Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Harrisonburg, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Harrisonburg, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,398 in Hamilton versus $2,470 in Harrisonburg, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,483 in Hamilton versus $3,397 in Harrisonburg, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,568 in Hamilton versus $4,324 in Harrisonburg, VA.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 3% less than in Harrisonburg, VA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 74% above, Harrisonburg, VA 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 CA$25.54

$23.72 $23.72

-22.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 CA$95.1

$66.2 $66.2

3.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 CA$16.74

$8.94 $8.94

35.01%

Cappuccino

$3.46 CA$4.80

$4.92 $4.92

-29.67%

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

$2.23 CA$3.09

$2.94 $2.94

-24.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.46

$2.05 $2.05

-13.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.21 CA$7.22

$8.19 $8.19

-36.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.28 CA$8.70

$7.97 $7.97

-21.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$0.95 $0.95

113.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 CA$3.20

$3.10 $3.10

-25.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.06

$5.15 $5.15

-43.11%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.82

$5.28 $5.28

-34.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.40 CA$10.27

$16.80 $16.80

-55.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 CA$14.90

$7.44 $7.44

44.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 CA$19.73

$18.92 $18.92

-24.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.30

$3.90 $3.90

-2.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.80

$1.81 $1.81

-28.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.76

$4.91 $4.91

-15.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.64

$3.51 $3.51

15.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.70

$2.54 $2.54

5.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$2.21 $2.21

-19.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.11

$2.34 $2.34

-3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.69 $2.69

-45.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.48 CA$20.08

$6.41 $6.41

125.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 CA$17.98

$11.58 $11.58

11.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$2.07 $2.07

13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 CA$5.74

$2.79 $2.79

48.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.73

$1.98 $1.98

35.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.3 CA$120

$24.89 $24.89

246.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$4.98

$4.05 $4.05

-11.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.60 $1.60

-19.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.16 CA$33.51

$24.71 $24.71

-2.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.01 $1.01

19.80%

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

$28.5K CA$39.6K

$36.3K $36.3K

-21.35%

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

$19.9K CA$27.6K

$26.9K $26.9K

-25.86%

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

$151 CA$210

$135 $135

11.98%

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

$39.74 CA$55.1

$63.8 $63.8

-37.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$75.8 $75.8

-32.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.31 CA$53.1

$45.65 $45.65

-16.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 CA$29.53

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 CA$14.39

$17.94 $17.94

-42.20%

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

$633 CA$878

$807 $807

-21.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K CA$23.6K

$41.8K $41.8K

-59.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.71 CA$67.6

$69.4 $69.4

-29.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.89 CA$48.39

$44.55 $44.55

-21.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 CA$128

$89.4 $89.4

2.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 CA$172

$109 $109

13.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 CA$1,806

$1,296 $1,296

0.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 CA$1,659

$1,196 $1,196

0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,138 CA$2,965

$1,828 $1,828

16.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,923 CA$2,667

$1,375 $1,375

39.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,835 CA$3,932

$2,165 $2,165

30.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,766 CA$3,836

$2,168 $2,168

27.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,964 CA$4,111

$4,166 $4,166

-28.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

6.23

-26.16%

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

Last update for Hamilton: September 7, 2026

Last update for Harrisonburg, VA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,302 in Hamilton and $1,296 in Harrisonburg, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harrisonburg, VA pays 41% 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 $66.0 in Harrisonburg, VA. Groceries flip the comparison at $335 vs $387, 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 Harrisonburg, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Harrisonburg, VA. 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: $1,302 in Hamilton versus $1,296 in Harrisonburg, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $633 in Hamilton versus $807 in Harrisonburg, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Harrisonburg, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,398 in Hamilton versus $2,470 in Harrisonburg, VA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Harrisonburg, VA. 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 Harrisonburg, VA, 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 3% less than in Harrisonburg, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.