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: $2,760 in Surrey versus $2,664 in Victoria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,115 in Surrey versus $3,990 in Victoria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,470 in Surrey versus $5,315 in Victoria.

Living in Surrey is roughly 4% more expensive than in Victoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Surrey 107% above, Victoria 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.10 CA$25.49

$18.25 CA$25.71

-0.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 CA$114

$81.0 CA$114

0.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.41

$11.02 CA$15.52

-0.73%

Cappuccino

$4.29 CA$6.05

$3.92 CA$5.52

9.44%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$2.40 CA$3.37

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.54

$1.94 CA$2.73

-7.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.79 CA$8.15

$5.26 CA$7.41

10.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 CA$9.70

$6.44 CA$9.07

6.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$3.12 CA$4.39

-16.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$3.15 CA$4.43

-13.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.43 CA$7.65

$5.27 CA$7.42

3.04%

Eggs

$3.64 CA$5.13

$4.50 CA$6.35

-19.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 CA$14.36

$13.48 CA$18.99

-24.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 CA$16.90

$15.09 CA$21.25

-20.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.83 CA$34.97

$15.74 CA$22.18

57.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.93

$4.36 CA$6.14

-19.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 CA$1.81

$1.59 CA$2.24

-18.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.21

$4.48 CA$6.31

-33.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.96

$4.78 CA$6.74

-26.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$3.79 CA$5.34

-37.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.82

$3.17 CA$4.47

-36.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.77 CA$3.90

-11.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CA$2.84

$2.68 CA$3.78

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.88 CA$20.95

$15.25 CA$21.48

-2.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.07 CA$19.81

$17.85 CA$25.14

-21.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.83 CA$5.40

$3.78 CA$5.32

1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 CA$5.41

$4.42 CA$6.22

-13.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$1.78 CA$2.51

75.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$125 CA$177

$63.6 CA$89.6

97.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 CA$4.00

$2.68 CA$3.78

5.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CA$2.19

$1.33 CA$1.88

16.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.59 CA$40.27

$33.44 CA$47.10

-14.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CA$1.94

$1.35 CA$1.90

1.48%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$25.0K CA$35.3K

0.89%

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

$21.0K CA$29.6K

$20.8K CA$29.3K

1.22%

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

$187 CA$263

$138 CA$195

35.07%

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

$41.34 CA$58.2

$54.8 CA$77.2

-24.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 CA$93.8

$72.6 CA$102

-8.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.82 CA$63.1

$44.60 CA$62.8

0.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 CA$26.05

$16.97 CA$23.90

9.02%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 CA$17.41

$11.79 CA$16.61

4.83%

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

$888 CA$1,251

$625 CA$880

42.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K CA$17.6K

$13.9K CA$19.6K

-10.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CA$77.3

$57.7 CA$81.2

-4.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 CA$75.9

$44.02 CA$62.0

22.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 CA$148

$95.2 CA$134

10.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.3 CA$134

$110 CA$155

-13.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 CA$2,286

$1,562 CA$2,200

3.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,966

$1,380 CA$1,945

1.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,011 CA$4,241

$2,717 CA$3,828

10.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 CA$3,444

$2,388 CA$3,364

2.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,586 CA$13.5K

$5,570 CA$7,845

72.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,475 CA$11.9K

$4,536 CA$6,389

86.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,122 CA$4,398

$3,108 CA$4,378

0.46%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Victoria: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,623 in Surrey and $1,562 in Victoria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surrey pays 0% 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: $81.0 in Surrey vs $81.0 in Victoria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $462 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 4% in total monthly costs ($2,760 vs $2,664 including rent). Victoria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 0% higher in Surrey, 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: $1,623 in Surrey versus $1,562 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 $81.0 versus $81.0 in Surrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,760 per month in Surrey versus $2,664 in Victoria – a 4% 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 4% less than in Surrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.