Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Portlaoise

For one person, living costs are similar in Hamilton and in Portlaoise: $2,253 and $2,347 a month, rent and utilities included.

Hamilton
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,253
/mo nomad
Portlaoise
🇮🇪 Ireland
$2,347
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hamilton and in Portlaoise

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hamilton and in Portlaoise actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,253 in Hamilton versus $2,347 in Portlaoise.

  • Hamilton $2,253
  • Portlaoise $2,347

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,331 in Hamilton versus $3,746 in Portlaoise.

  • Hamilton $3,331
  • Portlaoise $3,746

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,408 in Hamilton versus $5,145 in Portlaoise.

  • Hamilton $4,408
  • Portlaoise $5,145

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 4% less than in Portlaoise, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 67% above, Portlaoise 74% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hamilton
Portlaoise
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.21 CA$24.33
$22.70 €20.19
-24.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.7 CA$92.8
$78.5 €69.8
-16.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.87 CA$16.77
$12.72 €11.31
-6.68%
Cappuccino
$3.37 CA$4.77
$4.40 €3.91
-23.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 CA$3.14
$2.50 €2.22
-11.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 CA$2.39
$1.70 €1.51
-0.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.99 CA$7.05
$6.60 €5.87
-24.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.03 CA$8.52
$6.12 €5.44
-1.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hamilton
Portlaoise
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 CA$2.67
$1.71 €1.52
10.53%
White Bread (500g)
$2.12 CA$2.99
$2.25 €2.00
-5.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.13 CA$4.43
$1.86 €1.65
68.28%
Eggs
$3.33 CA$4.70
$4.62 €4.11
-27.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.88 CA$11.13
$14.04 €12.48
-43.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.30 CA$15.98
$12.88 €11.45
-12.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.24 CA$20.13
$16.74 €14.89
-14.93%
Apples (1kg)
$3.81 CA$5.38
$3.32 €2.95
14.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.27 CA$1.79
$2.94 €2.62
-56.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.98 CA$5.63
$3.26 €2.90
22.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.82 CA$5.40
$4.86 €4.32
-21.40%
Potato (1kg)
$2.71 CA$3.83
$2.32 €2.07
16.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.91 CA$2.69
$1.73 €1.54
10.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.95 CA$2.75
$1.38 €1.23
41.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 CA$1.88
$2.10 €1.87
-36.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.49 CA$17.65
$20.38 €18.12
-38.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.95 CA$19.72
$13.49 €12.00
3.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.65 CA$3.74
$4.10 €3.64
-35.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 CA$5.33
$3.61 €3.21
4.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Hamilton
Portlaoise
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.56 CA$3.62
$4.66 €4.14
-45.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$84.1 CA$119
$44.08 €39.21
90.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.36 CA$4.76
$5.23 €4.65
-35.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.28 CA$1.82
$1.55 €1.38
-17.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.24 CA$32.85
$33.30 €29.62
-30.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 CA$1.71
$2.03 €1.80
-40.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K CA$39.1K
$38.8K €34.5K
-28.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K CA$27.7K
$38.0K €33.8K
-48.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamilton
Portlaoise
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$152 CA$214
$239 €212
-36.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.21 CA$58.3
$21.79 €19.38
89.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.2 CA$70.9
$55.6 €49.40
-9.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hamilton
Portlaoise
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.85 CA$52.1
$55.3 €49.22
-33.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.62 CA$24.91
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.23 CA$14.46
$13.45 €11.96
-23.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hamilton
Portlaoise
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$600 CA$848
$1,072 €953
-44.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K CA$23.4K
$5,427 €4,827
205.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hamilton
Portlaoise
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.93 CA$67.8
$94.5 €84.0
-49.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.45 CA$43.05
$42.66 €37.94
-28.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.8 CA$118
$108 €96.2
-22.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 CA$161
$121 €108
-6.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hamilton
Portlaoise
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,251 CA$1,769
$1,229 €1,093
1.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,123 CA$1,588
$984 €875
14.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,042 CA$2,887
$2,264 €2,014
-9.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,873 CA$2,647
$2,151 €1,913
-12.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,695 CA$3,810
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,668 CA$3,771
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hamilton
Portlaoise
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,860 CA$4,044
$2,785 €2,477
2.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.6
3.5
31.43%

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

Last update for Hamilton: October 10, 2026

Last update for Portlaoise: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hamilton
$1.1K
Portlaoise
$984 12.4% $140
Groceries & Markets
Hamilton
$335
Portlaoise
$390 16.4% $55
Eating Out
Hamilton
$266
Portlaoise
$335 25.6% $68
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamilton
$243
Portlaoise
$316 30.1% $73
Clothing & Footwear
Hamilton
$124
Portlaoise
$165 32.9% $41
Getting Around
Hamilton
$104
Portlaoise
$76 27.3% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Hamilton
$57
Portlaoise
$82 43.5% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,251 in Hamilton and $1,229 in Portlaoise. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Hamilton vs $78.0 in Portlaoise for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 vs $390 per month, with Hamilton cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Hamilton
🇮🇪 Portlaoise
🕒 Local time
07:33 7:33 AM
12:33 12:33 PM
5 h ahead of Hamilton
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
519,949
23,494
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hamilton Portlaoise 5,250 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hamilton
  • Portlaoise

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Portlaoise: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Portlaoise cheaper than Hamilton?
Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Hamilton or Portlaoise?
Average pay runs 3% higher in Hamilton, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Hamilton and Portlaoise?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,251 in Hamilton versus $1,229 in Portlaoise. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $600 in Hamilton versus $1,072 in Portlaoise. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Hamilton and in Portlaoise?
Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Portlaoise. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Hamilton or in Portlaoise?
At $2,253 in Hamilton versus $2,347 in Portlaoise, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Portlaoise. The gap between the two cities makes Hamilton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Hamilton or Portlaoise more family-friendly?
For families, Hamilton is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Portlaoise, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Hamilton or Portlaoise?
Safety-wise, Hamilton and Portlaoise are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Hamilton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Portlaoise. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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