Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Surrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Surrey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,818 in Vancouver versus $2,706 in Surrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,226 in Vancouver versus $4,121 in Surrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,634 in Vancouver versus $5,535 in Surrey.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 112% above, Surrey 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 CA$26.24

$18.30 CA$25.65

2.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 CA$110

$80.0 CA$112

-1.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.21

$10.99 CA$15.40

-1.27%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.75

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

$2.13 CA$2.98

$2.03 CA$2.84

4.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.47

$1.74 CA$2.44

1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$8.08

$6.05 CA$8.47

-4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CA$10.13

$7.03 CA$9.86

2.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.20

$2.64 CA$3.70

-13.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.51

$2.61 CA$3.66

23.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.18

$5.39 CA$7.56

-31.35%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$6.10

$3.58 CA$5.02

21.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 CA$18.02

$10.36 CA$14.51

24.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.24 CA$19.96

$11.66 CA$16.34

22.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$22.05

$24.92 CA$34.92

-36.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.03

$3.34 CA$4.68

28.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.33 CA$1.86

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.07 CA$4.31

29.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 CA$7.19

$3.41 CA$4.77

50.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$2.46 CA$3.45

24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$1.99 CA$2.79

53.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.41 CA$3.37

9.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.62

$1.98 CA$2.77

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.70 CA$22.00

$14.61 CA$20.48

7.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 CA$20.44

$13.99 CA$19.60

4.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 CA$4.50

$3.85 CA$5.39

-16.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 CA$5.03

$4.03 CA$5.64

-10.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.42

$3.20 CA$4.48

-23.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$117

$127 CA$178

-34.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 CA$5.18

$2.78 CA$3.90

33.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.49 CA$2.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 CA$38.36

$28.40 CA$39.80

-3.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.31 CA$1.83

1.53%

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

$25.1K CA$35.2K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-0.86%

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

$20.7K CA$29.1K

$20.9K CA$29.3K

-0.97%

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

$90.0 CA$126

$192 CA$269

-53.15%

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

$40.83 CA$57.2

$42.36 CA$59.4

-3.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$85.6

$66.1 CA$92.6

-7.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.73 CA$64.1

$44.22 CA$62.0

3.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.45 CA$21.65

$18.70 CA$26.21

-17.38%

Cinema Ticket

$12.01 CA$16.83

$12.50 CA$17.51

-3.92%

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

$1,162 CA$1,628

$909 CA$1,273

27.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.3K

$12.6K CA$17.6K

43.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 CA$89.1

$55.6 CA$77.9

14.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 CA$59.3

$52.8 CA$74.0

-19.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 CA$136

$103 CA$145

-6.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$162

$95.1 CA$133

21.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 CA$2,836

$1,630 CA$2,284

24.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,261

$1,367 CA$1,916

18.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,464 CA$4,854

$3,074 CA$4,307

12.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,743 CA$3,843

$2,424 CA$3,397

13.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,872 CA$12.4K

$9,719 CA$13.6K

-8.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,046 CA$9,874

$8,636 CA$12.1K

-18.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,312 CA$4,641

$3,016 CA$4,226

9.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.54

-14.22%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 25, 2026

Last update for Surrey: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,024 in Vancouver and $1,630 in Surrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 10% 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: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $80.0 in Surrey. Groceries flip the comparison at $417 vs $407, with Surrey 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

Vancouver vs Surrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and Surrey differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,818 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 10% higher in Vancouver, 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: $2,024 in Vancouver 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 $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,818 per month in Vancouver versus $2,706 in Surrey – 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. 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 4% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.