5 BC small towns and cities that locals dubbed 'affordable' spots to live in the province
Cheaper living awaits. 👇
Prince George BC. Right: Hope BC.
It's no secret that British Columbia can be an expensive place to live. The cost of living in the province is no joke, so many people turn to the smaller towns and cities to find relief.
While Vancouver is time and time again ranked as the most expensive city in Canada, there are other places to live in B.C. that offer cheaper living. While they might not have the big-city amenities, they do have their own beauty and perks.
According to Living Wage BC, which calculated the "hourly amount that someone needs to earn to meet their basic expenses (including rent, food and transportation)," the 2024 living wage in Metro Vancouver living wage was $27.05. That's a steep price, especially given that minimum wage in the province is $17.85 per hour. There are some places in the province that offer a cheaper alternative to Vancouver, though.
We turned to the Narcity Canada Facebook Page to ask locals where the most affordable spots to live in B.C. are — narrowing down the responses to this list of five places. So if you're willing to give up the big city life to save some cash, you may want to look into these small towns and cities in B.C.
Hope
If you want to save on housing, the biggest piece of advice from readers was to look outside of Metro Vancouver. Hope is set in the Fraser Valley, so it's just two hours from Vancouver but offers a big jump down in terms of the cost of living.
The small town is also beautiful, nestled in peaceful nature and home to cute local shops and businesses.
According to Living Wage BC, the Fraser Valley living wage is $23.23.
Trail
Looking way beyond the borders of Vancouver, in the Kootenay Region of the province, is Trail. This small town has a little bit of everything, with outdoor adventure at the forefront. You can live surrounded by mountain and river views here, and it has a living wage of $22.85.
It's small but you've still got a little downtown area with shops and in the summer you'll find a bi-weekly Saturday morning farmers market.
Fort St. John
Fort St. John was shouted out a few times, and the city website says that it prides itself on having "the best of everything – recreation at our doorstep, affordable living, and big city amenities, all in a small, friendly town."
This small city is in the northeastern British Columbia, about 13 hours away from Vancouver. The website also says that the average house price here though "is just over $400,000" and the "median household income is $102,000."
Dawson Creek
Just an hour's drive away from Fort St. John is Dawson Creek, where the living wage is $21.55.
It's a charming little town that's famous for being "Mile 0" of the Alaska Highway. The little community is bustling with local events, farmers markets, and tons of outdoor activities.
Prince George
Prince George is a main city in B.C., with a living wage of $22.93. There's adventure here but also a lively town with restaurants, breweries, and shops. The downtown area is bustling with things to do and good vibes.