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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,897 in Vancouver versus $2,072 in Williams Lake, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,277 in Vancouver versus $3,029 in Williams Lake, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,658 in Vancouver versus $3,986 in Williams Lake, BC.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 40% more expensive than Williams Lake, BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 116% above, Williams Lake, BC 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.60 CA$25.49

$16.81 CA$23.02

10.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$107

$70.7 CA$96.9

10.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.04

$11.22 CA$15.37

-2.14%

Cappuccino

$3.90 CA$5.35

$3.71 CA$5.08

5.12%

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

$2.23 CA$3.06

$2.05 CA$2.81

8.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.52

$1.71 CA$2.35

7.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.04

$5.48 CA$7.51

7.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.39 CA$10.12

$5.97 CA$8.18

23.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.12

$2.46 CA$3.37

-7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.21

$2.74 CA$3.75

12.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.14

$3.52 CA$4.82

6.53%

Eggs

$4.45 CA$6.10

$5.59 CA$7.66

-20.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.67 CA$17.36

$11.03 CA$15.11

14.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.82 CA$18.93

$11.63 CA$15.93

18.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 CA$21.44

$14.90 CA$20.41

5.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.91

$3.97 CA$5.44

8.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 CA$2.00

$1.42 CA$1.95

2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.31

$3.69 CA$5.05

4.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.90 CA$6.71

$3.66 CA$5.01

33.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.39

$2.48 CA$3.40

29.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.10

$2.47 CA$3.39

21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.62

$2.51 CA$3.44

5.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.52

$1.70 CA$2.33

8.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.22 CA$20.86

$13.75 CA$18.83

10.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 CA$20.90

$11.25 CA$15.41

35.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.24

$2.91 CA$3.99

6.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CA$5.09

$3.05 CA$4.19

21.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$2.43 CA$3.33

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.0 CA$115

$63.6 CA$87.1

32.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 CA$4.96

$3.21 CA$4.40

12.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.43 CA$1.95

0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.09 CA$37.11

$25.34 CA$34.72

6.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CA$1.81

$1.21 CA$1.65

9.09%

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

$24.9K CA$34.1K

$24.5K CA$33.6K

1.51%

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

$21.0K CA$28.8K

$20.3K CA$27.9K

3.30%

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

$90.2 CA$124

$140 CA$192

-35.50%

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

$40.77 CA$55.9

$33.18 CA$45.45

22.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 CA$84.6

$86.1 CA$118

-28.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.05 CA$63.1

$41.92 CA$57.4

9.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.54 CA$21.29

Cinema Ticket

$12.14 CA$16.63

$11.38 CA$15.59

6.68%

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

$1,160 CA$1,589

$733 CA$1,004

58.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$25.7K

$12.0K CA$16.4K

56.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 CA$87.7

$53.9 CA$73.9

18.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.36 CA$59.4

$39.73 CA$54.4

9.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 CA$131

$87.2 CA$119

9.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$157

$105 CA$144

9.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,708

$963 CA$1,319

105.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,663 CA$2,278

$915 CA$1,253

81.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,490 CA$4,781

$1,373 CA$1,881

154.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 CA$3,710

$1,310 CA$1,795

106.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,024 CA$12.4K

$4,983 CA$6,827

81.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,998 CA$9,588

$3,867 CA$5,298

80.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,505 CA$4,802

$3,261 CA$4,468

7.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.46

-13.16%

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

Last update for Vancouver: April 20, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,977 in Vancouver and $963 in Williams Lake, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 7% 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: $78 in Vancouver vs $71 in Williams Lake, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $412 vs $372 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

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

Vancouver and Williams Lake, BC differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($2,897 vs $2,072 including rent). Williams Lake, BC is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Vancouver pays 7% more on average, 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: $1,977 in Vancouver 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 $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,897 per month in Vancouver versus $2,072 in Williams Lake, BC – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,072 in Williams Lake, BC versus $2,897 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Williams Lake, BC but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. 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 40% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.