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: $2,321 in Hamilton versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,399 in Hamilton versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,477 in Hamilton versus $4,622 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 69% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.38 CA$25.54

$17.94 CA$24.93

2.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 CA$94.7

$70.5 CA$98.0

-3.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.51 CA$17.38

$10.69 CA$14.85

17.03%

Cappuccino

$3.56 CA$4.94

$3.79 CA$5.26

-6.07%

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

$2.20 CA$3.06

$2.00 CA$2.78

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$1.98 CA$2.74

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.18 CA$7.20

$5.19 CA$7.21

-0.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.04

$5.86 CA$8.14

10.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.85

$1.95 CA$2.72

5.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.82 CA$3.92

-21.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$5.61 CA$7.80

-49.38%

Eggs

$3.44 CA$4.78

$3.75 CA$5.21

-8.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 CA$10.52

$11.50 CA$15.98

-34.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 CA$14.46

$11.46 CA$15.93

-9.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 CA$19.52

$18.95 CA$26.34

-25.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.44

$4.83 CA$6.72

-19.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.37 CA$1.90

-6.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.93

$4.25 CA$5.90

0.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.45

$4.15 CA$5.77

-5.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.70 CA$3.76

-2.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 CA$2.43

$2.83 CA$3.93

-38.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.26

$2.64 CA$3.66

-11.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.51 CA$2.10

-3.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.22 CA$19.76

$14.60 CA$20.29

-2.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.15

$15.76 CA$21.90

-17.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 CA$3.31

$2.60 CA$3.61

-8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CA$5.82

$3.08 CA$4.28

36.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.93 CA$4.07

-6.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 CA$122

$89.3 CA$124

-1.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 CA$4.86

$3.32 CA$4.61

5.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 CA$1.85

$1.43 CA$1.99

-6.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 CA$32.62

$27.71 CA$38.50

-15.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.65

$1.26 CA$1.75

-5.56%

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

$28.9K CA$40.2K

-0.11%

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

$20.1K CA$27.9K

$21.3K CA$29.7K

-5.97%

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

$151 CA$209

$183 CA$254

-17.63%

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

$40.12 CA$55.8

$38.31 CA$53.2

4.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$71.1

$51.7 CA$71.8

-1.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 CA$52.3

$54.9 CA$76.2

-31.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 CA$29.96

$18.66 CA$25.93

15.54%

Cinema Ticket

$10.27 CA$14.27

$14.26 CA$19.81

-27.98%

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

$615 CA$855

$828 CA$1,151

-25.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.1K

$15.9K CA$22.1K

4.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 CA$69.8

$59.6 CA$82.8

-15.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.50 CA$47.94

$39.47 CA$54.9

-12.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$128

$94.3 CA$131

-2.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$168

$113 CA$157

7.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 CA$1,834

$1,265 CA$1,758

4.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,683

$1,051 CA$1,461

15.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 CA$2,867

$1,934 CA$2,688

6.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 CA$2,680

$1,700 CA$2,362

13.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,814 CA$3,910

$3,680 CA$5,114

-23.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,808 CA$3,902

$3,333 CA$4,632

-15.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,912 CA$4,047

$3,276 CA$4,553

-11.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

4.4

4.55%

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

Last update for Hamilton: August 29, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,320 in Hamilton and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 12% 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: $68.0 in Hamilton vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $397 per month, with Hamilton cheaper across the board.

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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $1,320 in Hamilton versus $1,265 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 $68.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,321 per month in Hamilton versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,321 in Hamilton versus $2,353 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.