Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,493 in Hamilton versus $2,906 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,584 in Hamilton versus $4,209 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,676 in Hamilton versus $5,513 in Vancouver.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 14% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 87% above, Vancouver 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.13 CA$25.41

$18.62 CA$26.10

-2.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$103

$77.9 CA$109

-5.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.39

$10.84 CA$15.20

1.29%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.68

$3.93 CA$5.51

3.05%

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

$2.10 CA$2.94

$2.24 CA$3.15

-6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.53

$1.75 CA$2.45

3.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 CA$8.17

$6.05 CA$8.48

-3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.23

$7.30 CA$10.23

-9.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$2.30 CA$3.23

-3.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 CA$2.98

$3.07 CA$4.31

-30.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$3.77 CA$5.28

-24.40%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.40

$4.32 CA$6.06

-27.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 CA$10.85

$12.57 CA$17.63

-38.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.21

$13.74 CA$19.27

-15.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.39 CA$20.18

$15.99 CA$22.41

-10.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.48

$4.26 CA$5.98

-8.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.52 CA$2.13

-14.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$4.97

$3.92 CA$5.50

-9.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.47

$5.08 CA$7.13

-23.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.67

$3.20 CA$4.48

-18.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.07

$3.09 CA$4.33

-29.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$2.60 CA$3.64

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CA$2.80

$1.88 CA$2.64

5.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.47 CA$18.88

$15.45 CA$21.66

-12.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.71

$14.89 CA$20.88

-15.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.38

$3.12 CA$4.37

-22.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$3.80 CA$5.33

-19.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$2.42 CA$3.39

8.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 CA$123

$83.0 CA$116

5.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 CA$4.96

$3.76 CA$5.27

-5.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$1.48 CA$2.08

-17.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.62 CA$33.12

$26.97 CA$37.81

-12.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.30 CA$1.82

-12.31%

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

$25.4K CA$35.6K

$25.2K CA$35.3K

0.76%

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

$20.4K CA$28.6K

$20.6K CA$28.8K

-0.71%

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

$155 CA$218

$91.8 CA$129

69.23%

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

$40.11 CA$56.2

$39.34 CA$55.2

1.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$71.7

$60.6 CA$85.0

-15.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 CA$51.6

$44.58 CA$62.5

-17.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.40 CA$31.40

$15.88 CA$22.27

41.06%

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 CA$16.22

$12.18 CA$17.07

-5.01%

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

$643 CA$901

$1,185 CA$1,661

-45.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K CA$30.4K

$18.5K CA$26.0K

16.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 CA$78.5

$62.5 CA$87.6

-10.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.71 CA$47.26

$42.38 CA$59.4

-20.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 CA$136

$95.0 CA$133

1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$170

$115 CA$161

5.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 CA$1,895

$1,979 CA$2,775

-31.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 CA$1,778

$1,644 CA$2,304

-22.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CA$2,785

$3,577 CA$5,015

-44.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 CA$2,835

$2,782 CA$3,901

-27.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 CA$3,800

$8,754 CA$12.3K

-69.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,749 CA$3,854

$7,087 CA$9,936

-61.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,871 CA$4,025

$3,380 CA$4,739

-15.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

5.61

18.00%

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

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,352 in Hamilton and $1,979 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 18% 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 $78.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $414 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 Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Vancouver. 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 $1,979 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $643 in Hamilton versus $1,185 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Vancouver. 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 Vancouver, 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 17% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.