Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairns and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairns and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,298 per month in Cairns vs $2,493 in Hamilton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,379 per month in Cairns vs $3,584 in Hamilton, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,460 per month in Cairns vs $4,676 in Hamilton, rent included.

Cairns is about 8% cheaper than Hamilton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cairns and Hamilton sit above the global median – Cairns by 72%, Hamilton by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 A$16.71

$18.13 CA$25.41

-35.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 A$115

$73.3 CA$103

9.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 A$15.28

$10.98 CA$15.39

-2.82%

Cappuccino

$3.88 A$5.55

$4.05 CA$5.67

-4.20%

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

$2.88 A$4.12

$2.10 CA$2.94

37.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.22

$1.81 CA$2.53

24.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.38 A$9.14

$5.83 CA$8.17

9.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 A$10.45

$6.58 CA$9.23

10.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 A$2.35

$2.23 CA$3.13

-26.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 A$3.43

$2.12 CA$2.98

13.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.97

$2.85 CA$4.00

-2.81%

Eggs

$4.09 A$5.85

$3.14 CA$4.40

30.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.03 A$11.50

$7.74 CA$10.84

3.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 A$13.05

$11.56 CA$16.21

-21.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.54 A$17.95

$14.39 CA$20.17

-12.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.22

$3.91 CA$5.48

-24.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.26

$1.30 CA$1.82

75.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.81

$3.55 CA$4.97

-25.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.05 A$10.09

$3.90 CA$5.47

80.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 A$3.17

$2.62 CA$3.67

-15.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 A$3.20

$2.19 CA$3.07

2.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 A$3.26

$2.21 CA$3.09

3.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 A$4.13

$1.99 CA$2.79

45.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.51 A$42.26

$13.47 CA$18.88

119.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.88 A$18.45

$12.63 CA$17.70

1.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 A$4.63

$2.41 CA$3.38

34.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 A$5.18

$3.07 CA$4.31

17.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 A$4.71

$2.62 CA$3.68

25.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 A$93.6

$87.4 CA$123

-25.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 A$9.50

$3.54 CA$4.96

87.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 A$4.47

$1.22 CA$1.71

156.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.87 A$48.49

$23.62 CA$33.12

43.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 A$1.57

$1.14 CA$1.60

-3.51%

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

$22.6K A$32.3K

$25.4K CA$35.6K

-11.02%

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

$19.6K A$28.1K

$20.4K CA$28.6K

-3.82%

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

$153 A$218

$155 CA$218

-1.85%

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

$37.28 A$53.4

$40.11 CA$56.2

-7.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 A$86.6

$51.2 CA$71.7

18.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.42 A$55.0

$36.80 CA$51.6

4.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 A$22.59

$22.40 CA$31.39

-29.55%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 A$18.80

$11.57 CA$16.22

13.48%

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

$1,636 A$2,342

$643 CA$901

154.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K A$17.2K

$21.7K CA$30.4K

-44.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.4 A$122

$56.0 CA$78.4

52.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.8 A$95.7

$33.71 CA$47.25

98.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 A$142

$96.7 CA$136

2.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$193

$121 CA$170

11.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 A$1,768

$1,352 CA$1,895

-8.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 A$1,563

$1,268 CA$1,778

-13.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,041 A$2,922

$1,987 CA$2,785

2.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,870 A$2,677

$2,022 CA$2,835

-7.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,338 A$9,074

$2,710 CA$3,799

133.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,904 A$7,021

$2,749 CA$3,854

78.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,324 A$6,191

$2,871 CA$4,025

50.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.96

6.62

5.14%

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

Last update for Cairns: July 11, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,235 in Cairns 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 51% higher in Cairns, 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 $81.0 in Cairns versus $73.0 in Hamilton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 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

Cairns vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton costs about 8% more than Cairns, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,447 per month in Cairns 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 Cairns, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 $81.0 in Cairns and $73.0 in Hamilton. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cairns, where all-in costs run around $2,298, than in Hamilton at $2,493. In Cairns it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamilton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cairns costs $2,298 versus $2,493 in Hamilton. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Cairns. 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.