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: $2,321 in Hamilton versus $2,731 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,399 in Hamilton versus $3,956 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,477 in Hamilton versus $5,181 in Vancouver.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 15% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 69% above, Vancouver 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.38 CA$25.54

$18.36 CA$25.52

0.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 CA$94.7

$72.9 CA$101

-6.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.51 CA$17.38

$10.88 CA$15.11

14.98%

Cappuccino

$3.56 CA$4.94

$4.25 CA$5.91

-16.24%

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

$2.20 CA$3.06

$2.12 CA$2.95

3.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$1.69 CA$2.35

2.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.18 CA$7.20

$5.75 CA$7.98

-9.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.04

$6.65 CA$9.24

-2.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.85

$2.14 CA$2.98

-4.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.55 CA$3.55

-12.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$4.41 CA$6.13

-35.60%

Eggs

$3.44 CA$4.78

$4.24 CA$5.90

-18.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 CA$10.52

$12.14 CA$16.87

-37.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 CA$14.46

$13.66 CA$18.99

-23.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 CA$19.52

$20.78 CA$28.88

-32.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.44

$4.31 CA$5.98

-9.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.39 CA$1.93

-7.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.93

$4.00 CA$5.55

6.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.45

$4.06 CA$5.65

-3.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.82 CA$3.92

-6.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 CA$2.43

$2.95 CA$4.09

-40.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.26

$2.77 CA$3.85

-15.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.63 CA$2.26

-10.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.22 CA$19.76

$16.06 CA$22.32

-11.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.15

$14.54 CA$20.20

-10.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 CA$3.31

$2.73 CA$3.79

-12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CA$5.82

$3.07 CA$4.26

36.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.55 CA$3.54

7.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 CA$122

$85.1 CA$118

3.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 CA$4.86

$2.71 CA$3.76

29.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 CA$1.85

$1.64 CA$2.28

-18.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 CA$32.62

$31.75 CA$44.12

-26.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.65

$1.43 CA$1.99

-16.78%

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

$28.9K CA$40.2K

0.00%

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

$20.1K CA$27.9K

$19.7K CA$27.3K

2.00%

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

$151 CA$209

$77.6 CA$108

94.25%

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

$40.12 CA$55.8

$35.35 CA$49.12

13.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$71.1

$51.6 CA$71.8

-0.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 CA$52.3

$46.26 CA$64.3

-18.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 CA$29.96

$13.37 CA$18.59

61.26%

Cinema Ticket

$10.27 CA$14.27

$11.55 CA$16.05

-11.08%

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

$615 CA$855

$1,137 CA$1,580

-45.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.1K

$21.2K CA$29.5K

-21.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 CA$69.8

$59.3 CA$82.3

-15.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.50 CA$47.94

$35.02 CA$48.66

-1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$128

$90.1 CA$125

2.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$168

$96.3 CA$134

25.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 CA$1,834

$1,845 CA$2,564

-28.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,683

$1,595 CA$2,216

-24.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 CA$2,867

$3,271 CA$4,546

-36.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 CA$2,680

$2,499 CA$3,473

-22.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,814 CA$3,910

$9,039 CA$12.6K

-68.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,808 CA$3,902

$6,985 CA$9,707

-59.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,912 CA$4,047

$3,659 CA$5,084

-20.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

4.23

8.75%

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

Last update for Hamilton: August 29, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,320 in Hamilton and $1,845 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 26% 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 $73.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $409 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% 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: $1,320 in Hamilton versus $1,845 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $615 in Hamilton versus $1,137 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,321 in Hamilton versus $2,731 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. 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 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 18% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.