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: $2,321 in Hamilton versus $2,628 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,399 in Hamilton versus $3,848 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,477 in Hamilton versus $5,067 in Toronto.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 12% less than in Toronto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 69% above, Toronto 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.38 CA$25.54

$17.88 CA$24.85

2.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 CA$94.7

$87.9 CA$122

-22.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.51 CA$17.38

$10.93 CA$15.19

14.46%

Cappuccino

$3.56 CA$4.94

$4.06 CA$5.64

-12.32%

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

$2.20 CA$3.06

$2.18 CA$3.03

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$1.70 CA$2.36

2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.18 CA$7.20

$6.69 CA$9.29

-22.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.04

$7.35 CA$10.21

-11.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.85

$2.78 CA$3.86

-26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.89 CA$4.02

-23.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$2.56 CA$3.56

10.94%

Eggs

$3.44 CA$4.78

$3.79 CA$5.26

-9.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 CA$10.52

$10.17 CA$14.13

-25.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 CA$14.46

$11.95 CA$16.60

-12.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 CA$19.52

$16.12 CA$22.40

-12.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.44

$3.89 CA$5.41

0.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.27 CA$1.77

0.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.93

$3.88 CA$5.39

10.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.45

$4.33 CA$6.02

-9.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$1.83 CA$2.54

44.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 CA$2.43

$1.50 CA$2.08

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.26

$2.28 CA$3.16

2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.44 CA$2.00

1.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.22 CA$19.76

$14.20 CA$19.73

0.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.15

$14.24 CA$19.79

-8.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 CA$3.31

$2.25 CA$3.12

5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CA$5.82

$2.53 CA$3.52

65.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.47 CA$3.43

10.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 CA$122

$112 CA$156

-21.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 CA$4.86

$3.05 CA$4.24

14.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 CA$1.85

$1.24 CA$1.72

7.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 CA$32.62

$22.44 CA$31.18

4.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.65

$1.24 CA$1.72

-4.03%

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

$28.9K CA$40.2K

$27.5K CA$38.2K

5.08%

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

$20.1K CA$27.9K

$21.1K CA$29.4K

-5.07%

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

$151 CA$209

$128 CA$177

18.12%

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

$40.12 CA$55.8

$33.79 CA$46.95

18.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$71.1

$49.25 CA$68.4

3.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 CA$52.3

$40.93 CA$56.9

-8.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 CA$29.96

$24.62 CA$34.21

-12.43%

Cinema Ticket

$10.27 CA$14.27

$13.16 CA$18.29

-21.96%

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

$615 CA$855

$792 CA$1,101

-22.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.1K

$24.1K CA$33.5K

-31.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 CA$69.8

$54.5 CA$75.8

-7.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.50 CA$47.94

$43.11 CA$59.9

-19.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$128

$102 CA$141

-9.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$168

$123 CA$171

-1.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 CA$1,834

$1,653 CA$2,297

-20.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,683

$1,452 CA$2,017

-16.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 CA$2,867

$2,694 CA$3,744

-23.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 CA$2,680

$2,149 CA$2,987

-10.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,814 CA$3,910

$8,347 CA$11.6K

-66.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,808 CA$3,902

$6,816 CA$9,471

-58.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,912 CA$4,047

$3,614 CA$5,022

-19.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

4.49

2.45%

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

Last update for Hamilton: August 29, 2026

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,320 in Hamilton and $1,653 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 24% 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: $68.0 in Hamilton vs $88.0 in Toronto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $365 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Toronto. 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: $1,320 in Hamilton versus $1,653 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $615 in Hamilton versus $792 in Toronto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,321 in Hamilton versus $2,628 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 13% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.