Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Surrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Surrey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,668 in Toronto versus $2,329 in Surrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,801 in Toronto versus $3,611 in Surrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,934 in Toronto versus $4,893 in Surrey.

Living in Toronto is roughly 15% more expensive than in Surrey, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 95% above, Surrey 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 CA$25.62

$18.21 CA$25.47

0.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 CA$112

$58.5 CA$81.8

37.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 CA$14.84

$10.61 CA$14.85

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.59 CA$5.02

11.14%

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

$2.16 CA$3.02

$2.06 CA$2.89

4.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$1.63 CA$2.28

7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 CA$9.30

$6.01 CA$8.40

10.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.07

$6.18 CA$8.65

16.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$2.51 CA$3.51

13.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$2.14 CA$3.00

28.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.50

$3.57 CA$4.99

-29.69%

Eggs

$3.83 CA$5.35

$3.33 CA$4.66

15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 CA$14.00

$10.08 CA$14.11

-0.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 CA$16.73

$10.73 CA$15.00

11.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 CA$21.87

$20.77 CA$29.06

-24.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.14

$3.35 CA$4.69

9.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$1.36 CA$1.90

-6.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.41

$3.02 CA$4.23

28.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.91

$3.10 CA$4.33

36.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.60

$2.60 CA$3.63

-28.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.15

$2.14 CA$2.99

-28.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CA$3.22

$2.06 CA$2.88

11.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.76 CA$2.46

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 CA$19.75

$14.15 CA$19.79

-0.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 CA$20.33

$14.63 CA$20.46

-0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.11

$2.61 CA$3.65

-14.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$3.17 CA$4.44

-19.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$2.59 CA$3.63

-4.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$112 CA$156

1.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.34

$2.65 CA$3.71

16.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.59 CA$2.22

-19.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.87 CA$30.60

$27.99 CA$39.16

-21.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.72

$1.26 CA$1.77

-2.38%

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

$27.2K CA$38.1K

$28.7K CA$40.2K

-5.21%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$19.2K CA$26.8K

5.97%

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

$122 CA$171

$187 CA$262

-34.50%

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

$33.21 CA$46.46

$37.07 CA$51.9

-10.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.37 CA$69.1

$65.3 CA$91.3

-24.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.05 CA$56.0

$35.52 CA$49.69

12.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 CA$33.26

$26.06 CA$36.45

-8.75%

Cinema Ticket

$12.70 CA$17.76

$13.09 CA$18.31

-2.98%

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

$772 CA$1,080

$846 CA$1,184

-8.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K CA$33.3K

$12.4K CA$17.3K

92.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.7

$55.7 CA$78.0

-4.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.9

$63.2 CA$88.3

-33.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 CA$139

$98.4 CA$138

1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$172

$91.0 CA$127

35.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 CA$2,234

$1,336 CA$1,869

19.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$2,013

$1,064 CA$1,488

35.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 CA$3,830

$2,747 CA$3,843

-0.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CA$3,026

$2,127 CA$2,976

1.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,246 CA$11.5K

$9,623 CA$13.5K

-14.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,695 CA$9,366

$8,505 CA$11.9K

-21.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,830 CA$5,358

$3,158 CA$4,417

21.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.87

-8.21%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 12, 2026

Last update for Surrey: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,597 in Toronto and $1,336 in Surrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 21% 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: $80.0 in Toronto vs $58.0 in Surrey. Groceries flip the comparison at $361 vs $363, with Toronto 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

Toronto vs Surrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto and Surrey differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($2,668 vs $2,329 including rent). Surrey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 21% higher in Toronto, 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: $1,597 in Toronto versus $1,336 in Surrey. 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 $80.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,668 per month in Toronto versus $2,329 in Surrey – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,329 in Surrey versus $2,668 in Toronto, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Surrey but tight or insufficient in Toronto. 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 15% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.