Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Lowell, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Lowell, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,493 in Hamilton versus $2,622 in Lowell, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,584 in Hamilton versus $4,293 in Lowell, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,676 in Hamilton versus $5,964 in Lowell, MA.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 5% less than in Lowell, MA, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 87% above, Lowell, MA 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.13 CA$25.51

$19.25 $19.25

-5.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$103

$79.6 $79.6

-7.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.45

$9.06 $9.06

21.19%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.70

$4.41 $4.41

-8.16%

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

$2.10 CA$2.95

$1.96 $1.96

7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.54

$1.64 $1.64

10.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 CA$8.20

$5.90 $5.90

-1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.27

$7.36 $7.36

-10.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.14

$0.81 $0.81

175.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 CA$2.99

$2.22 $2.22

-4.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 CA$4.01

$3.00 $3.00

-5.00%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.41

$3.97 $3.97

-20.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 CA$10.88

$10.91 $10.91

-29.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.27

$8.73 $8.73

32.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.39 CA$20.25

$20.91 $20.91

-31.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$2.85 $2.85

37.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.20 $1.20

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$4.99

$5.95 $5.95

-40.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.49

$5.85 $5.85

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$1.68 $1.68

55.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.08

$4.32 $4.32

-49.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.10

$3.06 $3.06

-27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CA$2.81

$2.19 $2.19

-9.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.47 CA$18.95

$10.81 $10.81

24.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.77

$15.22 $15.22

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.39

$1.70 $1.70

41.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.04 $2.04

50.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$1.77 $1.77

48.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 CA$123

$55.2 $55.2

58.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 CA$4.98

$4.06 $4.06

-12.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.71 $1.71

-28.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.62 CA$33.24

$29.26 $29.26

-19.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.61

$0.84 $0.84

35.71%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$29.3K $29.3K

-13.41%

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

$20.4K CA$28.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

-21.37%

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

$155 CA$219

$190 $190

-18.29%

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

$40.11 CA$56.4

$51.8 $51.8

-22.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$72.0

$64.7 $64.7

-20.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 CA$51.8

$39.78 $39.78

-7.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.40 CA$31.51

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 CA$16.28

$14.26 $14.26

-18.86%

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

$643 CA$905

$1,403 $1,403

-54.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K CA$30.5K

$23.6K $23.6K

-8.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 CA$78.7

$52.9 $52.9

5.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.71 CA$47.43

$32.19 $32.19

4.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 CA$136

$67.0 $67.0

44.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$170

$68.6 $68.6

76.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 CA$1,902

$1,678 $1,678

-19.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 CA$1,785

$1,447 $1,447

-12.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CA$2,795

$3,668 $3,668

-45.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 CA$2,845

$3,199 $3,199

-36.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 CA$3,813

$3,475 $3,475

-22.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,749 CA$3,868

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,871 CA$4,040

$3,923 $3,923

-26.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.45

2.64%

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

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Last update for Lowell, MA: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,352 in Hamilton and $1,678 in Lowell, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lowell, MA pays 37% 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: $73.0 in Hamilton vs $80.0 in Lowell, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $367 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 Lowell, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Lowell, MA. 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 $1,678 in Lowell, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $643 in Hamilton versus $1,403 in Lowell, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Lowell, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Hamilton is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Hamilton is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lowell, MA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Hamilton and Lowell, MA 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 Hamilton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Lowell, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.