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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,092 per month in Williams Lake, BC vs $2,108 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,017 per month in Williams Lake, BC vs $3,226 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,941 per month in Williams Lake, BC vs $4,344 in Montreal, rent included.

Williams Lake, BC is about 1% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Williams Lake, BC and Montreal sit above the global median – Williams Lake, BC by 52%, Montreal by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 CA$25.51

$17.83 CA$24.73

3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.9 CA$91.5

$73.6 CA$102

-10.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 CA$15.35

$10.81 CA$15.00

2.41%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.10

$3.92 CA$5.44

-6.12%

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

$2.00 CA$2.77

$2.04 CA$2.84

-1.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$1.52 CA$2.11

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 CA$8.06

$6.59 CA$9.14

-11.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 CA$8.33

$7.14 CA$9.90

-15.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 CA$3.37

$2.37 CA$3.28

2.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$3.23 CA$4.48

-18.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.06

$2.95 CA$4.10

23.73%

Eggs

$3.46 CA$4.80

$3.69 CA$5.12

-6.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 CA$13.87

$13.65 CA$18.93

-26.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.61 CA$16.11

$11.94 CA$16.56

-2.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.74 CA$20.45

$14.07 CA$19.52

4.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.38

$3.61 CA$5.01

7.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.55 CA$2.15

-12.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.07

$3.29 CA$4.56

10.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.48

$3.07 CA$4.26

28.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$2.00 CA$2.78

29.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 CA$3.16

$1.90 CA$2.64

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CA$3.53

$2.64 CA$3.66

-3.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.39 CA$1.93

23.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 CA$20.81

$11.80 CA$16.36

27.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.08 CA$19.53

$10.80 CA$14.98

30.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CA$3.65

$2.37 CA$3.29

10.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.40

$2.90 CA$4.02

9.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.22

$2.74 CA$3.79

-15.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.9 CA$83.1

$77.1 CA$107

-22.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.40

$3.31 CA$4.59

-4.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 CA$2.12

$1.46 CA$2.02

4.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.90 CA$30.38

$32.98 CA$45.74

-33.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.31 CA$1.82

-7.63%

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

$29.0K CA$40.3K

$28.7K CA$39.8K

1.02%

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

$21.3K CA$29.6K

$20.4K CA$28.4K

4.29%

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

$139 CA$193

$79.9 CA$111

73.81%

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

$32.13 CA$44.56

$34.79 CA$48.25

-7.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 CA$118

$42.55 CA$59.0

99.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.98 CA$56.8

$29.20 CA$40.50

40.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.51 CA$22.90

$20.33 CA$28.20

-18.79%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 CA$15.56

$11.48 CA$15.93

-2.26%

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

$765 CA$1,061

$565 CA$784

35.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K CA$15.5K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

-32.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 CA$74.1

$60.2 CA$83.5

-11.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.65 CA$57.8

$41.87 CA$58.1

-0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 CA$136

$104 CA$144

-5.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CA$140

$113 CA$156

-10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$935 CA$1,296

$1,294 CA$1,795

-27.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$889 CA$1,233

$1,014 CA$1,407

-12.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 CA$1,919

$2,271 CA$3,149

-39.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 CA$1,769

$1,683 CA$2,334

-24.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,864 CA$6,746

$5,156 CA$7,151

-5.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,558 CA$4,934

$3,842 CA$5,328

-7.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,258 CA$4,519

$3,032 CA$4,205

7.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.44

5.41%

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

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

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $935 in Williams Lake, BC versus $1,294 in Montreal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Williams Lake, BC, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Williams Lake, BC versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Williams Lake, BC vs $358 in Montreal – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 1% more than Williams Lake, BC, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,138 per month in Williams Lake, BC and $3,163 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Williams Lake, BC, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Montreal – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Williams Lake, BC and $74.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Williams Lake, BC, where all-in costs run around $2,092, than in Montreal at $2,108. In Williams Lake, BC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Williams Lake, BC costs $2,092 versus $2,108 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Williams Lake, BC. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.