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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,583 per month in Cairns vs $2,321 in Hamilton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,813 per month in Cairns vs $3,399 in Hamilton, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,042 per month in Cairns vs $4,477 in Hamilton, rent included.

Cairns costs about 11% more than Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cairns and Hamilton sit above the global median – Cairns by 88%, Hamilton by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 A$25.30

$18.38 CA$25.54

-1.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 A$142

$68.1 CA$94.7

49.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.76 A$17.85

$12.51 CA$17.38

2.00%

Cappuccino

$4.60 A$6.44

$3.56 CA$4.94

29.21%

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

$3.23 A$4.52

$2.20 CA$3.06

46.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 A$3.87

$1.74 CA$2.42

58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 A$9.97

$5.18 CA$7.20

37.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.38 A$11.72

$6.50 CA$9.04

28.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 A$2.76

$2.05 CA$2.85

-3.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.22 CA$3.09

24.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.66

$2.84 CA$3.94

-7.75%

Eggs

$5.44 A$7.61

$3.44 CA$4.78

58.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 A$13.34

$7.57 CA$10.52

26.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.28 A$19.97

$10.40 CA$14.46

37.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 A$21.41

$14.04 CA$19.52

8.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 A$5.72

$3.91 CA$5.44

4.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$1.28 CA$1.78

121.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 A$5.14

$4.27 CA$5.93

-14.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.83 A$8.15

$3.92 CA$5.45

48.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.74

$2.64 CA$3.66

1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 A$3.61

$1.75 CA$2.43

47.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 A$3.99

$2.34 CA$3.26

21.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 A$3.62

$1.46 CA$2.03

77.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.99 A$62.9

$14.22 CA$19.76

216.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.49 A$20.27

$13.06 CA$18.15

10.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 A$4.98

$2.38 CA$3.31

49.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 A$7.71

$4.19 CA$5.82

31.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 A$4.97

$2.74 CA$3.81

29.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.04 A$22.44

$87.7 CA$122

-81.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 A$3.77

$3.50 CA$4.86

-22.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 A$2.77

$1.33 CA$1.85

48.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.74 A$61.2

$23.47 CA$32.62

86.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.71

$1.19 CA$1.65

3.36%

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

$31.4K A$43.9K

$28.9K CA$40.2K

8.49%

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

$42.2K A$59.1K

$20.1K CA$27.9K

110.40%

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

$165 A$231

$151 CA$209

9.81%

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

$35.34 A$49.43

$40.12 CA$55.8

-11.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 A$96.8

$51.2 CA$71.1

35.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.13 A$64.5

$37.62 CA$52.3

22.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.53 A$39.91

$21.56 CA$29.96

32.33%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 A$20.36

$10.27 CA$14.27

41.67%

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

$2,156 A$3,016

$615 CA$855

250.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K A$19.9K

$16.6K CA$23.1K

-14.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.2 A$130

$50.2 CA$69.8

85.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.3 A$102

$34.50 CA$47.94

112.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$174

$91.9 CA$128

35.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$121 CA$168

13.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 A$2,122

$1,320 CA$1,834

14.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 A$1,755

$1,211 CA$1,683

3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,315 A$3,239

$2,063 CA$2,867

12.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,985 A$2,777

$1,928 CA$2,680

2.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,709 A$9,385

$2,814 CA$3,910

138.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,173 A$7,237

$2,808 CA$3,902

84.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,565 A$6,385

$2,912 CA$4,047

56.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

4.6

37.39%

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

Last update for Cairns: August 31, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,517 in Cairns 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 57% higher in Cairns, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Cairns versus $68.0 in Hamilton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 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

Cairns vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cairns costs about 11% more than Hamilton, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,875 per month in Cairns 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 Hamilton, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Cairns, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Cairns 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 Hamilton, where all-in costs run around $2,321, than in Cairns at $2,583. In Hamilton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cairns it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hamilton costs $2,321 versus $2,583 in Cairns. 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 Hamilton. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cairns makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.