Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Toronto Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Toronto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,507 in Hamilton versus $2,811 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,577 in Hamilton versus $4,130 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,647 in Hamilton versus $5,449 in Toronto.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 11% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 87% above, Toronto 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 CA$25.47

$18.71 CA$25.90

-1.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 CA$103

$81.9 CA$113

-8.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.02

$10.83 CA$14.99

0.09%

Cappuccino

$4.03 CA$5.58

$3.89 CA$5.38

3.60%

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

$2.10 CA$2.90

$2.22 CA$3.07

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$1.65 CA$2.28

4.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 CA$7.94

$6.05 CA$8.38

-5.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.49 CA$8.99

$6.58 CA$9.11

-1.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$2.73 CA$3.77

-18.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$2.72 CA$3.76

-22.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.16

$3.54 CA$4.90

-15.25%

Eggs

$3.20 CA$4.43

$3.50 CA$4.84

-8.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 CA$10.74

$13.53 CA$18.73

-42.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 CA$16.11

$13.09 CA$18.12

-11.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 CA$19.89

$16.96 CA$23.49

-15.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.34

$4.16 CA$5.76

-7.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.81

$1.18 CA$1.63

11.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 CA$4.95

$3.25 CA$4.50

10.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.17

$4.12 CA$5.70

-9.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.50 CA$3.47

5.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.04

$2.88 CA$3.98

-23.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.35 CA$3.25

-5.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.59 CA$18.82

$14.58 CA$20.19

-6.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 CA$18.11

$14.18 CA$19.63

-7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.42

$2.80 CA$3.88

-11.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$3.25 CA$4.51

-7.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 CA$3.55

$2.40 CA$3.32

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$119

$114 CA$158

-24.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 CA$4.96

$3.76 CA$5.20

-4.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.41 CA$1.95

-14.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.51 CA$33.94

$25.53 CA$35.34

-4.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$1.10 CA$1.52

4.55%

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

$25.0K CA$34.6K

$25.2K CA$34.9K

-1.14%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$21.1K CA$29.2K

-0.62%

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

$150 CA$208

$120 CA$166

25.47%

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

$38.86 CA$53.8

$37.54 CA$52.0

3.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 CA$73.3

$54.5 CA$75.5

-2.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 CA$50.5

$55.5 CA$76.9

-34.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 CA$30.29

$21.15 CA$29.28

3.45%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 CA$16.24

$11.56 CA$16.00

1.47%

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

$644 CA$892

$1,129 CA$1,564

-42.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K CA$31.0K

$18.0K CA$24.9K

24.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 CA$78.4

$56.9 CA$78.8

-0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.04 CA$47.14

$39.96 CA$55.3

-14.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 CA$135

$89.7 CA$124

8.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 CA$167

$114 CA$158

5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 CA$1,864

$1,849 CA$2,561

-27.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 CA$1,808

$1,560 CA$2,159

-16.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 CA$2,846

$2,925 CA$4,051

-29.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 CA$2,728

$2,470 CA$3,420

-20.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,754 CA$3,813

$9,085 CA$12.6K

-69.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 CA$3,833

$7,036 CA$9,742

-60.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,916 CA$4,037

$3,572 CA$4,946

-18.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

5.16

28.29%

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

Last update for Hamilton: May 30, 2026

Last update for Toronto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,346 in Hamilton and $1,849 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 22% 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: $75.0 in Hamilton vs $82.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $396 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 Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Toronto earns 22% less. 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: $1,346 in Hamilton versus $1,849 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $644 in Hamilton versus $1,129 in Toronto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,507 in Hamilton versus $2,811 in Toronto, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Toronto. 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 Toronto, 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 12% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.