Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Victoria Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Victoria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Surrey versus $2,721 in Victoria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,117 in Surrey versus $4,060 in Victoria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,476 in Surrey versus $5,398 in Victoria.

Living in Surrey is roughly 1% more expensive than Victoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Surrey 106% above, Victoria 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.54 CA$25.40

$18.22 CA$24.96

1.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.1 CA$112

$81.9 CA$112

0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.05

$10.92 CA$14.97

0.55%

Cappuccino

$4.24 CA$5.80

$3.89 CA$5.33

9.00%

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

$2.05 CA$2.81

$2.33 CA$3.19

-12.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.49

$2.03 CA$2.78

-10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 CA$8.16

$5.30 CA$7.26

12.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 CA$9.45

$6.80 CA$9.32

1.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 CA$3.63

$3.06 CA$4.19

-13.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.69

$3.25 CA$4.45

-16.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.58 CA$7.64

$5.16 CA$7.07

8.14%

Eggs

$3.60 CA$4.93

$4.46 CA$6.11

-19.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 CA$14.19

$13.50 CA$18.50

-23.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.66 CA$15.97

$15.06 CA$20.63

-22.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.34 CA$33.35

$15.79 CA$21.63

54.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.61

$4.38 CA$6.01

-23.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.83

$1.60 CA$2.20

-16.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.08

$4.49 CA$6.15

-33.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 CA$4.61

$4.92 CA$6.75

-31.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 CA$3.20

$3.84 CA$5.26

-39.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CA$2.75

$3.13 CA$4.29

-35.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.44

$2.68 CA$3.67

-6.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.64

$2.74 CA$3.76

-29.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.77 CA$20.23

$15.58 CA$21.35

-5.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.10

$17.98 CA$24.63

-18.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.21

$3.79 CA$5.19

0.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 CA$5.47

$4.56 CA$6.24

-12.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.16 CA$4.33

$1.80 CA$2.46

75.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$127 CA$174

$61.4 CA$84.0

106.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 CA$3.87

$2.70 CA$3.70

4.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 CA$2.11

$1.34 CA$1.83

14.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.06 CA$39.81

$33.02 CA$45.24

-11.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.86

$1.34 CA$1.83

1.49%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

-0.36%

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

$21.0K CA$28.8K

$20.9K CA$28.6K

0.59%

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

$189 CA$259

$134 CA$184

40.67%

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

$42.09 CA$57.7

$54.1 CA$74.2

-22.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 CA$90.9

$72.3 CA$99.1

-8.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.84 CA$60.1

$44.55 CA$61.0

-1.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.37 CA$25.17

$17.02 CA$23.32

7.93%

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 CA$17.20

$11.99 CA$16.43

4.67%

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

$910 CA$1,247

$640 CA$877

42.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K CA$17.0K

$14.2K CA$19.4K

-12.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CA$75.2

$58.8 CA$80.5

-6.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 CA$74.4

$43.31 CA$59.3

25.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$142

$96.2 CA$132

7.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 CA$133

$109 CA$149

-11.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,658 CA$2,271

$1,555 CA$2,131

6.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 CA$1,923

$1,380 CA$1,891

1.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,055 CA$4,185

$2,785 CA$3,815

9.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 CA$3,297

$2,466 CA$3,378

-2.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K CA$14.2K

$5,840 CA$8,001

76.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,277 CA$11.3K

$4,787 CA$6,558

72.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,141 CA$4,303

$3,036 CA$4,159

3.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.38

2.51%

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

Last update for Surrey: April 20, 2026

Last update for Victoria: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,658 in Surrey and $1,555 in Victoria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surrey pays 3% 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 in Surrey vs $82 in Victoria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $464 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 Victoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surrey and Victoria differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,759 vs $2,721 including rent). Victoria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Surrey pays 3% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,658 in Surrey versus $1,555 in Victoria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Victoria – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $82.0 in Surrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,759 per month in Surrey versus $2,721 in Victoria – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Victoria 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 Victoria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Surrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.