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 $2,072 per month in Williams Lake, BC vs $2,080 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,029 per month in Williams Lake, BC vs $3,136 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,986 per month in Williams Lake, BC vs $4,193 in Montreal, rent included.

Williams Lake, BC and Montreal have comparable living costs — the differences are in the details.

Both Williams Lake, BC and Montreal sit above the global median – Williams Lake, BC by 55%, Montreal by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.81 CA$23.02

$16.16 CA$22.14

4.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 CA$96.9

$74.3 CA$102

-4.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 CA$15.37

$10.94 CA$14.98

2.56%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.08

$3.68 CA$5.05

0.82%

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

$2.05 CA$2.81

$2.07 CA$2.84

-0.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.35

$1.49 CA$2.05

14.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 CA$7.51

$5.98 CA$8.20

-8.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 CA$8.18

$6.76 CA$9.27

-11.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.46 CA$3.37

$2.32 CA$3.18

6.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$3.21 CA$4.40

-14.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.82

$3.74 CA$5.13

-5.88%

Eggs

$5.59 CA$7.66

$3.27 CA$4.48

70.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 CA$15.11

$16.08 CA$22.02

-31.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$15.93

$11.56 CA$15.84

0.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.90 CA$20.41

$15.66 CA$21.45

-4.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$3.67 CA$5.03

8.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.95

$1.70 CA$2.33

-16.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.05

$4.06 CA$5.56

-9.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.01

$4.25 CA$5.82

-13.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.40

$2.74 CA$3.76

-9.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.39

$2.66 CA$3.65

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.44

$2.16 CA$2.96

16.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.33

$1.72 CA$2.35

-1.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.75 CA$18.83

$13.21 CA$18.10

4.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 CA$15.41

$11.08 CA$15.19

1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$3.99

$2.97 CA$4.07

-2.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.19

$3.58 CA$4.91

-14.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.33

$2.84 CA$3.89

-14.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 CA$87.1

$74.8 CA$103

-15.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 CA$4.40

$3.62 CA$4.96

-11.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.95

$1.44 CA$1.98

-0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.34 CA$34.72

$34.03 CA$46.62

-25.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.65

$1.18 CA$1.61

2.54%

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

$24.5K CA$33.6K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

-2.36%

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

$20.3K CA$27.9K

$21.5K CA$29.4K

-5.14%

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

$140 CA$192

$75.5 CA$103

85.12%

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

$33.18 CA$45.45

$35.70 CA$48.91

-7.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 CA$118

$43.01 CA$58.9

100.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.92 CA$57.4

$42.58 CA$58.3

-1.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.17 CA$23.53

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 CA$15.59

$11.07 CA$15.16

2.80%

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

$733 CA$1,004

$616 CA$844

19.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.4K

$5,799 CA$7,945

106.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 CA$73.9

$62.3 CA$85.3

-13.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.73 CA$54.4

$43.77 CA$60.0

-9.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$119

$102 CA$140

-14.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$144

$121 CA$166

-12.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 CA$1,319

$1,209 CA$1,657

-20.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 CA$1,253

$970 CA$1,329

-5.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 CA$1,881

$2,085 CA$2,856

-34.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 CA$1,795

$1,596 CA$2,186

-17.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,983 CA$6,827

$5,442 CA$7,456

-8.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,867 CA$5,298

$4,046 CA$5,543

-4.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,261 CA$4,468

$2,990 CA$4,096

9.07%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Montreal: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 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 9% higher in Williams Lake, BC. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Williams Lake, BC versus $74 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $389 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,108 per month in Williams Lake, BC and $3,120 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 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.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Williams Lake, BC. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Williams Lake, BC, where all-in costs run around $2,072, than in Montreal at $2,080. 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 $2,072 versus $2,080 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.