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: $2,493 in Hamilton versus $3,020 in Richmond Hill.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,584 in Hamilton versus $4,123 in Richmond Hill.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,676 in Hamilton versus $5,226 in Richmond Hill.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 17% less than in Richmond Hill, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 87% above, Richmond Hill 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.13 CA$25.51

$18.67 CA$26.27

-2.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$103

$80.5 CA$113

-8.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.45

$9.10 CA$12.80

20.66%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.70

$3.18 CA$4.48

27.36%

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

$2.10 CA$2.95

$2.04 CA$2.87

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.54

$1.53 CA$2.15

18.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 CA$8.20

$5.76 CA$8.10

1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.27

$7.33 CA$10.32

-10.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.14

$2.28 CA$3.21

-2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 CA$2.99

$2.56 CA$3.60

-17.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 CA$4.01

$2.17 CA$3.06

31.34%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.41

$3.72 CA$5.24

-15.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 CA$10.88

$13.83 CA$19.46

-44.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.27

$11.37 CA$16.00

1.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.39 CA$20.25

$14.96 CA$21.06

-3.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$4.60 CA$6.47

-15.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.23 CA$1.73

5.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$4.99

$2.81 CA$3.96

26.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.49

$3.40 CA$4.78

14.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$2.42 CA$3.40

8.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.08

$2.17 CA$3.05

0.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.10

$1.89 CA$2.66

16.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CA$2.81

$0.93 CA$1.31

113.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.47 CA$18.95

$12.08 CA$17.00

11.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.77

$12.68 CA$17.85

-0.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.39

$1.98 CA$2.78

21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.40 CA$3.37

27.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$2.79 CA$3.92

-6.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 CA$123

$111 CA$157

-21.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 CA$4.98

$3.18 CA$4.47

11.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.07 CA$1.51

14.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.62 CA$33.24

$21.83 CA$30.72

8.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.61

$1.14 CA$1.60

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$25.2K CA$35.4K

0.77%

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

$20.4K CA$28.7K

$19.9K CA$28.1K

2.35%

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

$155 CA$219

$177 CA$249

-12.22%

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

$40.11 CA$56.4

$42.09 CA$59.2

-4.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$72.0

$58.6 CA$82.5

-12.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 CA$51.8

$43.99 CA$61.9

-16.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.40 CA$31.51

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 CA$16.28

$12.92 CA$18.18

-10.45%

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

$643 CA$905

$425 CA$598

51.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K CA$30.5K

$15.7K CA$22.1K

37.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 CA$78.7

$45.95 CA$64.7

21.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.71 CA$47.43

$44.41 CA$62.5

-24.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 CA$136

$62.5 CA$88.0

54.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$170

$88.7 CA$125

36.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 CA$1,902

$1,777 CA$2,500

-23.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 CA$1,785

$1,826 CA$2,569

-30.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CA$2,795

$3,014 CA$4,241

-34.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 CA$2,845

$2,604 CA$3,665

-22.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 CA$3,813

$6,367 CA$8,959

-57.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,749 CA$3,868

$5,515 CA$7,761

-50.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,871 CA$4,040

$2,985 CA$4,200

-3.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.59

0.46%

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

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Last update for Richmond Hill: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,352 in Hamilton and $1,777 in Richmond Hill. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Richmond Hill pays 4% 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 $81.0 in Richmond Hill for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $344 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% 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: $1,352 in Hamilton versus $1,777 in Richmond Hill. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $643 in Hamilton versus $425 in Richmond Hill. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Richmond Hill. 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 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 21% less than in Richmond Hill. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.