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: $2,321 in Hamilton versus $2,557 in Wheaton, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,399 in Hamilton versus $3,888 in Wheaton, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,477 in Hamilton versus $5,219 in Wheaton, IL.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 9% less than in Wheaton, IL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 69% above, Wheaton, IL 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.38 CA$25.43

$16.24 $16.24

13.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 CA$94.3

$69.4 $69.4

-1.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.51 CA$17.31

$11.79 $11.79

6.11%

Cappuccino

$3.56 CA$4.92

$5.82 $5.82

-38.83%

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

$2.20 CA$3.04

$2.91 $2.91

-24.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.40

$2.28 $2.28

-23.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.18 CA$7.17

$6.82 $6.82

-24.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.00

$7.97 $7.97

-18.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.84

$0.89 $0.89

130.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.82 $2.82

-21.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.93

$2.97 $2.97

-4.38%

Eggs

$3.44 CA$4.76

$3.94 $3.94

-12.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 CA$10.48

$9.91 $9.91

-23.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 CA$14.40

$10.95 $10.95

-5.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 CA$19.43

$14.99 $14.99

-6.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.42

$5.01 $5.01

-21.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.77

$1.59 $1.59

-19.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.90

$2.90 $2.90

47.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.42

$2.13 $2.13

84.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$1.76 $1.76

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 CA$2.42

$3.09 $3.09

-43.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.24

$1.92 $1.92

21.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.41 $2.41

-39.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.22 CA$19.67

$8.97 $8.97

58.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.07

$12.07 $12.07

8.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 CA$3.30

$2.37 $2.37

0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CA$5.80

$2.61 $2.61

60.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$5.13 $5.13

-46.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 CA$121

$100 $100

-12.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 CA$4.84

$4.10 $4.10

-14.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 CA$1.84

$0.75 $0.75

77.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 CA$32.48

$43.93 $43.93

-46.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.64

$0.98 $0.98

21.43%

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

$28.9K CA$40.0K

$22.6K $22.6K

28.16%

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

$20.1K CA$27.8K

$25.1K $25.1K

-20.01%

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

$151 CA$209

$175 $175

-13.92%

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

$40.12 CA$55.5

$52.5 $52.5

-23.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$70.8

$71.3 $71.3

-28.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 CA$52.1

$35.19 $35.19

6.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 CA$29.83

Cinema Ticket

$10.27 CA$14.21

$11.91 $11.91

-13.77%

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

$615 CA$852

$1,712 $1,712

-64.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$23.1K $23.1K

-28.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 CA$69.5

$56.5 $56.5

-11.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.50 CA$47.74

$34.77 $34.77

-0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$127

$90.0 $90.0

2.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$167

$104 $104

16.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 CA$1,826

$2,009 $2,009

-34.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,676

$1,356 $1,356

-10.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 CA$2,855

$2,846 $2,846

-27.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 CA$2,668

$2,523 $2,523

-23.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,814 CA$3,893

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,808 CA$3,886

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,912 CA$4,030

$5,516 $5,516

-47.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

6.26

-26.52%

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

Last update for Hamilton: August 29, 2026

Last update for Wheaton, IL: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,320 in Hamilton and $2,009 in Wheaton, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wheaton, IL pays 89% 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 $69.0 in Wheaton, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $340 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 Wheaton, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 89% lower in Wheaton, IL. 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 $2,009 in Wheaton, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $615 in Hamilton versus $1,712 in Wheaton, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Wheaton, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,321 in Hamilton versus $2,557 in Wheaton, IL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Wheaton, IL. 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 Wheaton, IL, 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 Hamilton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Wheaton, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.