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: $2,493 in Hamilton versus $2,366 in Harrisonburg, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,584 in Hamilton versus $3,543 in Harrisonburg, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,676 in Hamilton versus $4,720 in Harrisonburg, VA.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 5% more expensive than in Harrisonburg, VA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 87% above, Harrisonburg, VA 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.13 CA$25.41

$9.81 $9.81

84.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$103

$45.84 $45.84

59.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.39

$9.12 $9.12

20.39%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.68

$5.93 $5.93

-31.70%

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

$2.10 CA$2.94

$2.80 $2.80

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.53

$2.77 $2.77

-34.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 CA$8.17

$8.23 $8.23

-29.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.23

$8.78 $8.78

-25.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$0.65 $0.65

243.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 CA$2.98

$2.04 $2.04

3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$2.46 $2.46

15.85%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.40

$2.78 $2.78

12.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 CA$10.85

$17.94 $17.94

-56.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.21

$8.33 $8.33

38.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.39 CA$20.18

$17.68 $17.68

-18.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.48

$6.20 $6.20

-36.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.48 $1.48

-12.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$4.97

$5.29 $5.29

-32.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.47

$6.45 $6.45

-39.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.67

$3.40 $3.40

-22.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.07

$3.70 $3.70

-40.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$2.29 $2.29

-3.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CA$2.80

$1.17 $1.17

70.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.47 CA$18.88

$5.54 $5.54

143.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.71

$11.57 $11.57

9.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.38

$1.18 $1.18

104.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$3.80 $3.80

-19.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$2.05 $2.05

27.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 CA$123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 CA$4.96

$3.94 $3.94

-10.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$2.56 $2.56

-52.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.62 CA$33.12

$30.34 $30.34

-22.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$0.92 $0.92

23.91%

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

$25.4K CA$35.6K

$29.4K $29.4K

-13.74%

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

$20.4K CA$28.6K

$25.3K $25.3K

-19.41%

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

$155 CA$218

$206 $206

-24.46%

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

$40.11 CA$56.2

$60.8 $60.8

-34.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$71.7

$68.4 $68.4

-25.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 CA$51.6

$42.43 $42.43

-13.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.40 CA$31.40

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 CA$16.22

$16.87 $16.87

-31.42%

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

$643 CA$901

$2,717 $2,717

-76.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K CA$30.4K

$40.4K $40.4K

-46.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 CA$78.5

$78.1 $78.1

-28.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.71 CA$47.26

$50.2 $50.2

-32.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 CA$136

$103 $103

-5.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$170

$144 $144

-16.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 CA$1,895

$1,596 $1,596

-15.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 CA$1,778

$1,086 $1,086

16.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CA$2,785

$2,660 $2,660

-25.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 CA$2,835

$2,220 $2,220

-8.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 CA$3,800

$2,151 $2,151

26.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,749 CA$3,854

$2,154 $2,154

27.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,871 CA$4,025

$4,169 $4,169

-31.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.48

2.16%

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

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Last update for Harrisonburg, VA: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,352 in Hamilton and $1,596 in Harrisonburg, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harrisonburg, VA pays 45% 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 $46.00 in Harrisonburg, VA. Groceries flip the comparison at $341 vs $367, 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

Harrisonburg, VA is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 45% 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: $1,352 in Hamilton versus $1,596 in Harrisonburg, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Hamilton pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,493 per month in Hamilton versus $2,366 in Harrisonburg, VA – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Harrisonburg, VA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Harrisonburg, VA 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 Harrisonburg, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.