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: $2,721 in Victoria versus $2,759 in Surrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,060 in Victoria versus $4,117 in Surrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,398 in Victoria versus $5,476 in Surrey.

Living in Victoria costs roughly 1% less than in Surrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Victoria 103% above, Surrey 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.22 CA$24.96

$18.54 CA$25.40

-1.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$112

$82.1 CA$112

-0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$14.97

$10.98 CA$15.05

-0.55%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.33

$4.24 CA$5.80

-8.25%

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

$2.33 CA$3.19

$2.05 CA$2.81

13.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 CA$2.78

$1.82 CA$2.49

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.26

$5.96 CA$8.16

-11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 CA$9.32

$6.90 CA$9.45

-1.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 CA$4.19

$2.65 CA$3.63

15.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CA$4.45

$2.70 CA$3.69

20.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.16 CA$7.07

$5.58 CA$7.64

-7.53%

Eggs

$4.46 CA$6.11

$3.60 CA$4.93

23.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 CA$18.50

$10.36 CA$14.19

30.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.06 CA$20.63

$11.66 CA$15.97

29.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.79 CA$21.63

$24.34 CA$33.35

-35.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.01

$3.37 CA$4.61

29.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.20

$1.33 CA$1.83

20.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.49 CA$6.15

$2.98 CA$4.08

50.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 CA$6.75

$3.36 CA$4.61

46.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$2.34 CA$3.20

64.10%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 CA$4.29

$2.01 CA$2.75

55.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.51 CA$3.44

6.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$1.92 CA$2.64

42.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.58 CA$21.35

$14.77 CA$20.23

5.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.98 CA$24.63

$14.67 CA$20.10

22.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 CA$5.19

$3.80 CA$5.21

-0.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 CA$6.24

$4.00 CA$5.47

14.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 CA$2.46

$3.16 CA$4.33

-43.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.4 CA$84.0

$127 CA$174

-51.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.70

$2.83 CA$3.87

-4.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.83

$1.54 CA$2.11

-12.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.02 CA$45.24

$29.06 CA$39.81

13.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.83

$1.36 CA$1.86

-1.47%

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

$25.4K CA$34.8K

$25.3K CA$34.7K

0.36%

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

$20.9K CA$28.6K

$21.0K CA$28.8K

-0.59%

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

$134 CA$184

$189 CA$259

-28.91%

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

$54.1 CA$74.2

$42.09 CA$57.7

28.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 CA$99.1

$66.3 CA$90.9

9.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.55 CA$61.0

$43.84 CA$60.1

1.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 CA$23.32

$18.37 CA$25.17

-7.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.99 CA$16.43

$12.55 CA$17.20

-4.46%

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

$640 CA$877

$910 CA$1,247

-29.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K CA$19.4K

$12.4K CA$17.0K

14.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$80.5

$54.9 CA$75.2

7.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.31 CA$59.3

$54.3 CA$74.4

-20.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 CA$132

$103 CA$142

-6.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$149

$96.8 CA$133

12.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,555 CA$2,131

$1,658 CA$2,271

-6.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,891

$1,404 CA$1,923

-1.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,785 CA$3,815

$3,055 CA$4,185

-8.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,466 CA$3,378

$2,407 CA$3,297

2.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,840 CA$8,001

$10.3K CA$14.2K

-43.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,787 CA$6,558

$8,277 CA$11.3K

-42.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,036 CA$4,159

$3,141 CA$4,303

-3.34%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Surrey: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,555 in Victoria and $1,658 in Surrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Surrey pays 3% 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: $82 in Victoria vs $82 in Surrey. Groceries flip the comparison at $464 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

Victoria vs Surrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Victoria and Surrey differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,721 vs $2,759 including rent). Victoria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Surrey earns 3% less. 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: $1,555 in Victoria versus $1,658 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 $82.0 versus $82.0 in Surrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,721 per month in Victoria versus $2,759 in Surrey – a 1% 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 1% less than in Surrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.