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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,317 per month in Cairns vs $2,507 in Hamilton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,472 per month in Cairns vs $3,577 in Hamilton, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,627 per month in Cairns vs $4,647 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 73%, Hamilton by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.59 A$16.15

$18.39 CA$25.47

-36.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 A$113

$74.6 CA$103

9.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 A$15.16

$10.84 CA$15.02

0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.75 A$5.23

$4.03 CA$5.58

-6.95%

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

$2.84 A$3.96

$2.10 CA$2.90

35.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 A$3.21

$1.73 CA$2.39

32.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.43 A$8.96

$5.73 CA$7.94

12.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 A$9.70

$6.49 CA$8.99

7.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.42

$2.23 CA$3.09

-21.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 A$3.40

$2.11 CA$2.92

15.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.74

$3.00 CA$4.16

-10.67%

Eggs

$4.00 A$5.58

$3.20 CA$4.43

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 A$11.40

$7.76 CA$10.74

5.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$12.90

$11.64 CA$16.11

-20.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 A$17.78

$14.37 CA$19.89

-11.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.15

$3.86 CA$5.34

-22.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.10

$1.31 CA$1.81

70.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.83

$3.58 CA$4.95

-23.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.39 A$10.30

$3.73 CA$5.17

98.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.11

$2.64 CA$3.65

-15.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.25

$2.20 CA$3.04

5.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 A$3.16

$2.22 CA$3.08

2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 A$3.99

$2.00 CA$2.77

43.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.71 A$40.01

$13.59 CA$18.82

111.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.50 A$16.02

$13.08 CA$18.11

-12.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 A$4.74

$2.47 CA$3.42

37.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 A$4.86

$3.01 CA$4.16

15.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 A$4.56

$2.56 CA$3.55

27.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 A$90.5

$86.2 CA$119

-24.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 A$9.26

$3.58 CA$4.96

85.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 A$4.44

$1.21 CA$1.68

163.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.95 A$47.31

$24.51 CA$33.94

38.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 A$1.53

$1.15 CA$1.60

-4.35%

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

$22.8K A$31.8K

$25.0K CA$34.6K

-8.64%

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

$19.1K A$26.7K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

-8.58%

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

$149 A$207

$150 CA$208

-0.84%

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

$37.35 A$52.1

$38.86 CA$53.8

-3.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 A$81.6

$53.0 CA$73.3

10.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.65 A$53.9

$36.45 CA$50.5

6.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 A$22.23

$21.88 CA$30.29

-27.10%

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 A$18.45

$11.73 CA$16.24

12.87%

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

$1,636 A$2,280

$644 CA$892

153.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.6K

$22.4K CA$31.0K

-46.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.6 A$116

$56.6 CA$78.4

47.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 A$92.8

$34.04 CA$47.14

95.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$141

$97.3 CA$135

4.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 A$194

$120 CA$167

15.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 A$1,714

$1,346 CA$1,864

-8.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 A$1,548

$1,306 CA$1,808

-14.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 A$2,769

$2,056 CA$2,846

-3.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 A$2,601

$1,970 CA$2,728

-5.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,707 A$9,347

$2,754 CA$3,813

143.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,132 A$7,151

$2,768 CA$3,833

85.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,549 A$6,338

$2,916 CA$4,037

55.99%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,230 in Cairns versus $1,346 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 56% 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 $75.0 in Hamilton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $343 – 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 $3,476 per month in Cairns and $3,760 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 $75.0 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 $2,317, than in Hamilton at $2,507. 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 $2,317 versus $2,507 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.