People move to BC for a variety of reasons. The stunning natural landscapes and outdoor activities, better employment, investment, and education opportunities, lower crime rates, and greater cultural diversity. Unfortunately, this all doesn’t come cheap.
The costs of living and housing are probably the two largest pain points for BC residents, especially in the Lower Mainland. So if you’re looking for a fresh start this year and are open to relocating, we’ve found a new report by Moving Waldo that ranks the top 10 cheapest cities in BC to live in. The best part? You won’t have to compromise on the other things that make living in BC so amazing.
Recent Posts:
Here’s how much you need to live alone in 4 of Canada’s biggest cities
Here are the top Canadian cities that people moved to in 2022
View this post on Instagram
Moving Waldo ranks the 10 cheapest places to live in the province based on the following criteria: The average cost to buy a home, and the average rent per month for a two-bedroom apartment. Right now, the average house price province-wide is $932,979, and a two-bedroom averages $2,820 per month.
The report uses data from Statistics Canada, The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), and Zumper to rank the following based on quality of life (health, pollution, green spaces and recreation, climate, education, and employment opportunities).
Top 10 cheapest cities in BC with the best quality of life
- Williams Lake
- Prince George
- Castlegar
- Cranbrook
- Prince Rupert
- Vernon
- Valemount
- Hope
- Nelson
- Penticton
For outdoor lovers, you can’t do much better than Castlegar, which boasts an average house price of $427,450 and where you can find a two-bedroom rental for just $1,600 a month – far below the average rent for a one-bedroom in Vancouver! And in Nelson and Vernon, the average rent is $100 less than that.
In terms of the cheapest rent on the list, however, Prince Rupert and Valemount take the cake – at just $1,200 and $1,100 per month respectively.
Finally, prospective homeowners will have the best luck house hunting in Williams Lake, which averages at just $290k.
Well, that’s a wrap on the top 10 cheapest cities in BC with the best quality of life. We hope this ranking was insightful for those considering their next move.
