Cost of Living Comparison Between Genk and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Genk and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,879 in Genk versus $2,398 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,871 in Genk versus $3,483 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,863 in Genk versus $4,568 in Hamilton.

Living in Genk costs roughly 22% less than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Genk 36% above, Hamilton 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.06 €19.88

$18.42 CA$25.54

25.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.2 €79.5

$68.6 CA$95.1

34.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.22 €12.26

$12.07 CA$16.74

17.81%

Cappuccino

$4.25 €3.66

$3.46 CA$4.80

22.83%

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

$2.63 €2.27

$2.23 CA$3.09

17.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.78 CA$2.46

33.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.75 €4.09

$5.21 CA$7.22

-8.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 €3.54

$6.28 CA$8.70

-34.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 €0.88

$2.03 CA$2.82

-49.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 €2.44

$2.31 CA$3.20

22.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 €1.93

$2.93 CA$4.06

-23.55%

Eggs

$3.79 €3.27

$3.48 CA$4.82

8.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.17 €7.91

$7.40 CA$10.27

23.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 €6.62

$10.74 CA$14.90

-28.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 €10.20

$14.23 CA$19.73

-16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 €2.16

$3.82 CA$5.30

-34.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 €2.18

$1.30 CA$1.80

94.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 €2.31

$4.16 CA$5.76

-35.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.18 €2.74

$4.06 CA$5.64

-21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.67 CA$3.70

-7.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.78 CA$2.47

14.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 €1.37

$2.25 CA$3.11

-29.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.46 CA$2.02

-28.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.33 €11.50

$14.48 CA$20.07

-7.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 €6.66

$12.96 CA$17.98

-40.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.34 CA$3.25

-26.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.99

$4.14 CA$5.74

-72.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.43 €2.96

$2.69 CA$3.73

27.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.5 €50.4

$86.3 CA$120

-32.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 €4.99

$3.59 CA$4.98

61.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.29 CA$1.79

113.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.31 €39.94

$24.16 CA$33.51

91.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.21 CA$1.68

62.81%

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

$23.1K €19.9K

$28.5K CA$39.6K

-19.09%

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

$28.3K €24.4K

$19.9K CA$27.6K

41.95%

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

$175 €151

$151 CA$210

15.82%

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

$20.95 €18.06

$39.74 CA$55.1

-47.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.79 €36.90

$51.4 CA$71.3

-16.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.93 €33.57

$38.31 CA$53.1

1.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.59 €25.52

$21.29 CA$29.53

38.99%

Cinema Ticket

$15.87 €13.69

$10.37 CA$14.39

53.04%

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

$287 €248

$633 CA$878

-54.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.2K €30.3K

$17.0K CA$23.6K

107.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 €97.9

$48.71 CA$67.6

133.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.76 €41.18

$34.89 CA$48.38

36.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 €69.4

$92.1 CA$128

-12.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.4

$124 CA$172

-12.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 €840

$1,302 CA$1,806

-25.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 €624

$1,196 CA$1,659

-39.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 €1,170

$2,138 CA$2,965

-36.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 €968

$1,923 CA$2,667

-41.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,716 €2,342

$2,835 CA$3,932

-4.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,984 €1,711

$2,766 CA$3,835

-28.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,038

$2,964 CA$4,111

-20.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

4.6

-24.78%

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

Last update for Genk: September 7, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $975 in Genk and $1,302 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 25% 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: $92.0 in Genk vs $69.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $335, with Genk 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

Genk vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Genk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Hamilton. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $975 in Genk versus $1,302 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Hamilton. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Genk – a meal for two runs $92.0 versus $69.0 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,879 in Genk versus $2,398 in Hamilton, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Genk but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Genk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Genk 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.

Safety-wise, Genk and Hamilton are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Genk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.