Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Williams Lake, BC

For one person, living is cheaper in Williams Lake, BC: $2,038 a month against $2,725 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
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Vancouver Living Index
98

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

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Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,725

/mo nomad

Williams Lake, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,038

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver 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 Vancouver and in Williams Lake, BC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,725 in Vancouver versus $2,038 in Williams Lake, BC.

Vancouver $2,725
Williams Lake, BC $2,038

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,039 in Vancouver versus $2,920 in Williams Lake, BC.

Vancouver $4,039
Williams Lake, BC $2,920

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,352 in Vancouver versus $3,801 in Williams Lake, BC.

Vancouver $5,352
Williams Lake, BC $3,801

Living in Vancouver is roughly 34% 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: Vancouver 100% above, Williams Lake, BC 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.65 CA$24.77

$17.74 CA$24.90

-0.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$102

$63.4 CA$89.0

14.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.21

$10.62 CA$14.90

2.07%

Cappuccino

$3.91 CA$5.49

$3.61 CA$5.07

8.31%

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

$2.10 CA$2.95

$2.08 CA$2.92

0.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.30

$1.69 CA$2.37

-2.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 CA$8.06

$4.88 CA$6.84

17.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.36 CA$8.93

$5.36 CA$7.53

18.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CA$3.10

$2.27 CA$3.19

-2.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.71

$2.57 CA$3.61

2.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 CA$6.56

$3.80 CA$5.33

23.16%

Eggs

$4.24 CA$5.95

$3.38 CA$4.74

25.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.92 CA$16.73

$10.16 CA$14.26

17.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.12 CA$18.42

$11.80 CA$16.56

11.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.40 CA$28.63

$14.60 CA$20.49

39.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.10 CA$5.76

$3.75 CA$5.26

9.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.33 CA$1.87

3.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.37

$3.57 CA$5.01

7.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.50

$3.86 CA$5.41

1.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.89

$2.43 CA$3.41

13.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.98

$2.26 CA$3.18

25.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$2.42 CA$3.40

7.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$1.45 CA$2.03

9.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.87 CA$22.27

$12.42 CA$17.43

27.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.00 CA$19.64

$14.53 CA$20.39

-3.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.61

$2.60 CA$3.65

-1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.23

$2.70 CA$3.79

11.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 CA$3.59

$2.37 CA$3.32

7.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.1 CA$118

$60.6 CA$85.0

38.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.74

$2.63 CA$3.69

1.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 CA$2.22

$1.62 CA$2.27

-2.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.19 CA$45.17

$25.61 CA$35.94

25.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.20 CA$1.68

20.83%

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

$27.5K CA$38.6K

$28.3K CA$39.7K

-2.84%

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

$21.3K CA$29.9K

$22.1K CA$31.0K

-3.39%

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

$82.5 CA$116

$138 CA$194

-40.27%

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

$37.46 CA$52.6

$32.57 CA$45.70

15.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$72.5

$84.3 CA$118

-38.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 CA$56.9

$37.04 CA$52.0

9.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.69 CA$17.81

$17.65 CA$24.77

-28.10%

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.77

$10.59 CA$14.86

19.55%

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

$1,080 CA$1,515

$683 CA$959

58.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K CA$28.3K

$14.7K CA$20.6K

37.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 CA$82.0

$56.2 CA$78.8

4.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.10 CA$47.85

$38.39 CA$53.9

-11.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.9 CA$136

$97.1 CA$136

-0.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 CA$137

$91.6 CA$128

6.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,813 CA$2,545

$936 CA$1,314

93.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 CA$2,211

$892 CA$1,252

76.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,217 CA$4,514

$1,339 CA$1,879

140.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,651 CA$3,721

$1,257 CA$1,764

110.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,590 CA$12.1K

$4,775 CA$6,701

79.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,649 CA$9,331

$3,838 CA$5,387

73.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,733 CA$5,239

$3,168 CA$4,445

17.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

4.68

-8.55%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 27, 2026

Last update for Williams Lake, BC: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Vancouver

$1.6K 57.8%

Williams Lake, BC

$892 43.8% 43.4% $683

Groceries & Markets

Vancouver

$401 14.7%

Williams Lake, BC

$357 17.5% 10.9% $44

Eating Out

Vancouver

$277 10.2%

Williams Lake, BC

$267 13.1% 3.5% $9.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vancouver

$172 6.3%

Williams Lake, BC

$255 12.5% 48.6% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Vancouver

$129 4.7%

Williams Lake, BC

$127 6.3% 1.3% $1.7

Getting Around

Vancouver

$105 3.9%

Williams Lake, BC

$81 4% 23% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Vancouver

$66 2.4%

Williams Lake, BC

$58 2.9% 11.6% $7.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,813 in Vancouver and $936 in Williams Lake, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 18% 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: $72 in Vancouver vs $63 in Williams Lake, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $357 per month, with Williams Lake, BC cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🇨🇦 Williams Lake, BC

🕒 Local time

16:06 4:06 PM

Same time as Vancouver

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

631,486

10,753

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.64 EUR

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,725 in Vancouver and $2,038 in Williams Lake, BC, so Williams Lake, BC is about 25% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% 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: $1,813 in Vancouver versus $936 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 $63 versus $72 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,725 per month in Vancouver versus $2,038 in Williams Lake, BC – Williams Lake, BC is about 25% 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.

For families, Williams Lake, BC is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Vancouver, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Williams Lake, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.