Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Salisbury Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Salisbury

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,423 in Hamilton versus $2,524 in Salisbury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,571 in Hamilton versus $3,479 in Salisbury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,718 in Hamilton versus $4,435 in Salisbury.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 4% less than in Salisbury, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 80% above, Salisbury 87% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hamilton
Salisbury
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.44 CA$25.26
$22.93 £16.99
-19.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.7 CA$101
$92.0 £68.2
-19.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.99 CA$15.05
$9.24 £6.85
18.94%
Cappuccino
$3.97 CA$5.44
$4.56 £3.38
-12.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 CA$2.89
$2.22 £1.64
-4.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 CA$2.41
$1.73 £1.29
1.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.72 CA$7.84
$5.99 £4.44
-4.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.51 CA$8.92
$6.02 £4.46
8.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hamilton
Salisbury
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.29 CA$3.14
$1.64 £1.22
39.63%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 CA$3.02
$1.12 £0.83
96.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.95 CA$4.04
$2.88 £2.14
2.43%
Eggs
$3.15 CA$4.32
$3.04 £2.25
3.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.53 CA$10.31
$8.52 £6.31
-11.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.66 CA$15.98
$7.18 £5.32
62.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.32 CA$19.62
$15.38 £11.40
-6.89%
Apples (1kg)
$3.81 CA$5.22
$1.85 £1.37
105.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 CA$1.77
$1.31 £0.97
-0.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.60 CA$4.94
$2.92 £2.17
23.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.84 CA$5.26
$4.79 £3.55
-19.83%
Potato (1kg)
$2.72 CA$3.73
$1.24 £0.92
119.35%
Onion (1kg)
$2.14 CA$2.93
$1.20 £0.89
78.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.16 CA$2.96
$0.93 £0.69
132.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 CA$2.80
$1.09 £0.81
87.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.65 CA$18.70
$16.08 £11.92
-15.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.00 CA$17.81
$10.06 £7.46
29.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.37 CA$3.24
$1.98 £1.47
19.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 CA$4.27
$1.80 £1.33
73.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Hamilton
Salisbury
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.65 CA$3.64
$5.51 £4.08
-51.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$87.4 CA$120
$111 £82.5
-21.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.52 CA$4.82
$4.71 £3.49
-25.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 CA$1.67
$1.52 £1.13
-19.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.80 CA$32.61
$16.27 £12.05
46.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 CA$1.52
$1.91 £1.41
-41.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.5K CA$34.9K
$27.2K £20.1K
-6.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.4K CA$27.9K
$33.9K £25.1K
-39.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamilton
Salisbury
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$152 CA$208
$390 £289
-61.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.72 CA$54.4
$15.60 £11.56
154.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.9 CA$71.1
$40.93 £30.33
26.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hamilton
Salisbury
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.10 CA$49.45
$68.8 £51.0
-47.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.42 CA$30.72
$12.10 £8.96
85.29%
Cinema Ticket
$11.81 CA$16.18
$9.42 £6.98
25.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hamilton
Salisbury
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$632 CA$866
$1,291 £957
-51.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.9K CA$30.0K
$18.6K £13.8K
17.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hamilton
Salisbury
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.3 CA$77.1
$71.1 £52.7
-20.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.08 CA$46.68
$20.42 £15.13
66.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.3 CA$132
$90.0 £66.7
7.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 CA$164
$115 £85.2
4.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hamilton
Salisbury
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,365 CA$1,870
$1,241 £920
9.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,264 CA$1,732
$1,138 £843
11.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,015 CA$2,760
$2,073 £1,536
-2.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,996 CA$2,734
$1,491 £1,105
33.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,764 CA$3,787
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,740 CA$3,753
$4,832 £3,580
-43.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hamilton
Salisbury
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,845 CA$3,898
$3,681 £2,728
-22.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.62
5.77
14.73%

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

Last update for Hamilton: April 12, 2026

Last update for Salisbury: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,365 in Hamilton and $1,241 in Salisbury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salisbury pays 29% 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: $74 in Hamilton vs $92 in Salisbury. Groceries flip the comparison at $343 vs $268, with Salisbury 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 Salisbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Salisbury cheaper than Hamilton?
Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Hamilton or Salisbury?
On paper, Salisbury earns 29% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Hamilton and Salisbury?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,365 in Hamilton versus $1,241 in Salisbury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $632 in Hamilton versus $1,291 in Salisbury. 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 Salisbury?
Shoppers in Salisbury pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for Hamilton or Salisbury?
At $2,423 in Hamilton versus $2,524 in Salisbury, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Salisbury. The gap between the two cities makes Hamilton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Hamilton or Salisbury more family-friendly?
For families, Hamilton is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Salisbury, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Hamilton or Salisbury?
Safety-wise, Hamilton and Salisbury 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 Salisbury. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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