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: $2,843 in Toronto versus $2,706 in Surrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,122 in Toronto versus $4,121 in Surrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,402 in Toronto versus $5,535 in Surrey.

Living in Toronto is roughly 5% more expensive than in Surrey, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 114% above, Surrey 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.86 CA$26.43

$18.30 CA$25.65

3.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 CA$118

$80.0 CA$112

4.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.20 CA$15.70

$10.99 CA$15.40

1.91%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.51

$4.10 CA$5.75

-4.15%

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

$2.15 CA$3.01

$2.03 CA$2.84

5.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.26

$1.74 CA$2.44

-7.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.20

$6.05 CA$8.47

-3.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.75 CA$9.46

$7.03 CA$9.86

-3.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$2.64 CA$3.70

1.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.84

$2.61 CA$3.66

4.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.96

$5.39 CA$7.56

-34.32%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.88

$3.58 CA$5.02

-2.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.55 CA$18.98

$10.36 CA$14.51

30.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.13 CA$18.40

$11.66 CA$16.34

12.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.52 CA$23.15

$24.92 CA$34.92

-33.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.76

$3.34 CA$4.68

23.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.33 CA$1.86

-15.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.75

$3.07 CA$4.31

10.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.66

$3.41 CA$4.77

18.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.59

$2.46 CA$3.45

4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.96

$1.99 CA$2.79

41.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.41 CA$3.37

2.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.98 CA$2.77

-3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.54

$14.61 CA$20.48

0.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.89 CA$19.46

$13.99 CA$19.60

-0.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$3.85 CA$5.39

-29.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.45

$4.03 CA$5.64

-21.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.44

$3.20 CA$4.48

-23.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$160

$127 CA$178

-9.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.05

$2.78 CA$3.90

29.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$1.49 CA$2.09

-8.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.82 CA$36.18

$28.40 CA$39.80

-9.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.31 CA$1.83

-12.98%

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

$24.7K CA$34.6K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-2.64%

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

$21.2K CA$29.8K

$20.9K CA$29.3K

1.47%

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

$119 CA$166

$192 CA$269

-38.24%

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

$36.98 CA$51.8

$42.36 CA$59.4

-12.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 CA$76.1

$66.1 CA$92.6

-17.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 CA$78.4

$44.22 CA$62.0

26.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.56 CA$28.82

$18.70 CA$26.21

9.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 CA$16.24

$12.50 CA$17.51

-7.28%

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

$1,155 CA$1,618

$909 CA$1,273

27.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K CA$25.1K

$12.6K CA$17.6K

42.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 CA$81.7

$55.6 CA$77.9

4.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 CA$54.9

$52.8 CA$74.0

-25.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$123

$103 CA$145

-15.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$95.1 CA$133

21.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 CA$2,501

$1,630 CA$2,284

9.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 CA$2,162

$1,367 CA$1,916

12.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,918 CA$4,089

$3,074 CA$4,307

-5.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,471 CA$3,462

$2,424 CA$3,397

1.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$9,719 CA$13.6K

-10.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,800 CA$9,528

$8,636 CA$12.1K

-21.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,476 CA$4,871

$3,016 CA$4,226

15.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.54

-21.10%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 26, 2026

Last update for Surrey: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,785 in Toronto and $1,630 in Surrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 15% 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $80.0 in Surrey. Groceries flip the comparison at $393 vs $407, 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 5% in total monthly costs ($2,843 vs $2,706 including rent). Surrey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $1,785 in Toronto versus $1,630 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 $80.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,843 per month in Toronto versus $2,706 in Surrey – 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 Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.