Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Eau Claire, WI Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Eau Claire, WI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,321 in Hamilton versus $2,188 in Eau Claire, WI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,399 in Hamilton versus $3,133 in Eau Claire, WI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,477 in Hamilton versus $4,078 in Eau Claire, WI.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 6% more expensive than in Eau Claire, WI, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 69% above, Eau Claire, WI 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.38 CA$25.43

$18.48 $18.48

-0.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 CA$94.3

$67.4 $67.4

1.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.51 CA$17.31

$9.92 $9.92

26.11%

Cappuccino

$3.56 CA$4.92

$5.43 $5.43

-34.44%

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

$2.20 CA$3.04

$2.86 $2.86

-23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.40

$1.54 $1.54

12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.18 CA$7.17

$4.06 $4.06

27.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.00

$5.82 $5.82

11.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.84

$0.82 $0.82

150.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$3.37 $3.37

-34.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.93

$4.61 $4.61

-38.39%

Eggs

$3.44 CA$4.76

$3.62 $3.62

-4.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 CA$10.48

$12.87 $12.87

-41.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 CA$14.40

$13.79 $13.79

-24.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 CA$19.43

$14.40 $14.40

-2.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.42

$4.87 $4.87

-19.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.77

$1.22 $1.22

4.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.90

$3.38 $3.38

26.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.42

$4.98 $4.98

-21.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.77 $2.77

-4.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 CA$2.42

$3.24 $3.24

-45.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.24

$1.51 $1.51

54.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.34 $2.34

-37.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.22 CA$19.67

$9.80 $9.80

45.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.07

$14.83 $14.83

-11.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 CA$3.30

$2.06 $2.06

15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CA$5.80

$4.54 $4.54

-7.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.15 $2.15

27.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 CA$121

$50.5 $50.5

73.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 CA$4.84

$4.01 $4.01

-12.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 CA$1.84

$2.03 $2.03

-34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 CA$32.48

$43.72 $43.72

-46.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.64

$0.87 $0.87

36.78%

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

$28.9K CA$40.0K

$35.5K $35.5K

-18.57%

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

$20.1K CA$27.8K

$25.3K $25.3K

-20.76%

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

$151 CA$209

$216 $216

-30.21%

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

$40.12 CA$55.5

$47.86 $47.86

-16.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$70.8

$69.2 $69.2

-26.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 CA$52.1

$55.7 $55.7

-32.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 CA$29.83

$19.73 $19.73

9.28%

Cinema Ticket

$10.27 CA$14.21

$11.46 $11.46

-10.38%

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

$615 CA$852

$1,006 $1,006

-38.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$23.4K $23.4K

-29.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 CA$69.5

$48.59 $48.59

3.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.50 CA$47.74

$29.98 $29.98

15.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$127

$109 $109

-15.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$167

$82.4 $82.4

46.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 CA$1,826

$1,032 $1,032

27.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,676

$902 $902

34.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 CA$2,855

$1,872 $1,872

10.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 CA$2,668

$1,252 $1,252

54.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,814 CA$3,893

$1,996 $1,996

41.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,808 CA$3,886

$1,957 $1,957

43.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,912 CA$4,030

$3,862 $3,862

-24.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

6.13

-24.96%

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

Last update for Hamilton: August 29, 2026

Last update for Eau Claire, WI: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,320 in Hamilton and $1,032 in Eau Claire, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Eau Claire, WI pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Hamilton vs $67.0 in Eau Claire, WI. Groceries flip the comparison at $333 vs $394, 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 Eau Claire, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eau Claire, WI is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 33% lower in Eau Claire, WI. 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 $1,032 in Eau Claire, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Hamilton pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Eau Claire, WI – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $68.0 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,188 in Eau Claire, WI versus $2,321 in Hamilton, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Eau Claire, WI but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Eau Claire, WI the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Eau Claire, WI 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 Eau Claire, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.