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: $2,873 in Vancouver versus $2,727 in Surrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,180 in Vancouver versus $4,080 in Surrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,486 in Vancouver versus $5,433 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 115% above, Surrey 104% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.57 CA$25.44

$18.15 CA$24.86

2.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$108

$81.9 CA$112

-3.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 CA$15.41

$11.18 CA$15.32

0.63%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.33

$4.18 CA$5.73

-6.94%

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

$2.16 CA$2.96

$2.14 CA$2.93

0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$1.82 CA$2.49

-2.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.01

$5.81 CA$7.96

0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 CA$10.20

$7.04 CA$9.65

5.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.12

$2.56 CA$3.50

-10.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.40

$2.60 CA$3.57

23.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.14

$5.61 CA$7.69

-33.16%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.21

$3.65 CA$5.00

24.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 CA$17.54

$10.49 CA$14.38

22.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.09 CA$19.30

$11.62 CA$15.92

21.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 CA$21.74

$24.75 CA$33.90

-35.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.73

$3.35 CA$4.59

24.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.10

$1.28 CA$1.76

19.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.34

$2.97 CA$4.08

31.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CA$6.84

$3.34 CA$4.58

49.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.13

$2.48 CA$3.40

21.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.11

$2.02 CA$2.77

48.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.71

$2.51 CA$3.44

7.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.47

$1.95 CA$2.67

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 CA$20.97

$15.01 CA$20.56

1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 CA$21.07

$14.60 CA$20.00

5.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.24

$3.93 CA$5.38

-21.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$3.84 CA$5.26

-2.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.26

$3.08 CA$4.22

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CA$117

$128 CA$175

-33.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$2.75 CA$3.76

36.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.47 CA$2.01

-2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.52 CA$37.70

$29.10 CA$39.87

-5.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$1.32 CA$1.81

-1.52%

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

$25.7K CA$35.2K

$24.6K CA$33.6K

4.65%

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

$20.4K CA$28.0K

$20.8K CA$28.6K

-2.05%

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

$90.1 CA$123

$188 CA$257

-52.00%

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

$40.47 CA$55.4

$41.29 CA$56.6

-1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$82.7

$66.0 CA$90.4

-8.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.45 CA$60.9

$45.18 CA$61.9

-1.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.43 CA$21.13

$18.75 CA$25.69

-17.71%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$16.96

$12.40 CA$16.99

-0.16%

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

$1,153 CA$1,580

$884 CA$1,211

30.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$25.4K

$12.7K CA$17.3K

46.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 CA$87.0

$56.8 CA$77.9

11.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.83 CA$57.3

$54.8 CA$75.1

-23.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 CA$134

$103 CA$141

-5.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$159

$94.5 CA$130

22.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 CA$2,702

$1,627 CA$2,229

21.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 CA$2,218

$1,389 CA$1,903

16.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,531 CA$4,838

$3,114 CA$4,266

13.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 CA$3,765

$2,458 CA$3,368

11.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,040 CA$12.4K

$10.5K CA$14.4K

-13.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,298 CA$9,998

$8,524 CA$11.7K

-14.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,619 CA$4,959

$3,110 CA$4,261

16.38%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Surrey: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,972 in Vancouver and $1,627 in Surrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 16% 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: $79.0 in Vancouver vs $82.0 in Surrey. Groceries flip the comparison at $416 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 5% in total monthly costs ($2,873 vs $2,727 including rent). Surrey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Vancouver pays 16% 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: $1,972 in Vancouver versus $1,627 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 $82.0 versus $79.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,873 per month in Vancouver versus $2,727 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.