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: $2,860 in Vancouver versus $2,737 in Surrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,199 in Vancouver versus $4,155 in Surrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,538 in Vancouver versus $5,573 in Surrey.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 5% more expensive than Surrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 113% above, Surrey 104% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.50 CA$25.84

$18.61 CA$25.99

-0.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 CA$111

$79.9 CA$112

-0.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.52

$10.92 CA$15.25

1.74%

Cappuccino

$4.11 CA$5.74

$4.14 CA$5.78

-0.72%

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

$2.21 CA$3.08

$2.04 CA$2.85

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.73 CA$2.42

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.06

$5.84 CA$8.16

-1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CA$10.40

$7.19 CA$10.04

3.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.07

$2.65 CA$3.71

-16.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.49

$2.64 CA$3.69

21.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.14

$5.56 CA$7.77

-33.81%

Eggs

$4.39 CA$6.13

$3.59 CA$5.02

22.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 CA$17.90

$10.42 CA$14.55

23.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.20 CA$19.82

$11.79 CA$16.47

20.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.04 CA$22.40

$24.99 CA$34.90

-35.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.12

$3.46 CA$4.83

26.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.34 CA$1.87

14.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.68

$3.08 CA$4.30

32.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 CA$7.23

$3.53 CA$4.92

46.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.25

$2.40 CA$3.35

27.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.02 CA$2.82

46.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 CA$3.81

$2.48 CA$3.47

10.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.61

$2.03 CA$2.83

-7.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.40 CA$21.51

$14.57 CA$20.35

5.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 CA$20.00

$14.30 CA$19.98

0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 CA$4.35

$3.82 CA$5.33

-18.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.12

$3.98 CA$5.55

-8.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$3.09 CA$4.32

-22.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.6 CA$115

$129 CA$181

-36.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 CA$5.10

$2.69 CA$3.76

35.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.47 CA$2.06

1.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 CA$37.63

$28.31 CA$39.53

-4.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.35 CA$1.89

-5.19%

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

$24.9K CA$34.8K

$24.7K CA$34.5K

0.91%

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

$21.0K CA$29.3K

$20.7K CA$29.0K

1.20%

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

$92.2 CA$129

$188 CA$263

-51.00%

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

$40.43 CA$56.5

$42.02 CA$58.7

-3.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 CA$86.6

$67.8 CA$94.7

-8.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.57 CA$62.2

$44.10 CA$61.6

1.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.75 CA$21.99

$18.11 CA$25.29

-13.03%

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 CA$17.02

$12.33 CA$17.22

-1.14%

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

$1,164 CA$1,625

$907 CA$1,267

28.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.3K

$12.6K CA$17.5K

44.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.9

$57.0 CA$79.5

10.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.23 CA$59.0

$53.6 CA$74.8

-21.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 CA$137

$105 CA$147

-6.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$94.8 CA$132

24.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,761

$1,631 CA$2,278

21.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CA$2,325

$1,363 CA$1,904

22.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,579 CA$4,997

$3,112 CA$4,346

14.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 CA$3,907

$2,444 CA$3,413

14.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,881 CA$12.4K

$9,608 CA$13.4K

-7.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,873 CA$9,598

$8,793 CA$12.3K

-21.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,432 CA$4,792

$3,153 CA$4,403

8.85%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Surrey: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,977 in Vancouver and $1,631 in Surrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 9% 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 Vancouver vs $80.0 in Surrey. Groceries flip the comparison at $417 vs $411, 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 5% in total monthly costs ($2,860 vs $2,737 including rent). Surrey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Vancouver pays 9% 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: $1,977 in Vancouver versus $1,631 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 $80.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,860 per month in Vancouver versus $2,737 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 Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.