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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,967 per month in Bielefeld vs $2,493 in Hamilton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,035 per month in Bielefeld vs $3,584 in Hamilton, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,104 per month in Bielefeld vs $4,676 in Hamilton, rent included.

Bielefeld is about 21% cheaper than Hamilton, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Bielefeld and Hamilton sit above the global median – Bielefeld by 47%, Hamilton by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.85 €12.10

$18.13 CA$25.41

-23.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 €68.0

$73.3 CA$103

6.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.41 €10.85

$10.98 CA$15.39

13.02%

Cappuccino

$3.83 €3.34

$4.05 CA$5.68

-5.43%

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

$2.91 €2.54

$2.10 CA$2.94

38.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.05

$1.81 CA$2.53

29.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 €4.59

$5.83 CA$8.17

-9.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 €4.62

$6.58 CA$9.23

-19.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.13

$2.23 CA$3.13

-42.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.87

$2.12 CA$2.98

0.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 €2.93

$2.85 CA$4.00

17.54%

Eggs

$3.80 €3.32

$3.14 CA$4.40

21.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.02 €13.12

$7.74 CA$10.85

94.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.00 €13.11

$11.56 CA$16.21

29.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.26 €16.83

$14.39 CA$20.18

33.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.83

$3.91 CA$5.48

-17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$1.30 CA$1.82

37.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 €1.96

$3.55 CA$4.97

-36.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 €4.68

$3.90 CA$5.47

37.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.62 CA$3.67

-43.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 €1.36

$2.19 CA$3.07

-29.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.21 CA$3.09

-9.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 €0.91

$1.99 CA$2.80

-47.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 €8.74

$13.47 CA$18.88

-25.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.61 €4.91

$12.63 CA$17.71

-55.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.98

$2.41 CA$3.38

-53.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$3.07 CA$4.31

-43.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 €3.16

$2.62 CA$3.68

37.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 €50.3

$87.4 CA$123

-34.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 €6.36

$3.54 CA$4.96

105.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.22 CA$1.71

69.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.7 €45.17

$23.62 CA$33.12

118.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.74

$1.14 CA$1.60

74.56%

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

$31.1K €27.2K

$25.4K CA$35.6K

22.71%

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

$37.1K €32.4K

$20.4K CA$28.6K

81.53%

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

$322 €282

$155 CA$218

107.50%

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

$36.64 €32.01

$40.11 CA$56.2

-8.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 €48.09

$51.2 CA$71.7

7.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.03 €34.98

$36.80 CA$51.6

8.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 €19.85

$22.40 CA$31.40

1.43%

Cinema Ticket

$14.93 €13.05

$11.57 CA$16.22

29.04%

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

$675 €590

$643 CA$901

4.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €9,129

$21.7K CA$30.4K

-51.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 €72.0

$56.0 CA$78.5

47.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.04 €30.61

$33.71 CA$47.26

3.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €99.9

$96.7 CA$136

18.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 €131

$121 CA$170

23.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 €518

$1,352 CA$1,895

-56.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 €531

$1,268 CA$1,778

-52.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 €905

$1,987 CA$2,785

-47.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 €1,012

$2,022 CA$2,835

-42.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,736 €4,138

$2,710 CA$3,800

74.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,299 €2,008

$2,749 CA$3,854

-16.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,922 €2,553

$2,871 CA$4,025

1.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

6.62

-40.18%

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

Last update for Bielefeld: July 14, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $593 in Bielefeld versus $1,352 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 2% 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 $78.0 in Bielefeld versus $73.0 in Hamilton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $341 – 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 27%, 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 $2,950 per month in Bielefeld and $3,739 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 3% 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 $78.0 in Bielefeld and $73.0 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 $1,967, than in Hamilton at $2,493. 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.