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: $2,507 in Hamilton versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,577 in Hamilton versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,647 in Hamilton versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 1% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 87% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 CA$25.47

$18.59 CA$25.74

-1.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 CA$103

$70.0 CA$97.0

6.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.02

$10.96 CA$15.17

-1.09%

Cappuccino

$4.03 CA$5.58

$3.73 CA$5.17

8.04%

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

$2.10 CA$2.90

$1.99 CA$2.75

5.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$1.72 CA$2.39

0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 CA$7.94

$5.01 CA$6.94

14.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.49 CA$8.99

$6.50 CA$9.01

-0.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$2.22 CA$3.08

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$2.67 CA$3.69

-20.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.16

$3.26 CA$4.52

-7.98%

Eggs

$3.20 CA$4.43

$3.35 CA$4.64

-4.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 CA$10.74

$14.50 CA$20.07

-46.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 CA$16.11

$12.95 CA$17.93

-10.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 CA$19.89

$16.15 CA$22.36

-11.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.34

$4.32 CA$5.98

-10.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.81

$1.35 CA$1.88

-2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 CA$4.95

$3.83 CA$5.30

-6.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.17

$4.18 CA$5.79

-10.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.65 CA$3.67

-0.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.04

$2.74 CA$3.79

-19.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.76 CA$3.82

-19.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.77

$1.95 CA$2.70

2.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.59 CA$18.82

$14.98 CA$20.74

-9.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 CA$18.11

$14.67 CA$20.31

-10.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.42

$2.84 CA$3.94

-13.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$4.02 CA$5.56

-25.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 CA$3.55

$2.80 CA$3.88

-8.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$119

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 CA$4.96

$3.60 CA$4.99

-0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.32 CA$1.82

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.51 CA$33.94

$29.01 CA$40.17

-15.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$1.12 CA$1.55

2.68%

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

$25.0K CA$34.6K

$24.9K CA$34.4K

0.39%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$22.0K CA$30.4K

-4.72%

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

$150 CA$208

$217 CA$301

-30.90%

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

$38.86 CA$53.8

$41.55 CA$57.5

-6.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 CA$73.3

$58.1 CA$80.4

-8.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 CA$50.5

$54.7 CA$75.8

-33.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 CA$30.29

$52.8 CA$73.1

-58.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 CA$16.24

$12.77 CA$17.68

-8.14%

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

$644 CA$892

$874 CA$1,210

-26.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K CA$31.0K

$15.9K CA$22.1K

40.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 CA$78.4

$58.8 CA$81.5

-3.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.04 CA$47.14

$46.47 CA$64.4

-26.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 CA$135

$87.2 CA$121

11.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 CA$167

$109 CA$151

10.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 CA$1,864

$1,414 CA$1,957

-4.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 CA$1,808

$1,172 CA$1,623

11.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 CA$2,846

$2,319 CA$3,211

-11.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 CA$2,728

$1,886 CA$2,612

4.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,754 CA$3,813

$3,892 CA$5,389

-29.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 CA$3,833

$3,503 CA$4,851

-20.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,916 CA$4,037

$3,149 CA$4,360

-7.41%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,346 in Hamilton and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 8% 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: $75.0 in Hamilton vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $343 vs $397, 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

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 8% less. 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: $1,346 in Hamilton versus $1,414 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamilton – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,507 per month in Hamilton versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,507 in Hamilton versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Calgary. 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 Calgary, 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 1% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.