Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Wheaton, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Wheaton, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Hamilton versus $2,423 in Wheaton, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,572 in Hamilton versus $3,852 in Wheaton, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,668 in Hamilton versus $5,281 in Wheaton, IL.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 2% more expensive than Wheaton, IL, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 85% above, Wheaton, IL 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.14 CA$24.85

$15.22 $15.22

19.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.8 CA$99.7

$74.2 $74.2

-1.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.24 CA$15.40

$10.89 $10.89

3.21%

Cappuccino

$4.02 CA$5.51

$5.53 $5.53

-27.31%

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

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.71 $2.71

-19.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.45

$2.32 $2.32

-23.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 CA$7.99

$5.86 $5.86

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.12

$7.34 $7.34

-9.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.14

$0.82 $0.82

179.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 CA$2.99

$3.68 $3.68

-40.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 CA$3.91

$3.29 $3.29

-13.07%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.30

$4.31 $4.31

-27.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 CA$10.19

$10.12 $10.12

-26.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.70 CA$16.03

$8.64 $8.64

35.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.37

$11.34 $11.34

24.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.19

$4.53 $4.53

-16.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.81

$1.55 $1.55

-14.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 CA$4.95

$3.48 $3.48

3.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.15

$3.58 $3.58

5.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.62

$1.78 $1.78

48.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 CA$2.98

$2.44 $2.44

-10.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 CA$2.92

$1.76 $1.76

21.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.71

$2.03 $2.03

-2.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.51 CA$18.51

$10.13 $10.13

33.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.02 CA$17.84

$11.76 $11.76

10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 CA$3.41

$2.32 $2.32

7.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.24

$2.92 $2.92

6.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 CA$3.50

$4.90 $4.90

-47.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.3 CA$120

$100 $100

-13.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 CA$4.84

$4.55 $4.55

-22.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 CA$1.74

$0.76 $0.76

67.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.34 CA$33.34

$42.15 $42.15

-42.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.58

$0.97 $0.97

18.56%

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

$25.5K CA$35.0K

$22.6K $22.6K

13.14%

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

$20.6K CA$28.2K

$25.1K $25.1K

-18.04%

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

$152 CA$208

$171 $171

-11.27%

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

$39.83 CA$54.6

$50.3 $50.3

-20.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 CA$71.6

$60.1 $60.1

-12.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.12 CA$49.49

$42.76 $42.76

-15.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.80 CA$29.86

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.23

$11.16 $11.16

6.18%

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

$627 CA$859

$1,618 $1,618

-61.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K CA$29.9K

$24.8K $24.8K

-12.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 CA$76.4

$45.40 $45.40

22.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.82 CA$46.33

$48.94 $48.94

-30.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 CA$135

$66.1 $66.1

49.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$166

$85.3 $85.3

41.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 CA$1,879

$1,477 $1,477

-7.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 CA$1,727

$1,213 $1,213

3.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,001 CA$2,741

$2,918 $2,918

-31.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,036 CA$2,789

$2,551 $2,551

-20.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,835 CA$3,884

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,865 CA$3,925

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,880 CA$3,946

$5,476 $5,476

-47.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.52

1.53%

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

Last update for Hamilton: April 22, 2026

Last update for Wheaton, IL: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,371 in Hamilton and $1,477 in Wheaton, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wheaton, IL pays 90% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $73 in Hamilton vs $74 in Wheaton, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $341 vs $329, with Wheaton, IL 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 Wheaton, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wheaton, IL is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Wheaton, IL earns 90% 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: $1,371 in Hamilton versus $1,477 in Wheaton, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $627 in Hamilton versus $1,618 in Wheaton, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Hamilton. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,423 in Wheaton, IL versus $2,476 in Hamilton, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Wheaton, IL but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Wheaton, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Wheaton, IL is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hamilton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Hamilton and Wheaton, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Wheaton, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.