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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,620 in Toronto versus $2,092 in Williams Lake, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,866 in Toronto versus $3,017 in Williams Lake, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,111 in Toronto versus $3,941 in Williams Lake, BC.

Living in Toronto is roughly 25% more expensive than in Williams Lake, BC, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 90% above, Williams Lake, BC 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.75

$18.39 CA$25.51

-2.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$120

$65.9 CA$91.5

31.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.17

$11.07 CA$15.35

-1.17%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.57

$3.68 CA$5.10

8.97%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.00 CA$2.77

9.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.68 CA$2.33

0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 CA$8.94

$5.81 CA$8.06

11.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CA$9.77

$6.01 CA$8.33

17.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$2.43 CA$3.37

11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$2.64 CA$3.66

10.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$3.65 CA$5.06

-32.05%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.34

$3.46 CA$4.80

11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.01

$10.00 CA$13.87

1.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.66

$11.61 CA$16.11

3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 CA$21.65

$14.74 CA$20.45

5.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$3.88 CA$5.38

0.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.35 CA$1.88

-8.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$3.65 CA$5.07

3.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.08

$3.95 CA$5.48

10.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$2.59 CA$3.60

-25.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$2.28 CA$3.16

-34.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$2.54 CA$3.53

-10.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.71 CA$2.37

-14.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.14

$15.01 CA$20.81

-3.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 CA$20.00

$14.08 CA$19.53

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$2.63 CA$3.65

-14.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$3.17 CA$4.40

-18.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$2.32 CA$3.22

1.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$159

$59.9 CA$83.1

90.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$3.17 CA$4.40

-0.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.53 CA$2.12

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 CA$31.30

$21.90 CA$30.38

3.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.21 CA$1.68

2.48%

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

$27.3K CA$37.9K

$29.0K CA$40.3K

-5.85%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$21.3K CA$29.6K

-2.70%

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

$124 CA$172

$139 CA$193

-10.87%

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

$32.72 CA$45.38

$32.13 CA$44.56

1.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.79 CA$67.7

$84.8 CA$118

-42.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 CA$55.9

$40.98 CA$56.8

-1.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.84 CA$33.06

$16.51 CA$22.90

44.40%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 CA$17.77

$11.22 CA$15.56

14.26%

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

$787 CA$1,092

$765 CA$1,061

2.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K CA$34.0K

$11.2K CA$15.5K

119.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$75.2

$53.5 CA$74.1

1.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.10 CA$59.8

$41.65 CA$57.8

3.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 CA$136

$98.0 CA$136

-0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$101 CA$140

24.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 CA$2,303

$935 CA$1,296

77.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 CA$2,057

$889 CA$1,233

66.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CA$3,883

$1,384 CA$1,919

102.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 CA$2,991

$1,276 CA$1,769

69.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,381 CA$11.6K

$4,864 CA$6,746

72.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,842 CA$9,489

$3,558 CA$4,934

92.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,269

$3,258 CA$4,519

16.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.68

-4.49%

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

Last update for Toronto: September 6, 2026

Last update for Williams Lake, BC: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,660 in Toronto and $935 in Williams Lake, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 17% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $87.0 in Toronto vs $66.0 in Williams Lake, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $364 vs $364, with Toronto 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

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

Williams Lake, BC is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Toronto, 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: $1,660 in Toronto versus $935 in Williams Lake, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Toronto pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Williams Lake, BC – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $87.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,092 in Williams Lake, BC versus $2,620 in Toronto, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Williams Lake, BC but tight or insufficient in Toronto. 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 25% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.