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: $2,815 in Coquitlam versus $2,321 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,041 in Coquitlam versus $3,399 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,267 in Coquitlam versus $4,477 in Hamilton.

Living in Coquitlam is roughly 21% more expensive than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Coquitlam 105% above, Hamilton 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 CA$22.54

$18.38 CA$25.35

-11.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$98.2

$68.1 CA$93.9

4.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 CA$14.65

$12.51 CA$17.25

-15.11%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.42

$3.56 CA$4.90

10.39%

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

$2.20 CA$3.04

$2.20 CA$3.03

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$1.74 CA$2.40

-0.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 CA$8.11

$5.18 CA$7.14

13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 CA$8.82

$6.50 CA$8.97

-1.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 CA$2.04

$2.05 CA$2.83

-27.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.72

$2.22 CA$3.07

21.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.73

$2.84 CA$3.91

-4.93%

Eggs

$3.87 CA$5.34

$3.44 CA$4.75

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 CA$14.04

$7.57 CA$10.44

34.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.80 CA$19.03

$10.40 CA$14.35

32.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.50 CA$28.27

$14.04 CA$19.37

46.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.02

$3.91 CA$5.40

11.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.94

$1.28 CA$1.76

10.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.61

$4.27 CA$5.88

-4.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.53

$3.92 CA$5.41

2.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 CA$2.16

$2.64 CA$3.64

-40.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.09

$1.75 CA$2.41

69.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 CA$3.76

$2.34 CA$3.23

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CA$1.47

$1.46 CA$2.02

-27.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.96 CA$22.00

$14.22 CA$19.61

12.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.22 CA$16.86

$13.06 CA$18.01

-6.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.38 CA$3.29

10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.21

$4.19 CA$5.78

-27.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.20

$2.74 CA$3.78

-15.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.9 CA$106

$87.7 CA$121

-12.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 CA$3.75

$3.50 CA$4.82

-22.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.90

$1.33 CA$1.83

3.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.00 CA$34.48

$23.47 CA$32.37

6.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.79

$1.19 CA$1.64

9.24%

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

$26.4K CA$36.4K

$28.9K CA$39.9K

-8.64%

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

$19.0K CA$26.2K

$20.1K CA$27.7K

-5.23%

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

$77.7 CA$107

$151 CA$208

-48.43%

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

$36.08 CA$49.75

$40.12 CA$55.3

-10.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$70.5

$51.2 CA$70.5

-0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.28 CA$29.34

$37.62 CA$51.9

-43.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.04 CA$15.22

$21.56 CA$29.73

-48.79%

Cinema Ticket

$10.64 CA$14.68

$10.27 CA$14.16

3.60%

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

$1,132 CA$1,561

$615 CA$849

83.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$16.6K

$16.6K CA$22.9K

-27.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 CA$84.3

$50.2 CA$69.3

21.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.22 CA$49.95

$34.50 CA$47.58

4.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 CA$125

$91.9 CA$127

-1.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.7 CA$135

$121 CA$167

-19.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,957 CA$2,698

$1,320 CA$1,820

48.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 CA$2,485

$1,211 CA$1,670

48.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 CA$4,878

$2,063 CA$2,845

71.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,650 CA$3,655

$1,928 CA$2,659

37.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,121 CA$8,440

$2,814 CA$3,880

117.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,989 CA$6,880

$2,808 CA$3,872

77.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,058 CA$4,216

$2,912 CA$4,016

4.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

4.6

-8.04%

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

Last update for Coquitlam: August 29, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,957 in Coquitlam and $1,320 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquitlam pays 5% 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: $71.0 in Coquitlam vs $68.0 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $333 per month, with Hamilton cheaper across the board.

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. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Coquitlam, 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: $1,957 in Coquitlam versus $1,320 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,815 per month in Coquitlam versus $2,321 in Hamilton – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Hamilton runs roughly 14% less than in Coquitlam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,321 in Hamilton versus $2,815 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 21% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.