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: $2,854 in Vancouver versus $2,127 in Williams Lake, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,189 in Vancouver versus $3,044 in Williams Lake, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,523 in Vancouver versus $3,961 in Williams Lake, BC.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 34% more expensive than in Williams Lake, BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 114% above, Williams Lake, BC 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.10 CA$25.50

$17.15 CA$24.16

5.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 CA$111

$69.4 CA$97.7

13.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.43

$10.90 CA$15.35

0.46%

Cappuccino

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.68 CA$5.18

11.68%

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

$2.15 CA$3.03

$2.05 CA$2.89

4.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.61

$1.67 CA$2.35

10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.79 CA$8.16

$5.55 CA$7.82

4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 CA$10.22

$6.06 CA$8.54

19.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.17

$2.47 CA$3.48

-8.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 CA$4.31

$2.68 CA$3.77

14.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$3.57 CA$5.03

7.84%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.38

$5.62 CA$7.92

-19.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 CA$17.87

$11.10 CA$15.63

14.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.29 CA$20.13

$11.69 CA$16.47

22.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 CA$21.88

$14.77 CA$20.80

5.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.95

$3.98 CA$5.61

6.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.08

$1.42 CA$1.99

3.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.65

$3.64 CA$5.12

10.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 CA$7.02

$3.70 CA$5.22

34.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.44

$2.38 CA$3.35

32.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.33

$2.50 CA$3.52

22.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 CA$3.84

$2.52 CA$3.54

7.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.54

$1.78 CA$2.51

1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.23 CA$21.46

$14.04 CA$19.78

8.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.69 CA$20.70

$12.83 CA$18.08

14.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.46

$2.82 CA$3.97

12.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 CA$5.36

$3.06 CA$4.31

24.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$2.32 CA$3.27

1.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.4 CA$120

$62.1 CA$87.4

37.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 CA$5.32

$3.15 CA$4.44

19.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.44 CA$2.03

0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.66 CA$38.96

$25.65 CA$36.14

7.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CA$1.90

$1.22 CA$1.72

10.66%

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

$25.5K CA$35.9K

$25.4K CA$35.8K

0.09%

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

$21.0K CA$29.6K

$20.8K CA$29.3K

1.02%

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

$88.7 CA$125

$144 CA$203

-38.39%

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

$39.79 CA$56.1

$32.66 CA$46.00

21.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$85.1

$87.3 CA$123

-30.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.70 CA$64.4

$41.22 CA$58.1

10.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.60 CA$21.98

Cinema Ticket

$12.28 CA$17.30

$11.53 CA$16.23

6.50%

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

$1,193 CA$1,681

$740 CA$1,043

61.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.5K

$11.8K CA$16.6K

53.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 CA$87.7

$53.9 CA$75.9

15.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.22 CA$60.9

$40.18 CA$56.6

7.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 CA$136

$84.7 CA$119

13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 CA$165

$107 CA$150

9.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 CA$2,824

$973 CA$1,370

106.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 CA$2,270

$937 CA$1,320

71.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,457 CA$4,870

$1,394 CA$1,963

148.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,796 CA$3,938

$1,307 CA$1,840

113.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,119 CA$12.8K

$4,779 CA$6,731

90.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,147 CA$10.1K

$3,317 CA$4,672

115.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,304 CA$4,654

$3,127 CA$4,405

5.65%

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: July 21, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,005 in Vancouver and $973 in Williams Lake, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 6% 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: $79.0 in Vancouver vs $69.0 in Williams Lake, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 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

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

Vancouver and Williams Lake, BC differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($2,854 vs $2,127 including rent). Williams Lake, BC is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% 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: $2,005 in Vancouver versus $973 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 $69.0 versus $79.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,854 per month in Vancouver versus $2,127 in Williams Lake, BC – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,127 in Williams Lake, BC versus $2,854 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 34% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.