Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquitlam and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquitlam and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,949 in Coquitlam versus $2,507 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,123 in Coquitlam versus $3,577 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,297 in Coquitlam versus $4,647 in Hamilton.

Living in Coquitlam is roughly 18% more expensive than Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Coquitlam 120% above, Hamilton 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.48 CA$20.14

$18.39 CA$25.58

-21.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 CA$71.3

$74.6 CA$104

-31.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 CA$14.45

$10.84 CA$15.08

-4.15%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.14

$4.03 CA$5.60

-8.44%

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

$1.97 CA$2.74

$2.10 CA$2.92

-6.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 CA$2.92

$1.73 CA$2.40

21.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.26

$5.73 CA$7.97

-8.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 CA$8.06

$6.49 CA$9.03

-10.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$2.23 CA$3.10

-35.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 CA$4.16

$2.11 CA$2.93

41.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$3.00 CA$4.18

-25.00%

Eggs

$3.98 CA$5.53

$3.20 CA$4.45

24.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CA$14.62

$7.76 CA$10.79

35.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.67

$11.64 CA$16.18

40.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.44 CA$20.08

$14.37 CA$19.98

0.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 CA$6.32

$3.86 CA$5.36

17.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.31 CA$1.82

9.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.07

$3.58 CA$4.98

41.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.35

$3.73 CA$5.19

22.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.23

$2.64 CA$3.67

-39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CA$2.46

$2.20 CA$3.05

-19.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.98 CA$4.14

$2.22 CA$3.09

34.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$2.00 CA$2.78

-45.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.11 CA$19.62

$13.59 CA$18.90

3.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 CA$17.29

$13.08 CA$18.19

-4.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 CA$5.42

$2.47 CA$3.44

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.26

$3.01 CA$4.18

-22.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$2.56 CA$3.56

-8.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 CA$108

$86.2 CA$120

-9.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$3.58 CA$4.98

-22.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.19

$1.21 CA$1.69

29.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.93 CA$34.67

$24.51 CA$34.09

1.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.15 CA$1.60

19.13%

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

$24.5K CA$34.1K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

-1.67%

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

$20.1K CA$27.9K

$20.9K CA$29.1K

-4.07%

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

$132 CA$184

$150 CA$209

-11.75%

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

$36.68 CA$51.0

$38.86 CA$54.1

-5.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 CA$84.7

$53.0 CA$73.7

15.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.85 CA$38.73

$36.45 CA$50.7

-23.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$21.88 CA$30.42

-49.04%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 CA$15.58

$11.73 CA$16.32

-4.52%

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

$1,230 CA$1,710

$644 CA$896

90.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K CA$17.2K

$22.4K CA$31.1K

-44.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 CA$98.3

$56.6 CA$78.7

24.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 CA$63.5

$34.04 CA$47.34

34.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 CA$132

$97.3 CA$135

-2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$159

$120 CA$168

-4.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 CA$2,859

$1,346 CA$1,872

52.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,817 CA$2,527

$1,306 CA$1,816

39.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,665 CA$5,097

$2,056 CA$2,859

78.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 CA$3,727

$1,970 CA$2,740

36.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,103 CA$8,487

$2,754 CA$3,830

121.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,152 CA$7,165

$2,768 CA$3,850

86.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,140 CA$4,367

$2,916 CA$4,055

7.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

6.62

-0.15%

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

Last update for Coquitlam: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,055 in Coquitlam and $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquitlam 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: $51.0 in Coquitlam vs $75.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $382 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

Coquitlam vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Coquitlam 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: $2,055 in Coquitlam versus $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,949 per month in Coquitlam versus $2,507 in Hamilton – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Hamilton runs roughly 11% less than in Coquitlam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,507 in Hamilton versus $2,949 in Coquitlam, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Coquitlam. 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 Coquitlam, 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 18% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.