Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,507 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,577 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,647 in Hamilton.

Living in Calgary is roughly 1% more expensive than Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Hamilton 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.74

$18.39 CA$25.47

1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.0

$74.6 CA$103

-6.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.17

$10.84 CA$15.02

1.11%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.17

$4.03 CA$5.58

-7.44%

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

$1.99 CA$2.75

$2.10 CA$2.90

-5.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.73 CA$2.39

-0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.94

$5.73 CA$7.94

-12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.01

$6.49 CA$8.99

0.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.23 CA$3.09

-0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.69

$2.11 CA$2.92

26.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.52

$3.00 CA$4.16

8.67%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.64

$3.20 CA$4.43

4.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.07

$7.76 CA$10.74

86.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$17.93

$11.64 CA$16.11

11.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.36

$14.37 CA$19.89

12.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$5.98

$3.86 CA$5.34

11.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.31 CA$1.81

3.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.30

$3.58 CA$4.95

6.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.79

$3.73 CA$5.17

12.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.67

$2.64 CA$3.65

0.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.20 CA$3.04

24.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$2.22 CA$3.08

24.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$2.00 CA$2.77

-2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.74

$13.59 CA$18.82

10.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.31

$13.08 CA$18.11

12.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$2.47 CA$3.42

14.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.56

$3.01 CA$4.16

33.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$2.56 CA$3.55

9.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$119

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$4.99

$3.58 CA$4.96

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$1.21 CA$1.68

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.17

$24.51 CA$33.94

18.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.55

$1.15 CA$1.60

-2.61%

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

$24.9K CA$34.4K

$25.0K CA$34.6K

-0.39%

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

$22.0K CA$30.4K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

4.95%

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

$217 CA$301

$150 CA$208

44.73%

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

$41.55 CA$57.5

$38.86 CA$53.8

6.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.4

$53.0 CA$73.3

9.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$75.8

$36.45 CA$50.5

50.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.1

$21.88 CA$30.29

141.41%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.68

$11.73 CA$16.24

8.87%

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

$874 CA$1,210

$644 CA$892

35.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

$22.4K CA$31.0K

-28.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.5

$56.6 CA$78.4

3.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.4

$34.04 CA$47.14

36.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$97.3 CA$135

-10.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$120 CA$167

-9.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,957

$1,346 CA$1,864

5.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,623

$1,306 CA$1,808

-10.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,211

$2,056 CA$2,846

12.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,612

$1,970 CA$2,728

-4.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,389

$2,754 CA$3,813

41.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,851

$2,768 CA$3,833

26.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,360

$2,916 CA$4,037

8.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.62

-13.75%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 8% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $75.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $343, 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

Calgary vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 8% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamilton – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $2,507 in Hamilton – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,507 in Hamilton versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Hamilton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hamilton is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Calgary, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Hamilton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.