Chilliwack cityscape

City snapshot

Cost of living in Chilliwack

Chilliwack , British Columbia.

British Columbia

Monthly baseline

$2,306

Total annual: $27,672

Balanced salary needed

$52,000

Balanced

Population

British Columbia

Crime Severity Index

Sources and methodology

Official Basic-Needs Budgets

1 person$2,474
2 people$3,498
Family of 4$4,947

Market Basket Measure totals and advertised rent answer different questions. Rent is not added to the budget total because the MBM already includes a shelter component.

Data coverage: 89% (A) · 2025

Advertised Rent

Bachelor apartmentNo current published observation
1-bedroom apartment$1,400

2026-01 · Chilliwack, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

2-bedroom apartment$1,690

2026-01 · Chilliwack, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

3+ bedroom apartmentNo current published observation
Full-time centre-based childcare$568

2025 · British Columbia

Local Indicators

Population130,283
Employed people58,700
Median after-tax income$75,800
Crime Severity Index141.7

Chilliwack, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

Cost breakdown

Rent (1bd)$1,400
Groceries$686
Transport$220
Total monthly$2,306

Move-in costs

First month + deposit (2x rent)$2,800
Furniture for a 1-bedroom$2,500
Basic household setup$600
Estimated setup total$5,900

Plan the next step

Housing and rent

Rent (1bd): $1,400.

Rent (1bd): $1,400 · Total monthly: $2,306

How this city compares

Chilliwack ranks #21 of 47 tracked cities by baseline monthly cost and is +$142 versus the cross-city average.

Average city baseline$2,164
Largest cost driverRent (1bd)

Salary guide for this city

Use these gross salary ranges as planning targets before running a detailed after-tax scenario for Chilliwack.

Essentials$41,400
Balanced$52,000
Comfortable$63,300

Best for

Chilliwack is strongest for british columbia context and a higher baseline than the tracked-city average.

Watch out for

Rent (1bd) is the largest cost driver in the baseline. Plan around $2,306 per month before discretionary spending, plus about $5,900 for a basic move-in setup.

Local reality check

Rent represents about 61% of the baseline essentials shown here. Compared with the tracked-city average, this city is +$142.

Living in Chilliwack: what to budget for

Use this page as a starting point for Chilliwack: monthly essentials, move-in cash, salary targets, local population context, housing notes and safety data are shown together so you can move from research to a concrete budget.

Common questions

What is included in Chilliwack's monthly baseline?
The baseline includes a 1-bedroom rent estimate, groceries and transport for one adult. It is a planning baseline, not a quote.
Why do some metrics use a CMA or province?
National public datasets often publish city data by census metropolitan area, census agglomeration, province or territory. The geography is shown beside each metric.
How should I use the Chilliwack salary estimate?
Use it as a gross-income target, then run the income calculator with your province, city and real costs.

Sources and methodology

  • Population: Statistics Canada table 17-10-0148-01, latest annual estimate; Census Profile fallback when noted.
  • Crime Severity Index: Statistics Canada table 35-10-0026-01, latest published year.
  • Basic-needs budgets: MBM tables 11-10-0066-01 and 11-10-0104-01. Advertised rent: Quarterly Rent Statistics table 46-10-0092-01.
Sources and methodology
Calculation transparency

Data, sources, and assumptions

Results combine Canadian tax rules, city cost baselines, and market assumptions versioned with the site code.

Data synced
Jul 10, 2026
Federal/provincial tax
City cost baselines
Market rates and assumptions
Estimates do not replace tax, financial, or legal advice.
Sources and methodology
statcan_rent_34100133: ok 2025; statcan_gasoline_18100001: ok 2026-05; boc_valet_mortgage_5yr: ok 2026-07-08; tax_fallback_2026: ok 2026-01-03