 CA$4,226

$3,476 CA$4,871

-13.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.16

26.74%

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

Last update for Surrey: July 26, 2026

Last update for Toronto: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,630 in Surrey and $1,785 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 15% 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: $80.0 in Surrey vs $84.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $407 vs $393, with Toronto 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

Surrey vs Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surrey and Toronto differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,706 vs $2,843 including rent). Surrey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Toronto. 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: $1,630 in Surrey versus $1,785 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Surrey – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,706 per month in Surrey versus $2,843 in Toronto – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Surrey 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 Surrey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.