Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Charlottetown Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Charlottetown

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,507 per month in Hamilton vs $2,036 in Charlottetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,577 per month in Hamilton vs $3,020 in Charlottetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,647 per month in Hamilton vs $4,004 in Charlottetown, rent included.

Hamilton costs about 23% more than Charlottetown, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Hamilton and Charlottetown sit above the global median – Hamilton by 87%, Charlottetown by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 CA$25.47

$14.64 CA$20.27

25.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 CA$103

$60.8 CA$84.2

22.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.02

$8.67 CA$12.01

25.03%

Cappuccino

$4.03 CA$5.58

$3.80 CA$5.26

6.05%

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

$2.10 CA$2.90

$1.75 CA$2.43

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$1.33 CA$1.84

30.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 CA$7.94

$5.91 CA$8.18

-3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.49 CA$8.99

$5.91 CA$8.18

9.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$2.05 CA$2.83

8.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$2.91 CA$4.03

-27.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.16

$4.19 CA$5.80

-28.40%

Eggs

$3.20 CA$4.43

$4.15 CA$5.75

-22.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 CA$10.74

$12.62 CA$17.47

-38.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 CA$16.11

$14.38 CA$19.91

-19.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 CA$19.89

$16.29 CA$22.55

-11.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.34

$3.95 CA$5.46

-2.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.81

$1.58 CA$2.19

-17.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 CA$4.95

$3.80 CA$5.26

-5.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.17

$5.44 CA$7.53

-31.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.05 CA$2.83

28.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.04

$2.12 CA$2.94

3.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.79 CA$3.86

-20.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.77

$1.93 CA$2.67

3.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.59 CA$18.82

$18.58 CA$25.73

-26.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 CA$18.11

$14.12 CA$19.55

-7.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.42

$3.36 CA$4.65

-26.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$3.33 CA$4.61

-9.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 CA$3.55

$1.45 CA$2.01

76.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$119

$14.44 CA$19.99

496.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 CA$4.96

$7.88 CA$10.91

-54.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$2.04 CA$2.82

-40.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.51 CA$33.94

$29.80 CA$41.26

-17.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$1.25 CA$1.73

-8.00%

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

$25.0K CA$34.6K

$25.3K CA$35.1K

-1.48%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

-0.03%

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

$150 CA$208

$130 CA$180

15.18%

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

$38.86 CA$53.8

$37.29 CA$51.6

4.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 CA$73.3

$83.1 CA$115

-36.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 CA$50.5

$56.4 CA$78.2

-35.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 CA$30.29

$14.63 CA$20.26

49.56%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 CA$16.24

$11.22 CA$15.54

4.55%

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

$644 CA$892

$163 CA$226

294.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K CA$31.0K

$11.7K CA$16.2K

90.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 CA$78.4

$41.17 CA$57.0

37.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.04 CA$47.14

$34.55 CA$47.84

-1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 CA$135

$87.7 CA$121

10.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 CA$167

$140 CA$194

-13.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 CA$1,864

$1,095 CA$1,516

22.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 CA$1,808

$877 CA$1,215

48.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 CA$2,846

$1,709 CA$2,366

20.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 CA$2,728

$1,405 CA$1,945

40.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,754 CA$3,813

$3,295 CA$4,562

-16.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 CA$3,833

$2,011 CA$2,785

37.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,916 CA$4,037

$2,443 CA$3,382

19.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.46

2.48%

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

Last update for Hamilton: May 30, 2026

Last update for Charlottetown: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,346 in Hamilton versus $1,095 in Charlottetown. 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 19% higher in Hamilton, 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 $75.0 in Hamilton versus $61.0 in Charlottetown. Groceries tell a different story – $343 in Hamilton vs $409 in Charlottetown – so Hamilton wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Charlottetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton costs about 23% more than Charlottetown, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,760 per month in Hamilton and $3,055 in Charlottetown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,507 in Hamilton and $2,036 in Charlottetown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 497% less in Charlottetown. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Charlottetown, where all-in costs run around $2,036, than in Hamilton at $2,507. In Charlottetown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamilton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Charlottetown costs $2,036 versus $2,507 in Hamilton. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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