Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,493 in Hamilton versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,584 in Hamilton versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,676 in Hamilton versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 1% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 87% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.13 CA$25.41

$18.33 CA$25.70

-1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$103

$69.9 CA$98.0

4.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.39

$10.95 CA$15.35

0.27%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.68

$3.74 CA$5.24

8.29%

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

$2.10 CA$2.94

$2.04 CA$2.86

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.53

$1.67 CA$2.34

8.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 CA$8.17

$5.20 CA$7.29

12.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.23

$6.71 CA$9.41

-1.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$2.25 CA$3.15

-0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 CA$2.98

$2.75 CA$3.85

-22.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$3.23 CA$4.53

-11.76%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.40

$3.45 CA$4.83

-8.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 CA$10.85

$14.40 CA$20.19

-46.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.21

$12.89 CA$18.07

-10.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.39 CA$20.18

$15.86 CA$22.24

-9.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.48

$4.30 CA$6.02

-9.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.34 CA$1.88

-2.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$4.97

$3.85 CA$5.40

-7.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.47

$4.25 CA$5.97

-8.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.67

$2.55 CA$3.57

2.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.07

$2.62 CA$3.68

-16.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$2.80 CA$3.92

-21.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CA$2.80

$1.95 CA$2.73

2.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.47 CA$18.88

$14.97 CA$20.99

-10.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.71

$13.90 CA$19.49

-9.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.38

$2.92 CA$4.10

-17.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$3.91 CA$5.48

-21.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$2.74 CA$3.84

-4.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 CA$123

$87.8 CA$123

-0.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 CA$4.96

$3.60 CA$5.04

-1.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$1.30 CA$1.82

-6.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.62 CA$33.12

$28.70 CA$40.24

-17.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.12 CA$1.57

1.79%

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

$25.4K CA$35.6K

$25.5K CA$35.7K

-0.37%

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

$20.4K CA$28.6K

$21.7K CA$30.5K

-6.12%

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

$155 CA$218

$213 CA$299

-27.04%

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

$40.11 CA$56.2

$40.96 CA$57.4

-2.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$71.7

$57.9 CA$81.2

-11.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 CA$51.6

$54.2 CA$76.0

-32.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.40 CA$31.40

$53.8 CA$75.4

-58.33%

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 CA$16.22

$12.63 CA$17.71

-8.39%

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

$643 CA$901

$874 CA$1,226

-26.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K CA$30.4K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

36.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 CA$78.5

$58.6 CA$82.2

-4.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.71 CA$47.26

$47.01 CA$65.9

-28.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 CA$136

$85.1 CA$119

13.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$170

$108 CA$151

12.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 CA$1,895

$1,380 CA$1,935

-2.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 CA$1,778

$1,159 CA$1,625

9.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CA$2,785

$2,324 CA$3,259

-14.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 CA$2,835

$1,905 CA$2,670

6.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 CA$3,800

$3,786 CA$5,308

-28.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,749 CA$3,854

$3,511 CA$4,922

-21.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,871 CA$4,025

$2,940 CA$4,121

-2.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

5.71

15.94%

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

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,352 in Hamilton and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $73.0 in Hamilton vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $341 vs $396, 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

Hamilton vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Calgary. 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: $1,352 in Hamilton versus $1,380 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $73.0 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,493 per month in Hamilton versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,493 in Hamilton, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Calgary 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.