Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Williams Lake, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Williams Lake, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,475 in Calgary versus $2,072 in Williams Lake, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,595 in Calgary versus $3,029 in Williams Lake, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,715 in Calgary versus $3,986 in Williams Lake, BC.

Living in Calgary is roughly 19% more expensive than Williams Lake, BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 85% above, Williams Lake, BC 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.00

$16.81 CA$23.02

8.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$70.7 CA$96.9

-1.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.12 CA$15.24

$11.22 CA$15.37

-0.89%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.23

$3.71 CA$5.08

2.96%

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

$1.96 CA$2.69

$2.05 CA$2.81

-4.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.27

$1.71 CA$2.35

-3.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 CA$6.95

$5.48 CA$7.51

-7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 CA$8.98

$5.97 CA$8.18

9.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CA$2.96

$2.46 CA$3.37

-12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.72

$2.74 CA$3.75

-1.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.53

$3.52 CA$4.82

-6.25%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.66

$5.59 CA$7.66

-39.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.42 CA$19.76

$11.03 CA$15.11

30.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.70 CA$17.40

$11.63 CA$15.93

9.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.11 CA$22.07

$14.90 CA$20.41

8.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.06

$3.97 CA$5.44

11.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$1.42 CA$1.95

-8.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.30

$3.69 CA$5.05

4.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.07

$3.66 CA$5.01

21.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.51

$2.48 CA$3.40

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.54

$2.47 CA$3.39

4.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.71

$2.51 CA$3.44

7.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.58

$1.70 CA$2.33

10.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$19.81

$13.75 CA$18.83

5.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.47 CA$19.83

$11.25 CA$15.41

28.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.83

$2.91 CA$3.99

-3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$3.05 CA$4.19

30.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 CA$3.73

$2.43 CA$3.33

11.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.4 CA$117

$63.6 CA$87.1

34.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 CA$4.67

$3.21 CA$4.40

6.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.86

$1.43 CA$1.95

-4.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 CA$39.97

$25.34 CA$34.72

15.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.49

$1.21 CA$1.65

-9.92%

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

$24.6K CA$33.7K

$24.5K CA$33.6K

0.30%

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

$21.8K CA$29.8K

$20.3K CA$27.9K

6.95%

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

$211 CA$289

$140 CA$192

50.73%

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

$41.13 CA$56.4

$33.18 CA$45.45

23.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 CA$79.9

$86.1 CA$118

-32.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 CA$73.7

$41.92 CA$57.4

28.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.9 CA$72.4

Cinema Ticket

$12.68 CA$17.37

$11.38 CA$15.59

11.42%

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

$875 CA$1,199

$733 CA$1,004

19.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$21.9K

$12.0K CA$16.4K

33.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.5

$53.9 CA$73.9

7.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.11 CA$64.5

$39.73 CA$54.4

18.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 CA$120

$87.2 CA$119

0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$146

$105 CA$144

1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 CA$1,940

$963 CA$1,319

47.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 CA$1,604

$915 CA$1,253

28.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 CA$3,135

$1,373 CA$1,881

66.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 CA$2,523

$1,310 CA$1,795

40.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,718 CA$5,093

$4,983 CA$6,827

-25.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,594 CA$4,924

$3,867 CA$5,298

-7.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,131 CA$4,289

$3,261 CA$4,468

-3.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.46

-11.61%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 21, 2026

Last update for Williams Lake, BC: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,416 in Calgary and $963 in Williams Lake, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Williams Lake, BC pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70 in Calgary vs $71 in Williams Lake, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $372, with Williams Lake, BC cheaper for home cooking.

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

Calgary vs Williams Lake, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Williams Lake, BC is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Williams Lake, BC earns 4% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,416 in Calgary versus $963 in Williams Lake, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Williams Lake, BC – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,475 per month in Calgary versus $2,072 in Williams Lake, BC – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,072 in Williams Lake, BC versus $2,475 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Williams Lake, BC but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Williams Lake, BC 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 Williams Lake, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.