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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,072 in Williams Lake, BC versus $2,475 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,029 in Williams Lake, BC versus $3,595 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,986 in Williams Lake, BC versus $4,715 in Calgary.

Living in Williams Lake, BC costs roughly 16% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Williams Lake, BC 55% above, Calgary 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.81 CA$23.02

$18.25 CA$25.00

-7.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 CA$96.9

$70.0 CA$95.9

1.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 CA$15.37

$11.12 CA$15.24

0.90%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.08

$3.82 CA$5.23

-2.88%

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

$2.05 CA$2.81

$1.96 CA$2.69

4.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.35

$1.65 CA$2.27

3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 CA$7.51

$5.07 CA$6.95

8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 CA$8.18

$6.56 CA$8.98

-8.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.46 CA$3.37

$2.16 CA$2.96

13.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$2.71 CA$3.72

1.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.82

$3.30 CA$4.53

6.67%

Eggs

$5.59 CA$7.66

$3.40 CA$4.66

64.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 CA$15.11

$14.42 CA$19.76

-23.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$15.93

$12.70 CA$17.40

-8.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.90 CA$20.41

$16.11 CA$22.07

-7.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$4.42 CA$6.06

-10.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.95

$1.30 CA$1.78

9.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.05

$3.87 CA$5.30

-4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.01

$4.43 CA$6.07

-17.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.40

$2.56 CA$3.51

-3.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.39

$2.58 CA$3.54

-4.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.44

$2.71 CA$3.71

-7.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.33

$1.88 CA$2.58

-9.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.75 CA$18.83

$14.46 CA$19.81

-4.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 CA$15.41

$14.47 CA$19.83

-22.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$3.99

$2.80 CA$3.83

3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.19

$3.97 CA$5.44

-23.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.33

$2.72 CA$3.73

-10.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 CA$87.1

$85.4 CA$117

-25.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 CA$4.40

$3.41 CA$4.67

-5.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.95

$1.36 CA$1.86

5.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.34 CA$34.72

$29.18 CA$39.97

-13.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.65

$1.09 CA$1.49

11.01%

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

$24.5K CA$33.6K

$24.6K CA$33.7K

-0.30%

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

$20.3K CA$27.9K

$21.8K CA$29.8K

-6.50%

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

$140 CA$192

$211 CA$289

-33.66%

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

$33.18 CA$45.45

$41.13 CA$56.4

-19.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 CA$118

$58.3 CA$79.9

47.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.92 CA$57.4

$53.8 CA$73.7

-22.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.9 CA$72.4

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 CA$15.59

$12.68 CA$17.37

-10.25%

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

$733 CA$1,004

$875 CA$1,199

-16.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.4K

$16.0K CA$21.9K

-24.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 CA$73.9

$58.1 CA$79.5

-7.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.73 CA$54.4

$47.11 CA$64.5

-15.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$119

$87.7 CA$120

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$144

$107 CA$146

-1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 CA$1,319

$1,416 CA$1,940

-32.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 CA$1,253

$1,171 CA$1,604

-21.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 CA$1,881

$2,288 CA$3,135

-40.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 CA$1,795

$1,841 CA$2,523

-28.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,983 CA$6,827

$3,718 CA$5,093

34.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,867 CA$5,298

$3,594 CA$4,924

7.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,261 CA$4,468

$3,131 CA$4,289

4.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.71

13.13%

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

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

Last update for Calgary: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Williams Lake, BC and $1,416 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Williams Lake, BC pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71 in Williams Lake, BC vs $70 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $372 vs $395, with Williams Lake, BC cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Williams Lake, BC is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Williams Lake, BC pays 4% 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: $963 in Williams Lake, BC versus $1,416 in Calgary. 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 $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,072 per month in Williams Lake, BC versus $2,475 in Calgary – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,072 in Williams Lake, BC versus $2,475 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Williams Lake, BC but tight or insufficient in Calgary. 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 19% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.