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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Surrey vs Hamilton in 2026: cost index 124 vs 110, rent $2,420 vs $1,880, income $74,000 vs $76,000, QoL 54 vs 56.
Surrey vs Hamilton in 2026: cost index 124 vs 110, rent $2,420 vs $1,880, income $74,000 vs $76,000, QoL 54 vs 56.
Surrey ranks #1 with a cost index of 124 and rent of $2,420/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 117 (+11 vs national average of 106).
Average quality of life: 55/100. Top: Surrey at 54/100.
Safest city: Surrey (58/100 safety score).
Here's the surprising part: Surrey stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 124 and median income of $74,000, it offers competitive value despite costs slightly above the national median. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Hamilton leads with a composite score of 56/100 — reflecting its safety (58), healthcare (74), and walkability (62) metrics. Here's where it gets complicated: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
The country average QoL score is 61/100. Surrey leads with 54/100, reflecting its safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA.
Surrey (ranked #1) has a cost index of 124 and rent of $2,420/mo. Hamilton (#2) has index 110 and rent $1,880/mo — a 14-point gap.