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: $2,616 in Victoria versus $2,380 in Surrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,960 in Victoria versus $3,617 in Surrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,303 in Victoria versus $4,853 in Surrey.

Living in Victoria is roughly 10% more expensive than in Surrey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Victoria 90% above, Surrey 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.01 CA$24.98

$18.12 CA$25.13

-0.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 CA$99.4

$57.2 CA$79.3

25.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.09

$10.60 CA$14.70

2.64%

Cappuccino

$4.55 CA$6.31

$3.67 CA$5.08

23.98%

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

$2.41 CA$3.34

$2.10 CA$2.91

14.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.56

$1.67 CA$2.31

10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 CA$7.87

$5.91 CA$8.20

-4.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.62 CA$9.18

$6.10 CA$8.47

8.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$2.48 CA$3.44

18.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.46

$2.07 CA$2.86

55.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.85

$3.72 CA$5.16

13.44%

Eggs

$4.39 CA$6.09

$3.21 CA$4.46

36.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.94 CA$38.75

$10.05 CA$13.94

178.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.18 CA$16.89

$10.50 CA$14.57

16.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.03 CA$20.84

$20.41 CA$28.31

-26.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.74

$3.30 CA$4.57

25.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.36 CA$1.88

8.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.74

$3.08 CA$4.27

34.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.83

$3.07 CA$4.26

37.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.94

$2.66 CA$3.69

33.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.19

$2.17 CA$3.01

39.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.18 CA$4.41

$2.03 CA$2.81

56.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 CA$3.53

$1.86 CA$2.58

36.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.46 CA$21.45

$14.22 CA$19.72

8.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.35 CA$25.45

$14.35 CA$19.90

27.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.11 CA$5.70

$2.60 CA$3.60

58.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 CA$5.00

$3.31 CA$4.59

8.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.65 CA$3.68

-17.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.2 CA$86.2

$112 CA$155

-44.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 CA$3.84

$2.73 CA$3.78

1.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 CA$2.19

$1.61 CA$2.24

-1.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.86 CA$48.35

$28.60 CA$39.66

21.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.34 CA$1.86

5.97%

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

$28.1K CA$39.0K

$28.2K CA$39.1K

-0.31%

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

$18.7K CA$26.0K

$19.4K CA$26.8K

-3.15%

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

$118 CA$163

$190 CA$264

-38.24%

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

$46.09 CA$63.9

$37.56 CA$52.1

22.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CA$87.8

$66.9 CA$92.8

-5.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.42 CA$60.2

$35.12 CA$48.71

23.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.74 CA$25.98

$25.61 CA$35.51

-26.83%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 CA$15.00

$12.85 CA$17.82

-15.80%

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

$906 CA$1,257

$863 CA$1,197

5.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K CA$32.5K

$12.3K CA$17.0K

91.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 CA$73.4

$57.4 CA$79.6

-7.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.58 CA$63.2

$63.1 CA$87.5

-27.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 CA$127

$102 CA$141

-9.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$91.3 CA$127

16.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 CA$2,229

$1,341 CA$1,859

19.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 CA$1,857

$1,061 CA$1,471

26.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,840 CA$3,939

$2,773 CA$3,846

2.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,331 CA$3,233

$2,211 CA$3,066

5.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,473 CA$7,591

$9,645 CA$13.4K

-43.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,549 CA$6,309

$8,562 CA$11.9K

-46.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,306 CA$4,585

$3,107 CA$4,310

6.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.87

-11.29%

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

Last update for Victoria: September 8, 2026

Last update for Surrey: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,607 in Victoria and $1,341 in Surrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria pays 6% 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: $72.0 in Victoria vs $57.0 in Surrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $477 vs $360 per month, with Surrey cheaper across the board.

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 10% in total monthly costs ($2,616 vs $2,380 including rent). Surrey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Victoria, 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: $1,607 in Victoria versus $1,341 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 $57.0 versus $72.0 in Victoria. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,616 per month in Victoria versus $2,380 in Surrey – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,380 in Surrey versus $2,616 in Victoria, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Surrey but tight or insufficient in Victoria. The gap between the two cities makes Surrey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 10% less than in Victoria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.