Cost of Living Comparison Between Bielefeld and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Bielefeld and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,935 per month in Bielefeld vs $2,321 in Hamilton, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,965 per month in Bielefeld vs $3,399 in Hamilton, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,995 per month in Bielefeld vs $4,477 in Hamilton, rent included.

Bielefeld is about 17% cheaper than Hamilton, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Bielefeld and Hamilton sit above the global median – Bielefeld by 41%, Hamilton by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.04 €12.11

$18.38 CA$25.54

-23.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.5 €71.1

$68.1 CA$94.7

21.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.93 €11.15

$12.51 CA$17.38

3.36%

Cappuccino

$4.18 €3.61

$3.56 CA$4.94

17.42%

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

$3.04 €2.62

$2.20 CA$3.06

38.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.74 CA$2.42

35.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 €4.42

$5.18 CA$7.20

-0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 €4.07

$6.50 CA$9.04

-27.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.14

$2.05 CA$2.85

-35.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.22 CA$3.09

-4.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.84 CA$3.94

37.68%

Eggs

$3.59 €3.10

$3.44 CA$4.78

4.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.22 €13.13

$7.57 CA$10.52

101.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.77 €10.15

$10.40 CA$14.46

13.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.25 €16.61

$14.04 CA$19.52

37.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 €3.06

$3.91 CA$5.44

-9.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.28 CA$1.78

64.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 €1.88

$4.27 CA$5.93

-48.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 €4.61

$3.92 CA$5.45

36.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 €1.13

$2.64 CA$3.66

-50.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.75 CA$2.43

-29.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.47

$2.34 CA$3.26

-27.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.94

$1.46 CA$2.03

-25.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.15 €8.76

$14.22 CA$19.76

-28.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.96

$13.06 CA$18.15

-55.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 €0.89

$2.38 CA$3.31

-56.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.37

$4.19 CA$5.82

-62.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.70 €3.19

$2.74 CA$3.81

35.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 €57.5

$87.7 CA$122

-24.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 €5.02

$3.50 CA$4.86

66.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 CA$1.85

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 CA$32.62

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 €1.87

$1.19 CA$1.65

81.51%

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

$33.6K €29.0K

$28.9K CA$40.2K

16.26%

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

$40.2K €34.7K

$20.1K CA$27.9K

100.41%

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

$315 €272

$151 CA$209

109.15%

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

$31.42 €27.10

$40.12 CA$55.8

-21.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 €45.96

$51.2 CA$71.1

4.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.78 €32.59

$37.62 CA$52.3

0.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.21 €40.72

$21.56 CA$29.96

118.97%

Cinema Ticket

$15.37 €13.26

$10.27 CA$14.27

49.66%

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

$426 €368

$615 CA$855

-30.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K €25.5K

$16.6K CA$23.1K

78.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 €79.7

$50.2 CA$69.8

83.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.74 €24.79

$34.50 CA$47.94

-16.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 €78.7

$91.9 CA$128

-0.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 €121

$121 CA$168

15.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 €549

$1,320 CA$1,834

-51.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 €524

$1,211 CA$1,683

-49.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 €1,108

$2,063 CA$2,867

-37.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 €1,022

$1,928 CA$2,680

-38.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,799 €4,139

$2,814 CA$3,910

70.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,335 €2,014

$2,808 CA$3,902

-16.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,989 €2,578

$2,912 CA$4,047

2.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

4.6

-14.13%

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

Last update for Bielefeld: September 1, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $636 in Bielefeld versus $1,320 in Hamilton. 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 3% higher in Bielefeld, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Bielefeld versus $68.0 in Hamilton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $333 – making Hamilton 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

Bielefeld vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hamilton is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,902 per month in Bielefeld and $3,482 in Hamilton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Hamilton – 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 $82.0 in Bielefeld and $68.0 in Hamilton. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bielefeld, where all-in costs run around $1,935, than in Hamilton at $2,321. In Bielefeld it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamilton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bielefeld – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bielefeld. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hamilton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.