SkyLiving in Surrey starts at $750,000 and posts an 85 Transit Score, seven minutes on foot from King George Station. That combination, price and access, is what makes the rent-versus-buy math here worth running properly instead of guessing.
What buying at SkyLiving actually costs monthly
A 5% down payment on $750,000 is $37,500, leaving a $712,500 mortgage. At 4.5% over 25 years, that's roughly $3,295 a month in principal and interest. Add Surrey's typical property tax for a unit this size (about $165/month), strata fees (about $300/month), home insurance (about $50/month), and utilities (about $135/month). Total carrying cost: roughly $3,945 a month, before maintenance reserves or closing costs.
What the same footprint rents for
A comparable 750 sq ft unit in Surrey currently rents for $2,000 to $2,200 a month; call it $2,100, plus renters insurance around $25, for an all-in cost near $2,125.
The real gap
Buying runs about $1,820 more a month than renting, roughly $21,800 a year. That's a significant number, and it's the one to sit with honestly before comparing anything else.
What that premium buys
In the early years, roughly $1,500 of each $3,295 mortgage payment goes toward principal. Rent produces zero equity by comparison. Over five years, that's close to $90,000 in principal paid down, while a renter's $2,100 payment has likely climbed toward $2,400 or higher as Surrey rents have generally trended upward. Surrey real estate has averaged roughly 3% to 4% annual appreciation over the long term; even modest appreciation compounds on a $750,000 asset in a way rent never does.
The part that's genuinely a risk, not a spin
SkyLiving is still in registration, not finished construction, so possession is two to three years out and that equity-building timeline doesn't start until completion. Delays happen. Budgets on presale projects sometimes shift. Renting carries none of that risk and keeps your cash fully liquid in exchange for building no ownership stake at all.
The honest answer
Buying costs about $1,820 more a month than renting the same footprint. Over five-plus years, equity and appreciation typically outrun that gap, assuming the project completes on a normal timeline and Surrey's market performs the way it has historically. If you're staying under three years, renting is very likely the better math. If you're staying five-plus, SkyLiving or a comparable Surrey presale is worth running through a mortgage broker with your real numbers.