Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,727 in Surrey versus $2,873 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,080 in Surrey versus $4,180 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,433 in Surrey versus $5,486 in Vancouver.

Living in Surrey costs roughly 5% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Surrey 104% above, Vancouver 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.15 CA$24.86

$18.57 CA$25.44

-2.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$112

$78.8 CA$108

4.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 CA$15.32

$11.25 CA$15.41

-0.62%

Cappuccino

$4.18 CA$5.73

$3.89 CA$5.33

7.46%

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

$2.14 CA$2.93

$2.16 CA$2.96

-0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.49

$1.78 CA$2.44

2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 CA$7.96

$5.85 CA$8.01

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 CA$9.65

$7.44 CA$10.20

-5.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 CA$3.50

$2.28 CA$3.12

12.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CA$3.57

$3.21 CA$4.40

-19.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.69

$3.75 CA$5.14

49.60%

Eggs

$3.65 CA$5.00

$4.53 CA$6.21

-19.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 CA$14.38

$12.80 CA$17.54

-18.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 CA$15.92

$14.09 CA$19.30

-17.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.75 CA$33.90

$15.87 CA$21.74

55.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.59

$4.18 CA$5.73

-19.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.76

$1.53 CA$2.10

-16.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.08

$3.90 CA$5.34

-23.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.58

$4.99 CA$6.84

-33.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.40

$3.02 CA$4.13

-17.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.77

$3.00 CA$4.11

-32.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.44

$2.71 CA$3.71

-7.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.67

$1.80 CA$2.47

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 CA$20.56

$15.30 CA$20.97

-1.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.60 CA$20.00

$15.38 CA$21.07

-5.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.38

$3.10 CA$4.24

26.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$3.74 CA$5.13

2.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 CA$4.22

$2.38 CA$3.26

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$128 CA$175

$85.7 CA$117

49.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 CA$3.76

$3.74 CA$5.13

-26.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.01

$1.44 CA$1.97

2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.10 CA$39.87

$27.52 CA$37.70

5.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CA$1.81

$1.30 CA$1.78

1.54%

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

$24.6K CA$33.6K

$25.7K CA$35.2K

-4.44%

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

$20.8K CA$28.6K

$20.4K CA$28.0K

2.10%

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

$188 CA$257

$90.1 CA$123

108.35%

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

$41.29 CA$56.6

$40.47 CA$55.4

2.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 CA$90.4

$60.4 CA$82.7

9.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.18 CA$61.9

$44.45 CA$60.9

1.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 CA$25.69

$15.43 CA$21.13

21.52%

Cinema Ticket

$12.40 CA$16.99

$12.38 CA$16.96

0.16%

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

$884 CA$1,211

$1,153 CA$1,580

-23.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K CA$17.3K

$18.5K CA$25.4K

-31.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 CA$77.9

$63.5 CA$87.0

-10.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 CA$75.1

$41.83 CA$57.3

30.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$141

$97.5 CA$134

5.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 CA$130

$116 CA$159

-18.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 CA$2,229

$1,972 CA$2,702

-17.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 CA$1,903

$1,619 CA$2,218

-14.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,114 CA$4,266

$3,531 CA$4,838

-11.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,458 CA$3,368

$2,748 CA$3,765

-10.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K CA$14.4K

$9,040 CA$12.4K

16.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,524 CA$11.7K

$7,298 CA$9,998

16.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,110 CA$4,261

$3,619 CA$4,959

-14.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.61

16.58%

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

Last update for Surrey: April 28, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,627 in Surrey and $1,972 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 16% 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: $82.0 in Surrey vs $79.0 in Vancouver. Groceries flip the comparison at $407 vs $416, with Surrey 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 Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surrey and Vancouver differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,727 vs $2,873 including rent). Surrey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Vancouver earns 16% 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 $1,972 in Vancouver. 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 $82.0 versus $79.0 in Vancouver. 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 $2,873 in Vancouver – 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 Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.