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: $2,493 in Hamilton versus $2,060 in Gavle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,584 in Hamilton versus $3,021 in Gavle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,676 in Hamilton versus $3,982 in Gavle.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 21% more expensive than in Gavle, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 87% above, Gavle 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.13 CA$25.41

$12.88 SEK 125

40.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$103

$94.2 SEK 911

-22.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.39

$10.48 SEK 101

4.77%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.68

$5.07 SEK 48.98

-20.12%

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

$2.10 CA$2.94

$2.14 SEK 20.72

-1.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.53

$2.46 SEK 23.76

-26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 CA$8.17

$8.19 SEK 79.2

-28.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.23

$8.63 SEK 83.5

-23.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$1.72 SEK 16.64

29.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 CA$2.98

$2.52 SEK 24.39

-15.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$3.90 SEK 37.68

-26.92%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.40

$4.02 SEK 38.83

-21.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 CA$10.85

$9.39 SEK 90.8

-17.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.21

$10.25 SEK 99.1

12.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.39 CA$20.18

$14.76 SEK 143

-2.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.48

$3.30 SEK 31.93

18.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$2.86 SEK 27.62

-54.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$4.97

$3.46 SEK 33.47

2.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.47

$4.57 SEK 44.20

-14.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.67

$1.85 SEK 17.87

41.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.07

$1.87 SEK 18.04

17.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$2.63 SEK 25.46

-15.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CA$2.80

$1.56 SEK 15.10

27.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.47 CA$18.88

$7.98 SEK 77.2

68.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.71

$11.55 SEK 112

9.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.38

$1.66 SEK 16.05

45.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$1.85 SEK 17.85

65.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$3.93 SEK 37.95

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 CA$123

$57.4 SEK 555

52.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 CA$4.96

$4.68 SEK 45.27

-24.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$1.32 SEK 12.77

-7.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.62 CA$33.12

$49.27 SEK 476

-52.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.88 SEK 18.14

-39.36%

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

$25.4K CA$35.6K

$29.1K SEK 281.7K

-12.89%

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

$20.4K CA$28.6K

$33.6K SEK 324.8K

-39.24%

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

$155 CA$218

$112 SEK 1,082

38.79%

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

$40.11 CA$56.2

$28.71 SEK 278

39.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$71.7

$41.73 SEK 403

22.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 CA$51.6

$50.2 SEK 485

-26.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.40 CA$31.40

$16.20 SEK 157

38.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 CA$16.22

$14.19 SEK 137

-18.46%

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

$643 CA$901

$159 SEK 1,534

305.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K CA$30.4K

$4,129 SEK 39.9K

424.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 CA$78.5

$99.1 SEK 958

-43.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.71 CA$47.26

$48.72 SEK 471

-30.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 CA$136

$83.8 SEK 810

15.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$170

$160 SEK 1,544

-24.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 CA$1,895

$839 SEK 8,106

61.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 CA$1,778

$897 SEK 8,666

41.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CA$2,785

$1,716 SEK 16.6K

15.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 CA$2,835

$1,248 SEK 12.1K

62.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 CA$3,800

$1,990 SEK 19.2K

36.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,749 CA$3,854

$1,398 SEK 13.5K

96.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,871 CA$4,025

$3,214 SEK 31.1K

-10.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

4.1

61.46%

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

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Last update for Gavle: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,352 in Hamilton and $839 in Gavle. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gavle pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $73.0 in Hamilton vs $94.0 in Gavle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $342 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 21% in total monthly costs ($2,493 vs $2,060 including rent). Gavle is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $1,352 in Hamilton versus $839 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 52% less than in Hamilton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $643 in Hamilton versus $159 in Gavle. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,060 in Gavle versus $2,493 in Hamilton, a $3,000 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 21% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.