Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Cairns

For one person, living is cheaper in Hamilton: $2,253 a month against $2,501 in Cairns, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

110

Cost of Living Index in Hamilton
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Hamilton Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Cairns
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Cairns Living Index

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Hamilton

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,253

/mo nomad

Cairns

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,501

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hamilton and in Cairns

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hamilton and in Cairns actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,253 per month in Hamilton vs $2,501 in Cairns, rent included.

Hamilton $2,253
Cairns $2,501

A couple spends around $3,331 per month in Hamilton vs $3,716 in Cairns, rent included.

Hamilton $3,331
Cairns $3,716

A family of three spends $4,408 per month in Hamilton vs $4,931 in Cairns, rent included.

Hamilton $4,408
Cairns $4,931

Hamilton is about 10% cheaper than Cairns, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hamilton and Cairns sit above the global median – Hamilton by 67%, Cairns by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.21 CA$24.33

$17.37 A$25.00

-0.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 CA$92.8

$95.6 A$138

-31.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 CA$16.77

$12.62 A$18.15

-5.94%

Cappuccino

$3.37 CA$4.77

$4.23 A$6.08

-20.33%

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

$2.22 CA$3.14

$3.27 A$4.70

-32.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.39

$2.75 A$3.95

-38.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 CA$7.05

$7.13 A$10.25

-30.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 CA$8.52

$8.39 A$12.07

-28.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 CA$2.67

$1.83 A$2.64

3.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 CA$2.99

$2.69 A$3.87

-21.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 CA$4.43

$2.52 A$3.62

24.21%

Eggs

$3.33 CA$4.70

$5.33 A$7.68

-37.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 CA$11.13

$9.06 A$13.04

-13.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.30 CA$15.98

$13.54 A$19.49

-16.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 CA$20.13

$14.90 A$21.44

-4.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.38

$4.18 A$6.02

-8.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.79

$2.84 A$4.09

-55.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.63

$3.70 A$5.32

7.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.40

$5.91 A$8.50

-35.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.83

$2.46 A$3.54

10.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.69

$2.57 A$3.70

-25.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 CA$2.75

$2.84 A$4.09

-31.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CA$1.88

$2.51 A$3.61

-47.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 CA$17.65

$44.51 A$64.1

-71.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.95 CA$19.72

$13.87 A$19.95

0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 CA$3.74

$3.65 A$5.25

-27.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 CA$5.33

$5.25 A$7.55

-28.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 CA$3.62

$3.56 A$5.13

-28.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.1 CA$119

$15.08 A$21.70

457.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 CA$4.76

$2.51 A$3.61

33.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 CA$1.82

$1.97 A$2.83

-35.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.24 CA$32.85

$41.45 A$59.7

-43.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.71

$1.23 A$1.77

-1.63%

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

$27.6K CA$39.1K

$30.8K A$44.3K

-10.27%

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

$19.6K CA$27.7K

$40.7K A$58.6K

-51.86%

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

$152 CA$214

$165 A$238

-8.35%

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

$41.21 CA$58.3

$34.27 A$49.32

20.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 CA$70.9

$64.9 A$93.4

-22.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.85 CA$52.1

$43.80 A$63.0

-15.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.62 CA$24.91

$27.43 A$39.48

-35.76%

Cinema Ticket

$10.23 CA$14.46

$13.75 A$19.79

-25.60%

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

$600 CA$848

$2,100 A$3,022

-71.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.4K

$14.1K A$20.3K

17.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.93 CA$67.8

$90.4 A$130

-46.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.45 CA$43.05

$71.4 A$103

-57.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 CA$118

$124 A$179

-32.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$161

$130 A$187

-12.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 CA$1,769

$1,439 A$2,071

-13.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 CA$1,588

$1,223 A$1,760

-8.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 CA$2,887

$2,270 A$3,267

-10.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,873 CA$2,647

$1,940 A$2,791

-3.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,695 CA$3,810

$6,429 A$9,251

-58.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,668 CA$3,771

$4,919 A$7,078

-45.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,860 CA$4,044

$4,424 A$6,366

-35.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

6.32

-27.22%

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

Last update for Hamilton: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cairns: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Hamilton

$1.1K 49.9%

Cairns

$1.2K 48.9% 8.9% $100

Groceries & Markets

Hamilton

$335 14.9%

Cairns

$409 16.4% 22.2% $74

Eating Out

Hamilton

$266 11.8%

Cairns

$304 12.2% 14.1% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hamilton

$243 10.8%

Cairns

$265 10.6% 8.9% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Hamilton

$124 5.5%

Cairns

$187 7.5% 50.6% $63

Getting Around

Hamilton

$104 4.6%

Cairns

$42 1.7% 60% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Hamilton

$57 2.5%

Cairns

$71 2.9% 24.5% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,251 in Hamilton versus $1,439 in Cairns. 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 55% higher in Cairns, 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 $66.0 in Hamilton versus $96.0 in Cairns. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $409 – making Hamilton the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Hamilton

🇦🇺 Cairns

🕒 Local time

12:40 12:40 PM

02:40 2:40 AM

14 h ahead of Hamilton

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

519,949

153,181

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Hamilton Cairns 14,830 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Hamilton
Cairns

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Hamilton vs Cairns: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cairns costs about 11% more than Hamilton, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,380 per month in Hamilton and $3,751 in Cairns. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hamilton, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Cairns, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Hamilton and $96.0 in Cairns. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Hamilton, where all-in costs run around $2,253, than in Cairns at $2,501. In Hamilton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cairns it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hamilton costs $2,253 versus $2,501 in Cairns. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hamilton. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cairns makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.