🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,515 in Biella versus $1,869 in Hamilton.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Biella versus $2,967 in Hamilton.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,227 in Biella versus $4,066 in Hamilton.
🙂Living in Biella costs roughly 19% less than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Biella13% above, Hamilton40% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Biella
Hamilton
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.31€13.08
$13.89NZ$23.61
10.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.3€60.9
$85.0NZ$145
-16.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.28€9.63
$8.86NZ$15.07
27.31%
Cappuccino
$1.59€1.35
$3.69NZ$6.27
-56.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45€2.95
$2.41NZ$4.10
43.15%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35€1.16
$2.88NZ$4.90
-53.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.08€4.34
$6.73NZ$11.43
-24.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54€3.87
$5.99NZ$10.19
-24.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Biella
Hamilton
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.42€1.21
$1.60NZ$2.71
-11.25%
White Bread(500g)
$2.11€1.80
$1.30NZ$2.22
62.31%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.36€2.01
$1.94NZ$3.29
21.65%
Eggs
$4.04€3.45
$6.04NZ$10.27
-33.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.89€12.72
$5.65NZ$9.61
163.54%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.78€8.35
$8.19NZ$13.92
19.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$22.81€19.48
$11.21NZ$19.05
103.48%
Apples(1kg)
$2.53€2.16
$2.68NZ$4.56
-5.60%
Banana(1kg)
$1.78€1.52
$2.96NZ$5.03
-39.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.71€1.46
$3.05NZ$5.18
-43.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.43€2.93
$6.49NZ$11.03
-47.15%
Potato(1kg)
$1.67€1.42
$2.26NZ$3.84
-26.11%
Onion(1kg)
$1.71€1.46
$1.91NZ$3.24
-10.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.37€1.17
$2.72NZ$4.62
-49.63%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40€0.34
$1.03NZ$1.76
-61.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.12€6.08
$25.68NZ$43.66
-72.27%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.69€4.86
$11.20NZ$19.04
-49.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.08€1.78
$3.46NZ$5.87
-39.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73€2.33
$4.42NZ$7.51
-38.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Biella
Hamilton
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.94€1.66
$1.63NZ$2.77
19.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$38.74€33.08
$47.48NZ$80.7
-18.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$11.43€9.77
$4.25NZ$7.23
168.94%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.02€1.73
$1.98NZ$3.37
2.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$58.1€49.64
$42.54NZ$72.3
36.65%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.10€1.79
$1.72NZ$2.92
22.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K€24.1K
$23.4KNZ$39.8K
20.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K€27.5K
$22.6KNZ$38.4K
42.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Biella
Hamilton
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$247€211
$93.9NZ$160
162.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.14€6.09
$39.03NZ$66.4
-81.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.53€25.22
$54.2NZ$92.1
-45.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Biella
Hamilton
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$68.6€58.6
$32.44NZ$55.2
111.41%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.63€21.88
$16.44NZ$27.95
55.90%
Cinema Ticket
$9.36€7.99
$13.38NZ$22.74
-30.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Biella
Hamilton
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$557€476
$835NZ$1,419
-33.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,022€6,851
$17.9KNZ$30.5K
-55.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Biella
Hamilton
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9€76.7
$63.0NZ$107
42.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.50€32.03
$41.00NZ$69.7
-8.54%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.3€68.6
$88.2NZ$150
-8.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114€97.0
$114NZ$194
-0.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Biella
Hamilton
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$468€400
$958NZ$1,629
-51.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$401€342
$878NZ$1,492
-54.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$777€664
$1,249NZ$2,123
-37.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$627€536
$1,615NZ$2,746
-61.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,417€1,210
$5,675NZ$9,647
-75.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$915€781
$4,916NZ$8,358
-81.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Biella
Hamilton
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,090€1,785
$2,673NZ$4,545
-21.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.47
6.83
-34.55%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Biella: April 27, 2026
Last update for Hamilton: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $468 in Biella and $958 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Hamilton pays 28% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $71.0 in Biella vs $85.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $316 vs $311, with Hamilton cheaper for home cooking.
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
Biella vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Biella and Hamilton?
Biella and Hamilton differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,515 vs $1,869 including rent). Biella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Hamilton earns 28% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Biella and Hamilton?
Rent for a central apartment: $468 in Biella versus $958 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Biella and Hamilton?
Childcare runs $557 in Biella versus $835 in Hamilton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Hamilton pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,515 in Biella versus $1,869 in Hamilton, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Biella but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Biella the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Biella and Hamilton?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Biella or Hamilton safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Biella and Hamilton are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Biella or Hamilton?
Expats usually find Biella gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.