A surface coated cutting tool with a high level of both wear resistance and defect resistance in balance is provided. The surface coated cutting tool of the present invention includes a base material, and a coat film formed on the base material. The coat film includes at least one titanium carbonitride layer. The titanium carbonitride layer has a maximum value for an orientational index TC (220) among texture coefficients TC (hkl). When an indentation hardness of a standard block for hardness is Hs and an indentation hardness of the titanium carbonitride layer is Ht, the average value of the relative hardness Ht/Hs for a plurality of times of measurement is greater than or equal to 3. The difference between the maximum value Htmax/Hs and minimum value Htmin/Hs of the relative hardness of the titanium carbonitride layer to the relative hardness Ht/Hs is less than or equal to 0.5.