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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,080 per month in Montreal vs $2,072 in Williams Lake, BC, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,136 per month in Montreal vs $3,029 in Williams Lake, BC, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,193 per month in Montreal vs $3,986 in Williams Lake, BC, rent included.

Montreal and Williams Lake, BC have comparable living costs — the differences are in the details.

Both Montreal and Williams Lake, BC sit above the global median – Montreal by 55%, Williams Lake, BC by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.16 CA$22.14

$16.81 CA$23.02

-3.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 CA$102

$70.7 CA$96.9

5.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$14.98

$11.22 CA$15.37

-2.50%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.05

$3.71 CA$5.08

-0.81%

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

$2.07 CA$2.84

$2.05 CA$2.81

0.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.05

$1.71 CA$2.35

-12.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CA$8.20

$5.48 CA$7.51

9.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 CA$9.27

$5.97 CA$8.18

13.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.18

$2.46 CA$3.37

-5.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.40

$2.74 CA$3.75

17.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$3.52 CA$4.82

6.25%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.48

$5.59 CA$7.66

-41.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.08 CA$22.02

$11.03 CA$15.11

45.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$15.84

$11.63 CA$15.93

-0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.45

$14.90 CA$20.41

5.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.97 CA$5.44

-7.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.33

$1.42 CA$1.95

19.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.56

$3.69 CA$5.05

10.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.82

$3.66 CA$5.01

16.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.48 CA$3.40

10.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.65

$2.47 CA$3.39

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 CA$2.96

$2.51 CA$3.44

-13.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.35

$1.70 CA$2.33

1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.21 CA$18.10

$13.75 CA$18.83

-3.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.08 CA$15.19

$11.25 CA$15.41

-1.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.91 CA$3.99

2.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 CA$4.91

$3.05 CA$4.19

17.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 CA$3.89

$2.43 CA$3.33

16.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 CA$103

$63.6 CA$87.1

17.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 CA$4.96

$3.21 CA$4.40

12.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$1.98

$1.43 CA$1.95

0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.03 CA$46.62

$25.34 CA$34.72

34.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.61

$1.21 CA$1.65

-2.48%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$24.5K CA$33.6K

2.42%

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

$21.5K CA$29.4K

$20.3K CA$27.9K

5.42%

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

$75.5 CA$103

$140 CA$192

-45.98%

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

$35.70 CA$48.91

$33.18 CA$45.45

7.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.01 CA$58.9

$86.1 CA$118

-50.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.58 CA$58.3

$41.92 CA$57.4

1.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.17 CA$23.53

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 CA$15.16

$11.38 CA$15.59

-2.72%

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

$616 CA$844

$733 CA$1,004

-15.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,799 CA$7,945

$12.0K CA$16.4K

-51.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 CA$85.3

$53.9 CA$73.9

15.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.77 CA$60.0

$39.73 CA$54.4

10.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$140

$87.2 CA$119

17.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$166

$105 CA$144

14.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 CA$1,657

$963 CA$1,319

25.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 CA$1,329

$915 CA$1,253

6.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 CA$2,856

$1,373 CA$1,881

51.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 CA$2,186

$1,310 CA$1,795

21.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,442 CA$7,456

$4,983 CA$6,827

9.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,046 CA$5,543

$3,867 CA$5,298

4.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,990 CA$4,096

$3,261 CA$4,468

-8.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.46

-22.45%

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

Last update for Montreal: April 20, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,209 in Montreal versus $963 in Williams Lake, BC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 9% higher in Williams Lake, BC. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Montreal versus $71 in Williams Lake, BC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $372 – making Williams Lake, BC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,120 per month in Montreal and $3,108 in Williams Lake, BC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Williams Lake, BC, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal and $71.0 in Williams Lake, BC. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Williams Lake, BC. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Williams Lake, BC, where all-in costs run around $2,072, than in Montreal at $2,080. In Williams Lake, BC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Williams Lake, BC costs $2,072 versus $2,080 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Williams Lake, BC. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.