Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Richmond Hill Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Richmond Hill

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,398 in Hamilton versus $2,975 in Richmond Hill.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,483 in Hamilton versus $4,082 in Richmond Hill.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,568 in Hamilton versus $5,189 in Richmond Hill.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 19% less than in Richmond Hill, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 74% above, Richmond Hill 116% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 CA$25.54

$18.16 CA$25.19

1.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 CA$95.1

$71.3 CA$98.9

-3.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 CA$16.74

$10.77 CA$14.93

12.07%

Cappuccino

$3.46 CA$4.80

$3.65 CA$5.06

-5.21%

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

$2.23 CA$3.09

$1.80 CA$2.50

23.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.46

$1.45 CA$2.01

22.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.21 CA$7.22

$5.87 CA$8.13

-11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.28 CA$8.70

$7.21 CA$10.00

-12.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.77 CA$3.85

-26.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 CA$3.20

$2.65 CA$3.67

-12.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.06

$2.15 CA$2.98

36.28%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.82

$4.46 CA$6.19

-21.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.40 CA$10.27

$11.54 CA$16.01

-35.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 CA$14.90

$11.59 CA$16.07

-7.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 CA$19.73

$13.63 CA$18.90

4.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.30

$3.80 CA$5.27

0.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.80

$1.35 CA$1.87

-3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.76

$3.47 CA$4.81

19.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.64

$4.15 CA$5.76

-2.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.70

$2.13 CA$2.95

25.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$2.12 CA$2.93

-16.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.11

$2.39 CA$3.31

-5.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.56 CA$2.17

-6.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.48 CA$20.08

$13.84 CA$19.19

4.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 CA$17.98

$12.91 CA$17.91

0.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$1.88 CA$2.61

24.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 CA$5.74

$2.38 CA$3.29

73.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.73

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.3 CA$120

$112 CA$156

-23.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$4.98

$3.12 CA$4.32

15.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.14 CA$1.58

13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.16 CA$33.51

$18.98 CA$26.32

27.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.20 CA$1.66

0.83%

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

$28.5K CA$39.6K

$28.6K CA$39.6K

-0.14%

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

$19.9K CA$27.6K

$19.6K CA$27.2K

1.52%

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

$151 CA$210

$143 CA$199

5.58%

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

$39.74 CA$55.1

$36.17 CA$50.2

9.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$47.00 CA$65.2

9.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.31 CA$53.1

$43.02 CA$59.7

-10.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 CA$29.53

$18.36 CA$25.46

15.96%

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 CA$14.39

$11.31 CA$15.69

-8.31%

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

$633 CA$878

$360 CA$499

76.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K CA$23.6K

$10.9K CA$15.1K

56.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.71 CA$67.6

$44.78 CA$62.1

8.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.89 CA$48.39

$39.57 CA$54.9

-11.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 CA$128

$87.9 CA$122

4.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 CA$172

$100.0 CA$139

24.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 CA$1,806

$1,753 CA$2,431

-25.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 CA$1,659

$1,805 CA$2,504

-33.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,138 CA$2,965

$3,029 CA$4,201

-29.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,923 CA$2,667

$2,467 CA$3,422

-22.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,835 CA$3,932

$6,536 CA$9,065

-56.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,766 CA$3,836

$5,624 CA$7,800

-50.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,964 CA$4,111

$3,051 CA$4,232

-2.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

4.51

2.00%

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

Last update for Hamilton: September 7, 2026

Last update for Richmond Hill: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,302 in Hamilton and $1,753 in Richmond Hill. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Richmond Hill pays 3% 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 $71.0 in Richmond Hill for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 vs $355 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 Richmond Hill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Richmond Hill. 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 $1,753 in Richmond Hill. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $633 in Hamilton versus $360 in Richmond Hill. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Richmond Hill. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,398 in Hamilton versus $2,975 in Richmond Hill, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Richmond Hill. 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 Richmond Hill, 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 24% less than in Richmond Hill. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.