Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria and Surrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria and Surrey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,664 in Victoria versus $2,760 in Surrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,990 in Victoria versus $4,115 in Surrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,315 in Victoria versus $5,470 in Surrey.

Living in Victoria costs roughly 3% less than in Surrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Victoria 99% above, Surrey 107% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.71

$18.10 CA$25.49

0.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 CA$114

$81.2 CA$114

-0.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 CA$15.52

$10.94 CA$15.41

0.73%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.52

$4.29 CA$6.05

-8.62%

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

$2.40 CA$3.37

$2.04 CA$2.87

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 CA$2.73

$1.80 CA$2.54

7.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.41

$5.79 CA$8.15

-9.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$9.07

$6.89 CA$9.70

-6.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.62 CA$3.69

19.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 CA$4.43

$2.74 CA$3.86

14.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.27 CA$7.42

$5.43 CA$7.65

-2.95%

Eggs

$4.50 CA$6.35

$3.64 CA$5.13

23.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.48 CA$18.99

$10.19 CA$14.36

32.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.09 CA$21.25

$12.00 CA$16.90

25.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$22.18

$24.83 CA$34.97

-36.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.14

$3.50 CA$4.93

24.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$1.29 CA$1.81

23.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.48 CA$6.31

$2.99 CA$4.21

49.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 CA$6.74

$3.52 CA$4.96

35.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.34

$2.35 CA$3.31

61.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 CA$4.47

$2.00 CA$2.82

58.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 CA$3.90

$2.45 CA$3.45

13.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 CA$3.78

$2.01 CA$2.84

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.25 CA$21.48

$14.88 CA$20.95

2.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.85 CA$25.14

$14.07 CA$19.81

26.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.78 CA$5.32

$3.83 CA$5.40

-1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 CA$6.22

$3.84 CA$5.41

15.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$3.12 CA$4.39

-42.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 CA$89.6

$125 CA$177

-49.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 CA$3.78

$2.84 CA$4.00

-5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 CA$1.88

$1.55 CA$2.19

-14.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$47.10

$28.59 CA$40.27

16.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CA$1.90

$1.37 CA$1.94

-1.46%

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

$25.0K CA$35.3K

$25.3K CA$35.6K

-0.88%

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

$20.8K CA$29.3K

$21.0K CA$29.6K

-1.21%

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

$138 CA$195

$187 CA$263

-25.96%

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

$54.8 CA$77.2

$41.34 CA$58.2

32.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 CA$102

$66.6 CA$93.8

9.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.60 CA$62.8

$44.82 CA$63.1

-0.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.97 CA$23.90

$18.50 CA$26.05

-8.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.79 CA$16.61

$12.36 CA$17.41

-4.61%

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

$625 CA$880

$888 CA$1,251

-29.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K CA$19.6K

$12.5K CA$17.6K

11.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 CA$81.2

$54.9 CA$77.3

5.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.02 CA$62.0

$53.9 CA$75.9

-18.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 CA$134

$105 CA$148

-9.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$95.3 CA$134

15.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,562 CA$2,200

$1,623 CA$2,286

-3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,945

$1,396 CA$1,966

-1.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,717 CA$3,828

$3,011 CA$4,241

-9.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,388 CA$3,364

$2,445 CA$3,444

-2.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,570 CA$7,845

$9,586 CA$13.5K

-41.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,536 CA$6,389

$8,475 CA$11.9K

-46.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,108 CA$4,378

$3,122 CA$4,398

-0.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.54

-2.45%

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

Last update for Victoria: July 22, 2026

Last update for Surrey: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,562 in Victoria and $1,623 in Surrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surrey pays 0% 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: $81.0 in Victoria vs $81.0 in Surrey. Groceries flip the comparison at $462 vs $410, 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

Victoria vs Surrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Victoria and Surrey differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,664 vs $2,760 including rent). Victoria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Surrey. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,562 in Victoria versus $1,623 in Surrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Victoria – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $81.0 in Surrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,664 per month in Victoria versus $2,760 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. Victoria 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 Victoria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Surrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.