Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlottetown and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlottetown and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,036 per month in Charlottetown vs $2,507 in Hamilton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,020 per month in Charlottetown vs $3,577 in Hamilton, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,004 per month in Charlottetown vs $4,647 in Hamilton, rent included.

Charlottetown is about 19% cheaper than Hamilton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Charlottetown and Hamilton sit above the global median – Charlottetown by 52%, Hamilton by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.64 CA$20.27

$18.39 CA$25.47

-20.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 CA$84.2

$74.6 CA$103

-18.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.67 CA$12.01

$10.84 CA$15.02

-20.02%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.26

$4.03 CA$5.58

-5.71%

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

$1.75 CA$2.43

$2.10 CA$2.90

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 CA$1.84

$1.73 CA$2.39

-23.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.18

$5.73 CA$7.94

3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 CA$8.18

$6.49 CA$8.99

-8.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.83

$2.23 CA$3.09

-8.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 CA$4.03

$2.11 CA$2.92

37.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.19 CA$5.80

$3.00 CA$4.16

39.67%

Eggs

$4.15 CA$5.75

$3.20 CA$4.43

29.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.62 CA$17.47

$7.76 CA$10.74

62.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.38 CA$19.91

$11.64 CA$16.11

23.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.29 CA$22.55

$14.37 CA$19.89

13.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.46

$3.86 CA$5.34

2.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 CA$2.19

$1.31 CA$1.81

20.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.80 CA$5.26

$3.58 CA$4.95

6.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.53

$3.73 CA$5.17

45.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 CA$2.83

$2.64 CA$3.65

-22.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 CA$2.94

$2.20 CA$3.04

-3.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 CA$3.86

$2.22 CA$3.08

25.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$2.00 CA$2.77

-3.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.58 CA$25.73

$13.59 CA$18.82

36.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 CA$19.55

$13.08 CA$18.11

7.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 CA$4.65

$2.47 CA$3.42

36.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CA$4.61

$3.01 CA$4.16

10.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$2.56 CA$3.55

-43.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 CA$19.99

$86.2 CA$119

-83.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 CA$10.91

$3.58 CA$4.96

120.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 CA$2.82

$1.21 CA$1.68

68.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.80 CA$41.26

$24.51 CA$33.94

21.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.15 CA$1.60

8.70%

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

$25.3K CA$35.1K

$25.0K CA$34.6K

1.50%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

0.03%

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

$130 CA$180

$150 CA$208

-13.18%

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

$37.29 CA$51.6

$38.86 CA$53.8

-4.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.1 CA$115

$53.0 CA$73.3

56.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 CA$78.2

$36.45 CA$50.5

54.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.63 CA$20.26

$21.88 CA$30.29

-33.14%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 CA$15.54

$11.73 CA$16.24

-4.35%

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

$163 CA$226

$644 CA$892

-74.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.2K

$22.4K CA$31.0K

-47.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.17 CA$57.0

$56.6 CA$78.4

-27.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.55 CA$47.84

$34.04 CA$47.14

1.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 CA$121

$97.3 CA$135

-9.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 CA$194

$120 CA$167

16.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 CA$1,516

$1,346 CA$1,864

-18.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$877 CA$1,215

$1,306 CA$1,808

-32.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 CA$2,366

$2,056 CA$2,846

-16.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 CA$1,945

$1,970 CA$2,728

-28.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,295 CA$4,562

$2,754 CA$3,813

19.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,011 CA$2,785

$2,768 CA$3,833

-27.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,443 CA$3,382

$2,916 CA$4,037

-16.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

6.62

-2.42%

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

Last update for Charlottetown: May 30, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,095 in Charlottetown 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 19% higher in Hamilton, 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 $61.0 in Charlottetown versus $75.0 in Hamilton. Groceries tell a different story – $409 in Charlottetown vs $343 in Hamilton – so Hamilton wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Charlottetown vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton costs about 23% more than Charlottetown, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,055 per month in Charlottetown 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 Charlottetown, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,036 in Charlottetown and $2,507 in Hamilton. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 497% less in Charlottetown. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Charlottetown, where all-in costs run around $2,036, than in Hamilton at $2,507. In Charlottetown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamilton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Charlottetown costs $2,036 versus $2,507 in Hamilton. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Charlottetown. 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.