Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Split Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Split

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,873 in Hamilton versus $1,800 in Split.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,972 in Hamilton versus $2,790 in Split.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,071 in Hamilton versus $3,780 in Split.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 4% more expensive than Split, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 40% above, Split 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.98 NZ$23.61

$17.26 €14.84

-19.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.6 NZ$141

$81.3 €69.9

2.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 NZ$14.96

$9.23 €7.94

-4.01%

Cappuccino

$3.52 NZ$5.95

$2.83 €2.44

24.38%

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

$2.34 NZ$3.95

$3.54 €3.05

-33.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 NZ$4.98

$2.89 €2.48

2.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.74 NZ$11.38

$5.47 €4.71

23.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 NZ$10.14

$4.98 €4.28

20.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.79

$1.42 €1.22

16.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 NZ$2.24

$1.96 €1.68

-32.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.26

$3.74 €3.22

-48.40%

Eggs

$5.79 NZ$9.77

$3.90 €3.36

48.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.63 NZ$9.51

$12.57 €10.82

-55.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.28 NZ$13.98

$9.49 €8.16

-12.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 NZ$18.64

$13.53 €11.64

-18.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 NZ$4.58

$1.95 €1.67

38.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 NZ$4.79

$1.96 €1.69

44.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$4.96

$2.31 €1.99

27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 NZ$11.09

$2.27 €1.95

189.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.77

$1.50 €1.29

48.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.26

$1.37 €1.18

40.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 NZ$4.55

$1.42 €1.23

90.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NZ$1.81

$1.28 €1.10

-16.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.78 NZ$43.52

$5.90 €5.07

336.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 NZ$18.83

$9.09 €7.82

22.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.57 NZ$6.03

$1.70 €1.46

110.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 NZ$7.17

$2.43 €2.09

74.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 NZ$2.84

$1.70 €1.46

-1.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.94 NZ$79.3

$38.12 €32.79

23.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 NZ$7.30

$3.37 €2.90

28.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.25

$2.11 €1.81

-9.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.50 NZ$70.1

$9.48 €8.15

337.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.79

$1.77 €1.53

-6.78%

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

$23.9K NZ$40.4K

$37.5K €32.3K

-36.24%

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

$23.3K NZ$39.4K

$26.3K €22.7K

-11.42%

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

$90.9 NZ$153

$215 €185

-57.78%

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

$38.51 NZ$65.0

$23.99 €20.64

60.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 NZ$91.2

$35.09 €30.19

54.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.91 NZ$53.9

$60.9 €52.4

-47.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.55 NZ$27.95

$14.75 €12.69

12.20%

Cinema Ticket

$13.40 NZ$22.62

$9.20 €7.92

45.65%

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

$830 NZ$1,401

$192 €165

332.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K NZ$30.8K

$9,077 €7,808

101.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 NZ$104

$82.2 €70.7

-24.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.63 NZ$68.6

$39.64 €34.10

2.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 NZ$149

$108 €92.6

-18.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 NZ$198

$107 €92.0

9.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 NZ$1,639

$965 €830

0.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 NZ$1,468

$712 €612

22.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 NZ$2,048

$1,909 €1,642

-36.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 NZ$2,737

$1,252 €1,077

29.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,122 NZ$6,960

$7,437 €6,397

-44.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,679 NZ$7,899

$5,150 €4,430

-9.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,752 NZ$4,646

$1,687 €1,451

63.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

4.27

59.95%

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

Last update for Hamilton: May 31, 2026

Last update for Split: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $971 in Hamilton and $965 in Split. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 63% 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: $84.0 in Hamilton vs $81.0 in Split for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $292 per month, with Split 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 Split: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Split is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Hamilton pays 63% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $971 in Hamilton versus $965 in Split. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Split – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $84.0 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,873 per month in Hamilton versus $1,800 in Split – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,800 in Split versus $1,873 in Hamilton, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Split but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Split the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Split 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 Split 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 Split gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.