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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,072 per month in Charlottetown vs $2,493 in Hamilton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,009 per month in Charlottetown vs $3,584 in Hamilton, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,946 per month in Charlottetown vs $4,676 in Hamilton, rent included.

Charlottetown is about 17% cheaper than Hamilton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Charlottetown and Hamilton sit above the global median – Charlottetown by 55%, Hamilton by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.85 CA$20.82

$18.13 CA$25.41

-18.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 CA$83.9

$73.3 CA$103

-18.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 CA$12.74

$10.98 CA$15.39

-17.21%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.40

$4.05 CA$5.67

-4.94%

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

$1.68 CA$2.36

$2.10 CA$2.94

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.81 CA$2.53

-26.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$5.83 CA$8.17

1.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 CA$8.16

$6.58 CA$9.23

-11.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.84

$2.23 CA$3.13

-8.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 CA$3.93

$2.12 CA$2.98

32.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$2.85 CA$4.00

44.21%

Eggs

$4.14 CA$5.80

$3.14 CA$4.40

31.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 CA$17.91

$7.74 CA$10.84

64.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.46 CA$20.27

$11.56 CA$16.21

25.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.38 CA$22.96

$14.39 CA$20.17

13.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.67

$3.91 CA$5.48

3.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 CA$2.22

$1.30 CA$1.82

21.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.25

$3.55 CA$4.97

5.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.53 CA$7.75

$3.90 CA$5.47

41.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 CA$2.89

$2.62 CA$3.67

-21.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.10

$2.19 CA$3.07

0.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 CA$3.90

$2.21 CA$3.09

26.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CA$2.74

$1.99 CA$2.79

-1.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.19 CA$25.50

$13.47 CA$18.88

35.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 CA$19.26

$12.63 CA$17.70

8.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 CA$4.71

$2.41 CA$3.38

39.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CA$4.66

$3.07 CA$4.31

8.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$2.62 CA$3.68

-44.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.50 CA$20.33

$87.4 CA$123

-83.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 CA$10.71

$3.54 CA$4.96

115.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 CA$2.84

$1.22 CA$1.71

66.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.73 CA$41.67

$23.62 CA$33.12

25.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.74

$1.14 CA$1.60

8.77%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$25.4K CA$35.6K

-0.45%

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

$21.1K CA$29.6K

$20.4K CA$28.6K

3.33%

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

$130 CA$183

$155 CA$218

-16.19%

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

$38.04 CA$53.3

$40.11 CA$56.2

-5.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.6 CA$117

$51.2 CA$71.7

63.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 CA$77.7

$36.80 CA$51.6

50.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.67 CA$20.57

$22.40 CA$31.39

-34.51%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 CA$15.17

$11.57 CA$16.22

-6.48%

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

$163 CA$228

$643 CA$901

-74.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$21.7K CA$30.4K

-45.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.99 CA$57.5

$56.0 CA$78.4

-26.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.65 CA$49.97

$33.71 CA$47.25

5.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 CA$120

$96.7 CA$136

-11.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 CA$195

$121 CA$170

14.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 CA$1,561

$1,352 CA$1,895

-17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 CA$1,263

$1,268 CA$1,778

-28.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,715 CA$2,404

$1,987 CA$2,785

-13.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 CA$2,032

$2,022 CA$2,835

-28.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,180 CA$4,458

$2,710 CA$3,799

17.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,930 CA$2,706

$2,749 CA$3,854

-29.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,398 CA$3,361

$2,871 CA$4,025

-16.48%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Charlottetown 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 20% 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 $60.0 in Charlottetown versus $73.0 in Hamilton. Groceries tell a different story – $410 in Charlottetown vs $341 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 20% 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 $3,108 per month in Charlottetown 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 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 $2,072 in Charlottetown and $2,493 in Hamilton. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 503% 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 $2,072, than in Hamilton at $2,493. 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 $2,072 versus $2,493 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.