Cost of Living Comparison Between Eau Claire, WI and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Eau Claire, WI and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,209 in Eau Claire, WI versus $2,507 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,113 in Eau Claire, WI versus $3,577 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,017 in Eau Claire, WI versus $4,647 in Hamilton.

Living in Eau Claire, WI costs roughly 12% less than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Eau Claire, WI 65% above, Hamilton 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 $14.95

$18.39 CA$25.64

-18.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 $74.4

$74.6 CA$104

-0.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 $9.92

$10.84 CA$15.11

-8.49%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$4.03 CA$5.61

28.29%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.10 CA$2.92

29.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.73 CA$2.41

-12.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.78 $3.78

$5.73 CA$7.99

-34.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 $5.65

$6.49 CA$9.05

-12.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$2.23 CA$3.11

-66.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.11 CA$2.94

57.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$3.00 CA$4.18

72.33%

Eggs

$3.42 $3.42

$3.20 CA$4.46

6.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 $14.00

$7.76 CA$10.82

80.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.35 $13.35

$11.64 CA$16.22

14.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.06 $14.06

$14.37 CA$20.02

-2.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$3.86 CA$5.37

14.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.31 CA$1.83

-18.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$3.58 CA$4.99

65.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$3.73 CA$5.20

28.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.64 CA$3.68

2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.20 CA$3.06

32.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.22 CA$3.10

-33.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.00 CA$2.78

1.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 $10.13

$13.59 CA$18.94

-25.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 $14.82

$13.08 CA$18.23

13.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.47 CA$3.44

-17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 $4.74

$3.01 CA$4.19

57.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.56 CA$3.57

-16.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.6 $50.6

$86.2 CA$120

-41.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 $4.46

$3.58 CA$4.99

24.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.21 CA$1.69

78.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.29 $42.29

$24.51 CA$34.16

72.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.15 CA$1.61

-28.70%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$25.0K CA$34.8K

1.52%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$20.9K CA$29.2K

21.23%

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

$213 $213

$150 CA$209

41.91%

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

$46.74 $46.74

$38.86 CA$54.2

20.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$53.0 CA$73.8

36.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.50 $45.50

$36.45 CA$50.8

24.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.31 $20.31

$21.88 CA$30.49

-7.18%

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 $10.57

$11.73 CA$16.35

-9.89%

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

$1,016 $1,016

$644 CA$898

57.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$22.4K CA$31.2K

11.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.83 $45.83

$56.6 CA$78.9

-19.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.96 $29.96

$34.04 CA$47.45

-11.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$97.3 CA$136

4.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 $91.2

$120 CA$168

-24.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 $1,050

$1,346 CA$1,876

-22.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 $928

$1,306 CA$1,820

-28.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 $1,561

$2,056 CA$2,865

-24.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 $1,247

$1,970 CA$2,746

-36.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 $1,974

$2,754 CA$3,838

-28.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,001 $2,001

$2,768 CA$3,858

-27.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,861 $3,861

$2,916 CA$4,064

32.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.62

-2.57%

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

Last update for Eau Claire, WI: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,050 in Eau Claire, WI and $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Eau Claire, WI pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Eau Claire, WI vs $75.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 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

Eau Claire, WI vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eau Claire, WI is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Eau Claire, WI pays 32% 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: $1,050 in Eau Claire, WI versus $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Hamilton pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Eau Claire, WI – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $75.0 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,209 in Eau Claire, WI versus $2,507 in Hamilton, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Eau Claire, WI but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Eau Claire, WI the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Eau Claire, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.