Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey, Canada and Toronto

For one person, living is cheaper in Surrey: $2,338 a month against $2,589 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Toronto outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Surrey, Canada
Toronto, Canada
Surrey
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,338
/mo nomad
Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,589
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Surrey and in Toronto

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 Toronto actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,338 in Surrey versus $2,589 in Toronto.

  • Surrey $2,338
  • Toronto $2,589

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,564 in Surrey versus $3,710 in Toronto.

  • Surrey $3,564
  • Toronto $3,710

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,791 in Surrey versus $4,831 in Toronto.

  • Surrey $4,791
  • Toronto $4,831

Living in Surrey costs roughly 10% less than in Toronto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Surrey 72% above, Toronto 90% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surrey
Toronto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.11 CA$25.31
$17.60 CA$24.59
2.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.5 CA$80.3
$77.8 CA$109
-26.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.06 CA$14.06
$10.59 CA$14.79
-5.00%
Cappuccino
$3.52 CA$4.92
$4.16 CA$5.81
-15.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 CA$2.81
$2.04 CA$2.86
-1.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 CA$2.10
$1.75 CA$2.45
-14.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.01 CA$8.40
$6.58 CA$9.19
-8.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.63 CA$7.87
$7.11 CA$9.94
-20.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surrey
Toronto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.47 CA$3.46
$2.53 CA$3.54
-2.37%
White Bread (500g)
$2.10 CA$2.94
$2.70 CA$3.78
-22.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.64 CA$5.09
$2.24 CA$3.13
62.50%
Eggs
$3.22 CA$4.50
$3.48 CA$4.87
-7.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.77 CA$13.65
$9.38 CA$13.10
4.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.57 CA$14.78
$11.60 CA$16.21
-8.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.34 CA$28.42
$14.68 CA$20.52
38.56%
Apples (1kg)
$3.33 CA$4.65
$3.74 CA$5.23
-10.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 CA$1.82
$1.22 CA$1.71
6.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.94 CA$4.10
$3.48 CA$4.86
-15.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.02 CA$4.23
$4.32 CA$6.04
-30.09%
Potato (1kg)
$2.59 CA$3.62
$1.85 CA$2.59
40.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 CA$3.01
$1.69 CA$2.36
27.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.00 CA$2.80
$2.23 CA$3.11
-10.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 CA$2.56
$1.28 CA$1.78
42.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.11 CA$19.72
$14.04 CA$19.62
0.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.20 CA$19.85
$14.43 CA$20.16
-1.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.45 CA$3.43
$2.16 CA$3.01
13.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 CA$4.51
$2.52 CA$3.53
28.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Surrey
Toronto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.55 CA$3.57
$2.37 CA$3.31
7.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$110 CA$154
$112 CA$157
-1.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.64 CA$3.69
$3.04 CA$4.25
-13.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 CA$2.23
$1.24 CA$1.73
29.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.02 CA$39.15
$22.55 CA$31.51
24.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 CA$1.92
$1.24 CA$1.74
11.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$39.3K
$26.9K CA$37.6K
4.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.7K CA$30.3K
$21.4K CA$29.9K
1.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surrey
Toronto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$187 CA$261
$125 CA$174
49.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.14 CA$51.9
$33.05 CA$46.19
12.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.7 CA$91.9
$47.96 CA$67.0
37.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surrey
Toronto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.83 CA$44.48
$36.69 CA$51.3
-13.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.35 CA$35.42
$23.67 CA$33.07
7.10%
Cinema Ticket
$12.18 CA$17.02
$13.08 CA$18.27
-6.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surrey
Toronto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 CA$934
$759 CA$1,060
-11.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K CA$16.9K
$23.8K CA$33.2K
-49.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surrey
Toronto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.0 CA$76.8
$53.5 CA$74.8
2.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.1 CA$85.4
$40.44 CA$56.5
51.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.5 CA$139
$100 CA$140
-0.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.8 CA$127
$125 CA$175
-27.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surrey
Toronto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,376 CA$1,923
$1,630 CA$2,277
-15.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,094 CA$1,528
$1,416 CA$1,978
-22.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,606 CA$3,641
$2,694 CA$3,765
-3.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 CA$2,927
$2,101 CA$2,936
-0.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,631 CA$9,265
$7,551 CA$10.6K
-12.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,166 CA$7,218
$6,674 CA$9,325
-22.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surrey
Toronto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,156 CA$4,410
$3,543 CA$4,951
-10.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.87
4.45
9.44%

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

Last update for Surrey: October 25, 2026

Last update for Toronto: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Surrey
$1.1K
Toronto
$1.4K 29.5% $322
Groceries & Markets
Surrey
$357
Toronto
$345 3.4% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surrey
$289
Toronto
$206 28.9% $84
Eating Out
Surrey
$273
Toronto
$285 4.4% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Surrey
$138
Toronto
$144 4.4% $6
Getting Around
Surrey
$131
Toronto
$131 0.1% $0.1
Sport & Entertainment
Surrey
$56
Toronto
$63 11.9% $6.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,376 in Surrey and $1,630 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 12% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $57 in Surrey vs $78 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $357 vs $345, with Toronto cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Surrey
🇨🇦 Toronto
🕒 Local time
03:22 3:22 AM
05:22 5:22 AM
2 h ahead of Surrey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
517,887
2,731,571
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Surrey Toronto 3,340 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Surrey
  • Toronto

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 Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Surrey and in Toronto?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,338 in Surrey and $2,589 in Toronto, so Surrey is about 10% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Surrey. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Surrey and in Toronto?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,376 in Surrey versus $1,630 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Toronto pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Surrey or Toronto?
All in, you’ll spend $2,338 per month in Surrey versus $2,589 in Toronto – Surrey is about 10% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How far does $3,000 go in Surrey compared to Toronto?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Surrey gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Where should families live: Surrey or Toronto?
For families, Surrey is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Toronto, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
How do I decide between Surrey and Toronto?
It comes down to priorities – Surrey wins on affordability, Toronto on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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