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: $2,783 in Vancouver versus $2,092 in Williams Lake, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,030 in Vancouver versus $3,017 in Williams Lake, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,278 in Vancouver versus $3,941 in Williams Lake, BC.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 33% more expensive than in Williams Lake, BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 102% above, Williams Lake, BC 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 CA$24.95

$18.39 CA$25.51

-2.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$65.9 CA$91.5

10.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 CA$14.92

$11.07 CA$15.35

-2.80%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.79

$3.68 CA$5.10

13.32%

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

$2.20 CA$3.05

$2.00 CA$2.77

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.68 CA$2.33

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.19

$5.81 CA$8.06

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.24

$6.01 CA$8.33

10.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.43 CA$3.37

-9.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$2.64 CA$3.66

0.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.14

$3.65 CA$5.06

21.37%

Eggs

$4.20 CA$5.83

$3.46 CA$4.80

21.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 CA$16.47

$10.00 CA$13.87

18.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.95

$11.61 CA$16.11

17.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 CA$28.18

$14.74 CA$20.45

37.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$3.88 CA$5.38

9.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$1.35 CA$1.88

2.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.61

$3.65 CA$5.07

10.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.58

$3.95 CA$5.48

2.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$2.59 CA$3.60

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.15

$2.28 CA$3.16

31.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.54 CA$3.53

3.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.71 CA$2.37

-3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.92 CA$22.07

$15.01 CA$20.81

6.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.29

$14.08 CA$19.53

3.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$2.63 CA$3.65

5.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.25

$3.17 CA$4.40

-3.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.56

$2.32 CA$3.22

10.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$115

$59.9 CA$83.1

38.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$3.17 CA$4.40

-14.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$1.53 CA$2.12

6.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.33

$21.90 CA$30.38

49.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.21 CA$1.68

19.01%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$29.0K CA$40.3K

-2.12%

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

$19.5K CA$27.1K

$21.3K CA$29.6K

-8.36%

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

$79.2 CA$110

$139 CA$193

-42.96%

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

$36.21 CA$50.2

$32.13 CA$44.56

12.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 CA$71.2

$84.8 CA$118

-39.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.4

$40.98 CA$56.8

6.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 CA$18.25

$16.51 CA$22.90

-20.29%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.44

$11.22 CA$15.56

5.61%

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

$1,131 CA$1,568

$765 CA$1,061

47.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$11.2K CA$15.5K

76.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 CA$83.2

$53.5 CA$74.1

12.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.84 CA$48.32

$41.65 CA$57.8

-16.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 CA$125

$98.0 CA$136

-7.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 CA$130

$101 CA$140

-7.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,505

$935 CA$1,296

93.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 CA$2,193

$889 CA$1,233

77.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,182 CA$4,413

$1,384 CA$1,919

129.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CA$3,418

$1,276 CA$1,769

93.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,841 CA$12.3K

$4,864 CA$6,746

81.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,963 CA$9,657

$3,558 CA$4,934

95.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,738 CA$5,184

$3,258 CA$4,519

14.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.68

-10.04%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,806 in Vancouver and $935 in Williams Lake, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 15% 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: $73.0 in Vancouver vs $66.0 in Williams Lake, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 vs $364 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 33% in total monthly costs ($2,783 vs $2,092 including rent). Williams Lake, BC is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% higher in Vancouver, 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: $1,806 in Vancouver versus $935 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 $66.0 versus $73.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,783 per month in Vancouver versus $2,092 in Williams Lake, BC – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,092 in Williams Lake, BC versus $2,783 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 33% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.