Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Coquitlam Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Coquitlam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,380 in Hamilton versus $2,800 in Coquitlam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,404 in Hamilton versus $3,925 in Coquitlam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Hamilton versus $5,050 in Coquitlam.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 15% less than in Coquitlam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 74% above, Coquitlam 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.04 CA$25.07

$16.79 CA$23.34

7.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 CA$91.5

$71.2 CA$99.0

-7.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.30 CA$15.71

$10.89 CA$15.13

3.76%

Cappuccino

$3.58 CA$4.97

$4.07 CA$5.66

-12.04%

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

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.17 CA$3.02

2.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.35

$1.70 CA$2.37

-0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 CA$7.10

$5.71 CA$7.94

-10.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 CA$8.57

$6.55 CA$9.11

-5.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$1.43 CA$1.98

63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 CA$3.20

$2.70 CA$3.75

-14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.78 CA$3.87

-1.44%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.62

$3.79 CA$5.27

-12.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 CA$11.00

$10.19 CA$14.17

-22.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 CA$15.07

$13.55 CA$18.83

-20.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 CA$19.38

$20.57 CA$28.60

-32.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.38

$4.19 CA$5.83

-7.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 CA$1.70

$1.39 CA$1.93

-11.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.99

$3.89 CA$5.40

10.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.33

$4.13 CA$5.74

-7.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$1.61 CA$2.23

44.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$2.80 CA$3.89

-41.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.64 CA$3.66

-17.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.94

$1.11 CA$1.55

25.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.79 CA$17.78

$15.52 CA$21.58

-17.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.60 CA$18.91

$12.21 CA$16.97

11.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 CA$3.47

$2.66 CA$3.70

-6.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.78

$2.98 CA$4.14

15.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 CA$3.66

$2.21 CA$3.07

19.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.8 CA$121

$74.2 CA$103

17.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 CA$5.02

$2.73 CA$3.80

32.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.84

$1.36 CA$1.89

-2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.89 CA$33.21

$25.02 CA$34.78

-4.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$1.27 CA$1.77

-9.45%

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

$29.0K CA$40.4K

$26.3K CA$36.6K

10.22%

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

$20.0K CA$27.9K

$19.7K CA$27.3K

1.97%

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

$157 CA$218

$78.3 CA$109

100.32%

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

$43.23 CA$60.1

$35.42 CA$49.23

22.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 CA$71.5

$49.71 CA$69.1

3.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.74 CA$52.5

$21.64 CA$30.08

74.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.50 CA$29.88

$10.61 CA$14.75

102.64%

Cinema Ticket

$10.46 CA$14.54

$10.97 CA$15.25

-4.65%

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

$615 CA$855

$1,102 CA$1,532

-44.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K CA$23.5K

$12.1K CA$16.8K

39.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.21 CA$68.4

$57.3 CA$79.7

-14.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.79 CA$42.80

$34.45 CA$47.89

-10.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$122

$88.1 CA$122

-0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$171

$91.3 CA$127

34.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 CA$1,804

$1,998 CA$2,778

-35.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 CA$1,685

$1,746 CA$2,427

-30.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,106 CA$2,928

$3,662 CA$5,090

-42.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 CA$2,684

$2,658 CA$3,695

-27.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,726 CA$3,789

$6,267 CA$8,712

-56.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,722 CA$3,784

$5,020 CA$6,979

-45.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,906 CA$4,040

$3,057 CA$4,250

-4.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

4.21

9.26%

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

Last update for Hamilton: September 13, 2026

Last update for Coquitlam: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,297 in Hamilton and $1,998 in Coquitlam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquitlam pays 5% 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: $66.0 in Hamilton vs $71.0 in Coquitlam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $371 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 Coquitlam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Coquitlam. 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: $1,297 in Hamilton versus $1,998 in Coquitlam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,380 per month in Hamilton versus $2,800 in Coquitlam – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Hamilton runs roughly 17% less than in Coquitlam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,380 in Hamilton versus $2,800 in Coquitlam, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Coquitlam. 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 Coquitlam, 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 18% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.