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: $2,776 in Toronto versus $2,127 in Williams Lake, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,051 in Toronto versus $3,044 in Williams Lake, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,325 in Toronto versus $3,961 in Williams Lake, BC.

Living in Toronto is roughly 30% more expensive than in Williams Lake, BC, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 108% above, Williams Lake, BC 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.95 CA$26.69

$17.15 CA$24.16

10.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 CA$118

$69.4 CA$97.7

20.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.45

$10.90 CA$15.35

0.64%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.60

$3.68 CA$5.18

7.88%

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

$2.15 CA$3.02

$2.05 CA$2.89

4.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.31

$1.67 CA$2.35

-1.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 CA$8.53

$5.55 CA$7.82

9.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 CA$9.56

$6.06 CA$8.54

12.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$2.47 CA$3.48

9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.68 CA$3.77

2.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 CA$5.04

$3.57 CA$5.03

0.28%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.88

$5.62 CA$7.92

-38.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 CA$19.15

$11.10 CA$15.63

22.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.37 CA$18.83

$11.69 CA$16.47

14.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.87 CA$23.77

$14.77 CA$20.80

14.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 CA$5.90

$3.98 CA$5.61

5.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.42 CA$1.99

-19.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.55

$3.64 CA$5.12

-11.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.61

$3.70 CA$5.22

7.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.49

$2.38 CA$3.35

4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.97

$2.50 CA$3.52

12.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.32

$2.52 CA$3.54

-6.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CA$2.77

$1.78 CA$2.51

10.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.86

$14.04 CA$19.78

5.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.21 CA$20.01

$12.83 CA$18.08

10.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 CA$3.80

$2.82 CA$3.97

-4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CA$4.42

$3.06 CA$4.31

2.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 CA$3.58

$2.32 CA$3.27

9.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 CA$163

$62.1 CA$87.4

86.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$5.03

$3.15 CA$4.44

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.97

$1.44 CA$2.03

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.54 CA$35.97

$25.65 CA$36.14

-0.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.22 CA$1.72

-10.66%

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

$25.4K CA$35.8K

-0.21%

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

$21.3K CA$29.9K

$20.8K CA$29.3K

2.10%

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

$116 CA$164

$144 CA$203

-19.10%

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

$37.15 CA$52.3

$32.66 CA$46.00

13.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 CA$74.9

$87.3 CA$123

-39.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.7 CA$78.5

$41.22 CA$58.1

35.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.88 CA$29.41

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 CA$16.38

$11.53 CA$16.23

0.87%

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

$1,122 CA$1,580

$740 CA$1,043

51.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.4K

$11.8K CA$16.6K

53.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 CA$82.4

$53.9 CA$75.9

8.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 CA$55.5

$40.18 CA$56.6

-1.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 CA$127

$84.7 CA$119

6.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$159

$107 CA$150

5.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 CA$2,568

$973 CA$1,370

87.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,557 CA$2,193

$937 CA$1,320

66.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,986 CA$4,206

$1,394 CA$1,963

114.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,450 CA$3,451

$1,307 CA$1,840

87.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,678 CA$12.2K

$4,779 CA$6,731

81.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,940 CA$9,776

$3,317 CA$4,672

109.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,390 CA$4,775

$3,127 CA$4,405

8.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.46

-20.12%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 21, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,823 in Toronto and $973 in Williams Lake, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 8% 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $69.0 in Williams Lake, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $375 per month, with Williams Lake, BC cheaper across the board.

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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% 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: $1,823 in Toronto versus $973 in Williams Lake, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Williams Lake, BC – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $84.0 in Toronto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,127 in Williams Lake, BC versus $2,776 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 30% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.