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: $2,329 in Surrey versus $2,735 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,611 in Surrey versus $3,984 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,893 in Surrey versus $5,234 in Vancouver.

Living in Surrey costs roughly 15% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Surrey 70% above, Vancouver 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.21 CA$25.47

$17.82 CA$24.93

2.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 CA$81.8

$72.4 CA$101

-19.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 CA$14.85

$10.93 CA$15.30

-2.93%

Cappuccino

$3.59 CA$5.02

$4.19 CA$5.86

-14.32%

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

$2.06 CA$2.89

$2.22 CA$3.11

-7.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$1.64 CA$2.29

-0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 CA$8.40

$5.89 CA$8.23

2.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 CA$8.65

$6.51 CA$9.11

-5.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 CA$3.51

$2.12 CA$2.96

18.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 CA$3.00

$2.64 CA$3.69

-18.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.99

$4.44 CA$6.21

-19.59%

Eggs

$3.33 CA$4.66

$4.21 CA$5.89

-20.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 CA$14.11

$12.04 CA$16.85

-16.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 CA$15.00

$13.91 CA$19.46

-22.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.77 CA$29.06

$20.62 CA$28.85

0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.69

$4.29 CA$6.00

-21.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.90

$1.34 CA$1.88

1.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.23

$3.88 CA$5.43

-22.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.10 CA$4.33

$4.08 CA$5.70

-24.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.63

$2.88 CA$4.03

-9.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 CA$2.99

$2.93 CA$4.09

-26.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 CA$2.88

$2.63 CA$3.68

-21.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$1.70 CA$2.38

3.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 CA$19.79

$15.66 CA$21.91

-9.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.46

$14.23 CA$19.91

2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 CA$3.65

$2.78 CA$3.89

-6.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.44

$3.05 CA$4.27

3.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.59 CA$3.63

$2.53 CA$3.54

2.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CA$156

$85.5 CA$120

30.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 CA$3.71

$2.67 CA$3.73

-0.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 CA$2.22

$1.61 CA$2.25

-1.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.99 CA$39.16

$32.34 CA$45.24

-13.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.77

$1.40 CA$1.96

-10.00%

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

$28.7K CA$40.2K

$28.6K CA$40.0K

0.55%

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

$19.2K CA$26.8K

$19.8K CA$27.7K

-3.18%

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

$187 CA$262

$78.8 CA$110

137.21%

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

$37.07 CA$51.9

$35.70 CA$49.94

3.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.3 CA$91.3

$51.1 CA$71.5

27.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.52 CA$49.69

$42.37 CA$59.3

-16.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.06 CA$36.45

$13.04 CA$18.24

99.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.09 CA$18.31

$11.68 CA$16.34

12.07%

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

$846 CA$1,184

$1,108 CA$1,549

-23.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K CA$17.3K

$19.9K CA$27.8K

-37.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 CA$78.0

$57.0 CA$79.7

-2.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.2 CA$88.3

$35.01 CA$48.98

80.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 CA$138

$88.0 CA$123

11.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 CA$127

$91.2 CA$128

-0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,336 CA$1,869

$1,843 CA$2,579

-27.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 CA$1,488

$1,530 CA$2,140

-30.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,747 CA$3,843

$3,156 CA$4,415

-12.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,127 CA$2,976

$2,476 CA$3,464

-14.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,623 CA$13.5K

$8,675 CA$12.1K

10.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,505 CA$11.9K

$6,528 CA$9,132

30.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,158 CA$4,417

$3,726 CA$5,213

-15.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

4.21

15.68%

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

Last update for Surrey: September 13, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,336 in Surrey and $1,843 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 18% 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: $58.0 in Surrey vs $72.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 vs $409 per month, with Surrey cheaper across the board.

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 17% in total monthly costs ($2,329 vs $2,735 including rent). Surrey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Vancouver. 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: $1,336 in Surrey versus $1,843 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 $58.0 versus $72.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,329 per month in Surrey versus $2,735 in Vancouver – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,329 in Surrey versus $2,735 in Vancouver, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Surrey but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Surrey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 17% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.