Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Gavle Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Gavle

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,321 in Hamilton versus $1,471 in Gavle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,399 in Hamilton versus $2,348 in Gavle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,477 in Hamilton versus $3,226 in Gavle.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 58% more expensive than in Gavle, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 69% above, Gavle 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.38 CA$25.43

$12.47 SEK 119

47.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 CA$94.3

$89.8 SEK 859

-24.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.51 CA$17.31

$9.68 SEK 92.6

29.24%

Cappuccino

$3.56 CA$4.92

$5.26 SEK 50.3

-32.32%

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

$2.20 CA$3.04

$2.12 SEK 20.24

3.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.40

$2.41 SEK 23.06

-27.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.18 CA$7.17

$8.32 SEK 79.6

-37.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.00

$7.34 SEK 70.2

-11.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.84

$1.73 SEK 16.56

18.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.63 SEK 25.15

-15.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.93

$3.99 SEK 38.15

-28.82%

Eggs

$3.44 CA$4.76

$3.90 SEK 37.28

-11.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 CA$10.48

$9.72 SEK 93.0

-22.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 CA$14.40

$10.92 SEK 105

-4.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 CA$19.43

$19.50 SEK 187

-28.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.42

$3.11 SEK 29.79

25.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.77

$2.83 SEK 27.06

-54.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.90

$3.20 SEK 30.63

33.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.42

$4.60 SEK 43.97

-14.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$1.72 SEK 16.48

53.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 CA$2.42

$1.88 SEK 18.00

-6.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.24

$2.56 SEK 24.51

-8.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.07 SEK 19.77

-29.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.22 CA$19.67

$8.30 SEK 79.4

71.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.07

$11.54 SEK 110

13.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 CA$3.30

$1.69 SEK 16.15

40.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CA$5.80

$1.64 SEK 15.71

155.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$3.42 SEK 32.67

-19.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 CA$121

$62.3 SEK 596

40.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 CA$4.84

$4.73 SEK 45.22

-26.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 CA$1.84

$1.55 SEK 14.79

-14.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 CA$32.48

$35.03 SEK 335

-33.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.64

$1.91 SEK 18.26

-37.70%

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

$28.9K CA$40.0K

$26.9K SEK 257.1K

7.56%

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

$20.1K CA$27.8K

$28.8K SEK 275.7K

-30.36%

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

$151 CA$209

$55.4 SEK 530

172.18%

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

$40.12 CA$55.5

$22.54 SEK 216

77.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$70.8

$39.89 SEK 382

28.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 CA$52.1

$48.53 SEK 464

-22.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 CA$29.83

Cinema Ticket

$10.27 CA$14.21

$15.71 SEK 150

-34.63%

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

$615 CA$852

$138 SEK 1,316

347.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$15.5K SEK 147.9K

7.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 CA$69.5

$74.3 SEK 711

-32.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.50 CA$47.74

$57.3 SEK 548

-39.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$127

$52.1 SEK 499

76.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$167

$94.7 SEK 905

27.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 CA$1,826

$583 SEK 5,575

126.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,676

$443 SEK 4,236

173.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 CA$2,855

$817 SEK 7,814

152.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 CA$2,668

$685 SEK 6,553

181.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,814 CA$3,893

$2,005 SEK 19.2K

40.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,808 CA$3,886

$1,373 SEK 13.1K

104.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,912 CA$4,030

$3,222 SEK 30.8K

-9.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

3.31

38.97%

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

Last update for Hamilton: August 29, 2026

Last update for Gavle: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,320 in Hamilton and $583 in Gavle. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gavle pays 11% 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 $90.0 in Gavle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $365 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 Gavle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton and Gavle differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($2,321 vs $1,471 including rent). Gavle is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Gavle. 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 $583 in Gavle. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Gavle runs roughly 41% less than in Hamilton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $615 in Hamilton versus $138 in Gavle. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,471 in Gavle versus $2,321 in Hamilton, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gavle but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Gavle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Hamilton and Gavle are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gavle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.