Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Williams Lake, BC

For one person, living is cheaper in Williams Lake, BC: $2,058 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $20,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
98

Cost of Living Index in Williams Lake, BC
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Williams Lake, BC Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Williams Lake, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,058

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Williams Lake, BC

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seattle, WA and in Williams Lake, BC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA versus $2,058 in Williams Lake, BC.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Williams Lake, BC $2,058

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,651 in Seattle, WA versus $2,950 in Williams Lake, BC.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Williams Lake, BC $2,950

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,541 in Seattle, WA versus $3,843 in Williams Lake, BC.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Williams Lake, BC $3,843

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 83% more expensive than in Williams Lake, BC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Williams Lake, BC 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$17.83 CA$25.08

33.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$65.2 CA$91.6

51.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$10.87 CA$15.29

37.44%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$3.74 CA$5.26

81.55%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.08 CA$2.92

55.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.65 CA$2.32

90.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.01 CA$8.45

36.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.40 CA$7.59

45.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$2.31 CA$3.24

-49.35%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.62 CA$3.68

101.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$3.62 CA$5.09

59.12%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$3.43 CA$4.83

42.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$10.12 CA$14.24

100.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$11.52 CA$16.21

55.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$15.04 CA$21.16

55.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$3.78 CA$5.32

57.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.35 CA$1.90

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$3.53 CA$4.96

51.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.86 CA$5.42

70.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.43 CA$3.41

39.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.17 CA$3.05

32.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.47 CA$3.47

17.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.49 CA$2.10

63.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$13.75 CA$19.34

-11.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$12.48 CA$17.55

22.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.62 CA$3.69

67.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.52 CA$4.95

67.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.28 CA$3.21

29.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$61.9 CA$87.1

76.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.20 CA$4.50

-21.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.57 CA$2.21

9.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$23.75 CA$33.40

25.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.22 CA$1.72

23.77%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$24.0K CA$33.8K

50.62%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$24.1K CA$33.9K

6.49%

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

$289 $289

$140 CA$197

106.24%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$32.69 CA$45.97

111.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$85.9 CA$121

-1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$38.09 CA$53.6

82.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

$18.37 CA$25.83

90.80%

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$11.05 CA$15.54

62.62%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$625 CA$880

350.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$11.5K CA$16.2K

280.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$56.3 CA$79.2

61.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$42.38 CA$59.6

29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$96.3 CA$135

31.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$99.7 CA$140

62.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$917 CA$1,290

181.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$893 CA$1,255

117.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$1,351 CA$1,900

277.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$1,253 CA$1,762

182.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$4,559 CA$6,412

61.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$3,916 CA$5,507

25.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$3,227 CA$4,538

99.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

4.68

45.30%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Williams Lake, BC: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Williams Lake, BC

$893 43.4% 54% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Williams Lake, BC

$355 17.3% 34.6% $188

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Williams Lake, BC

$259 12.6% 41.6% $184

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Williams Lake, BC

$276 13.4% 30.9% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Williams Lake, BC

$133 6.5% 32.3% $63

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Williams Lake, BC

$82 4% 37.9% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Williams Lake, BC

$60 2.9% 42.9% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $917 in Williams Lake, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 100% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $99 in Seattle, WA vs $65 in Williams Lake, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $544 vs $355 per month, with Williams Lake, BC cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇨🇦 Williams Lake, BC

🕒 Local time

15:13 3:13 PM

16:13 4:13 PM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

10,753

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

1 CAD = 0.711 USD

1 CAD = 0.636 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.711 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.636 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Seattle, WA Williams Lake, BC 500 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Williams Lake, BC is about 45% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 100% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $917 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 $65 versus $99 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,058 in Williams Lake, BC – Williams Lake, BC is about 45% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Williams Lake, BC is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 45% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.