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 $2,127 per month in Williams Lake, BC vs $2,055 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,044 per month in Williams Lake, BC vs $3,123 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,961 per month in Williams Lake, BC vs $4,191 in Montreal, rent included.

Williams Lake, BC costs about 3% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Williams Lake, BC and Montreal sit above the global median – Williams Lake, BC by 59%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 CA$24.16

$15.99 CA$22.53

7.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 CA$97.7

$74.4 CA$105

-6.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.35

$10.94 CA$15.41

-0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.18

$3.84 CA$5.41

-4.17%

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

$2.05 CA$2.89

$2.08 CA$2.94

-1.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.50 CA$2.11

11.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.55 CA$7.82

$6.23 CA$8.77

-10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 CA$8.54

$6.54 CA$9.22

-7.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.36 CA$3.33

4.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.77

$3.25 CA$4.58

-17.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 CA$5.03

$3.83 CA$5.40

-6.79%

Eggs

$5.62 CA$7.92

$3.45 CA$4.86

62.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 CA$15.63

$16.11 CA$22.69

-31.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 CA$16.47

$11.91 CA$16.77

-1.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.77 CA$20.80

$15.44 CA$21.75

-4.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.61

$3.68 CA$5.18

8.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.99

$1.62 CA$2.28

-12.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.12

$4.13 CA$5.81

-11.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.22

$4.46 CA$6.28

-17.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$2.69 CA$3.79

-11.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.52

$2.55 CA$3.59

-1.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.54

$2.27 CA$3.20

11.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$1.74 CA$2.45

2.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.04 CA$19.78

$13.32 CA$18.76

5.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.83 CA$18.08

$10.59 CA$14.91

21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.97

$3.02 CA$4.26

-6.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.31

$3.51 CA$4.95

-12.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.27

$2.81 CA$3.96

-17.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.1 CA$87.4

$73.6 CA$104

-15.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CA$4.44

$3.49 CA$4.91

-9.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$1.40 CA$1.98

2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.65 CA$36.14

$33.86 CA$47.70

-24.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

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

$25.4K CA$35.8K

0.04%

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

$20.8K CA$29.3K

$21.4K CA$30.1K

-2.73%

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

$144 CA$203

$75.0 CA$106

91.83%

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

$32.66 CA$46.00

$35.87 CA$50.5

-8.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.3 CA$123

$43.06 CA$60.7

102.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.22 CA$58.1

$42.58 CA$60.0

-3.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.21 CA$24.24

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 CA$16.23

$11.01 CA$15.51

4.72%

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

$740 CA$1,043

$621 CA$875

19.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.6K

$5,904 CA$8,316

99.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 CA$75.9

$62.4 CA$87.9

-13.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.18 CA$56.6

$45.39 CA$63.9

-11.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 CA$119

$104 CA$147

-18.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$150

$120 CA$169

-11.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 CA$1,370

$1,209 CA$1,703

-19.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$937 CA$1,320

$955 CA$1,345

-1.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 CA$1,963

$2,103 CA$2,962

-33.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 CA$1,840

$1,596 CA$2,249

-18.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,779 CA$6,731

$5,209 CA$7,338

-8.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,317 CA$4,672

$3,729 CA$5,253

-11.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,127 CA$4,405

$2,950 CA$4,156

6.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.01

28.94%

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

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

Last update for Montreal: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Williams Lake, BC versus $1,209 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 6% higher in Williams Lake, BC, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Williams Lake, BC versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $393 – making Williams Lake, BC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Williams Lake, BC costs about 3% more than Montreal, 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 $3,191 per month in Williams Lake, BC and $3,083 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Williams Lake, BC – 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 $69.0 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 Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,055, than in Williams Lake, BC at $2,127. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Williams Lake, BC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,055 versus $2,127 in Williams Lake, BC. 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 Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Williams Lake, BC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.