My top reasons why you should leave Vancouver and move to Surrey

@raecrawfordphoto/Instagram | @cityofsurrey/Intagram

If you’ve just about had it with the cost of living in Vancouver but don’t exactly see yourself taking any drastic measures like moving to Alberta, Surrey might be an easier answer.

Living outside of Vancouver’s downtown core will nearly always present a cheaper cost of living.

However, as someone who was raised in Surrey, I’ve seen the city has made major strides in terms of development, culture and safety.

This is why I argue it should be near or at the top of your list if you’re considering moving out of downtown and into another Metro Vancouver city.

Here’s a breakdown of why:

Cost of living

Surrey City Centre skyline (Shutterstock)

I’ll cut to the most important factor when debating whether to move to Surrey – the financial benefit.

The good news is Surrey checks off this very important box.

Using crowdsourced data from Numbeo, the average monthly cost for a single person in the city is $1,339.3 before you factor in rent. That is 9.8% lower than in Vancouver.

Additionally, rent in Surrey is a whopping 30.6% lower than in Vancouver. To rent a one-bedroom in the City Centre area will cost about $1,788.89, while a one-bedroom outside the central area will cost about $350 less.

According to Numbeo, restaurants and groceries are both lower priced in Surrey, too.

Check out the full breakdown of the cost of living comparison between Surrey and Vancouver here.

Convenience

SkyTrain going through Holland Park. (Shutterstock)

Especially if you end up living near one of the four SkyTrain stations (Scott Road, Gateway, Surrey Central or King George) it can be so easy to jump on a train and head into Vancouver.

If you have a work-from-home setup or hybrid work schedule, you can easily pop into the Vancouver office if you live in these areas.

Taking the train from King George to Main Street-Science World takes a little over 30 minutes (just about the same time it would take to drive).

While it’s convenient to live near a SkyTrain station, it’s not a bad idea to still have access to a vehicle.

Surrey is huge and while many areas do have buses running through, exploring this huge city is much easier with a vehicle, so it’s important to factor that cost in.

Surrey really isn’t much of a walkable city unless you live in the hubs (Central City, Newton, Guildford).

The great outdoors

Photo of Crescent Beach (City of Surrey)

Once you have access to a vehicle (or the patience to catch a bus), Surrey is your oyster.

The city is more than twice the size of Vancouver and is home to 250 parks.

There are stunning nature trails throughout the city that are perfect to cycle through and go for a morning run or evening stroll.

Some obvious places to visit are Green Timbers Urban Forest, Crescent Beach and Bear Creek Park.

So while Vancouver admittedly has a plethora of beautiful ways to sit by the water and walk through fresh forests, I argue Surrey has the same.

You’ll definitely find your go-to green space to refresh.

Food

Kat Timmins

Ugh. The food. No one can argue with me on this — Surrey is home to mouthwatering hidden gems serving up authentic and drool-worthy cuisine.

Foodies will never get bored.

Here are some personal recommendations, in no particular order:

Art, culture and events

Surrey Fusion Festival/Submitted

Obvious mentions are the Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey Civic Theatres and Museum of Surrey; however, art and culture go way beyond these.

You can find local music festivals, tons of food events and rodeos!

Safety

Surrey RCMP/Facebook

Surrey honestly has an unfair reputation that the city isn’t safe.

If you don’t believe me, let me point you to some of the latest statistics from the Surrey RCMP.

According to the police department, violent crimes decreased nearly 15% in its first quarter compared to the same time last year.

This may be comforting for those who are feeling more and more unsafe in Vancouver amid concerns about crime in the downtown area.

The city’s future

9770 King George Boulevard Surrey UBC campus

Artistic rendering of the potential redevelopment concept for the University of British Columbia campus at 9770 King George Boulevard, Surrey. (UBC)

As someone who was raised in Surrey, I’ve seen the city evolve and develop rapidly over the past decade.

There are some exciting new developments which are underway in Surrey like the plan to build 1,600 new homes in towers next to SkyTrain Gateway Station, the potential satellite University of British Columbia (UBC) campus in Surrey City Centre, and the Cloverdale hospital project.

And the population’s expected growth is what makes it ideal for prospective homeowners.

Like every city, there are some pros and cons

If you can swing it, living in downtown Vancouver is a dream.

However, the challenges it’s posed over recent years make moving into other areas of Metro Vancouver much more appealing.

If you move to Surrey from Vancouver, I’m sure there will be things to miss; however, after some time getting used to it, you’ll possibly realize those things are just a short train ride or drive away.

What do you think about life in Surrey? Tell us in the comments below.

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