Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Genk Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Genk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,398 in Hamilton versus $1,879 in Genk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,483 in Hamilton versus $2,871 in Genk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,568 in Hamilton versus $3,863 in Genk.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 28% more expensive than in Genk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 74% above, Genk 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 CA$25.54

$23.06 €19.88

-20.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 CA$95.1

$92.2 €79.5

-25.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 CA$16.74

$14.22 €12.26

-15.12%

Cappuccino

$3.46 CA$4.80

$4.25 €3.66

-18.59%

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

$2.23 CA$3.09

$2.63 €2.27

-15.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.46

$2.37 €2.04

-24.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.21 CA$7.22

$4.75 €4.09

9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.28 CA$8.70

$4.11 €3.54

52.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.03 €0.88

97.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 CA$3.20

$2.82 €2.44

-18.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.06

$2.24 €1.93

30.80%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.82

$3.79 €3.27

-8.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.40 CA$10.27

$9.17 €7.91

-19.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 CA$14.90

$7.67 €6.62

40.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 CA$19.73

$11.83 €10.20

20.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.30

$2.50 €2.16

52.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.80

$2.53 €2.18

-48.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.76

$2.68 €2.31

55.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.64

$3.18 €2.74

27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.70

$2.47 €2.13

8.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$2.03 €1.75

-12.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.11

$1.59 €1.37

41.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.05 €0.91

39.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.48 CA$20.07

$13.33 €11.50

8.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 CA$17.98

$7.72 €6.66

67.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$1.72 €1.48

36.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 CA$5.74

$1.15 €0.99

260.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.73

$3.43 €2.96

-21.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.3 CA$120

$58.5 €50.4

47.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$4.98

$5.78 €4.99

-37.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$2.75 €2.37

-53.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.16 CA$33.51

$46.31 €39.94

-47.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.97 €1.70

-38.58%

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

$28.5K CA$39.6K

$23.1K €19.9K

23.59%

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

$19.9K CA$27.6K

$28.3K €24.4K

-29.55%

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

$151 CA$210

$175 €151

-13.66%

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

$39.74 CA$55.1

$20.95 €18.06

89.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$42.79 €36.90

20.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.31 CA$53.1

$38.93 €33.57

-1.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 CA$29.53

$29.59 €25.52

-28.05%

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 CA$14.39

$15.87 €13.69

-34.66%

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

$633 CA$878

$287 €248

120.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K CA$23.6K

$35.2K €30.3K

-51.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.71 CA$67.6

$114 €97.9

-57.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.89 CA$48.38

$47.76 €41.18

-26.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 CA$128

$80.4 €69.4

14.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 CA$172

$108 €93.4

14.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 CA$1,806

$975 €840

33.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 CA$1,659

$723 €624

65.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,138 CA$2,965

$1,357 €1,170

57.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,923 CA$2,667

$1,122 €968

71.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,835 CA$3,932

$2,716 €2,342

4.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,766 CA$3,835

$1,984 €1,711

39.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,964 CA$4,111

$2,364 €2,038

25.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

3.46

32.95%

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

Last update for Hamilton: September 7, 2026

Last update for Genk: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,302 in Hamilton and $975 in Genk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 25% 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: $69.0 in Hamilton vs $92.0 in Genk. Groceries flip the comparison at $335 vs $275, with Genk 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 Genk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Genk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Hamilton, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,302 in Hamilton versus $975 in Genk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Hamilton. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Genk – a meal for two runs $92.0 versus $69.0 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,879 in Genk versus $2,398 in Hamilton, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Genk but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Genk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Genk 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.

Safety-wise, Hamilton and Genk 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 Genk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.