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: $1,659 in Hamilton versus $1,885 in Split.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,792 in Hamilton versus $2,930 in Split.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,925 in Hamilton versus $3,976 in Split.

Living in Hamilton costs roughly 12% less than in Split, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 21% above, Split 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.79 NZ$21.70

$17.44 €15.04

-26.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 NZ$129

$76.0 €65.6

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 NZ$15.41

$11.57 €9.98

-21.52%

Cappuccino

$3.65 NZ$6.20

$2.76 €2.38

32.25%

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

$2.30 NZ$3.90

$4.29 €3.70

-46.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 NZ$4.38

$3.15 €2.72

-18.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 NZ$11.36

$4.83 €4.17

38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 NZ$10.00

$5.08 €4.38

15.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 NZ$2.61

$1.31 €1.13

17.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 NZ$2.22

$2.31 €1.99

-43.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 NZ$3.52

$3.77 €3.25

-44.83%

Eggs

$5.78 NZ$9.80

$4.12 €3.55

40.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 NZ$10.12

$14.23 €12.27

-58.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 NZ$12.93

$9.48 €8.18

-19.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 NZ$21.34

$14.97 €12.91

-15.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.61

$2.20 €1.89

23.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 NZ$3.92

$1.88 €1.62

22.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 NZ$5.63

$1.99 €1.72

66.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.38 NZ$10.82

$2.87 €2.48

122.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 NZ$3.65

$1.65 €1.42

30.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 NZ$2.44

$1.22 €1.05

18.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 NZ$3.66

$1.41 €1.21

53.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NZ$1.81

$1.31 €1.13

-19.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.56 NZ$45.05

$5.95 €5.13

346.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 NZ$19.45

$9.17 €7.91

25.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 NZ$7.11

$1.79 €1.54

134.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 NZ$7.48

$2.42 €2.09

82.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 NZ$3.06

$1.55 €1.33

16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.35 NZ$73.5

$41.03 €35.39

5.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 NZ$6.53

$3.77 €3.25

2.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.84

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.04 €25.91

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.82

$1.88 €1.62

-11.70%

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

$28.6K NZ$48.4K

$28.6K €24.6K

-0.05%

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

$24.3K NZ$41.3K

$25.3K €21.8K

-3.85%

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

$61.2 NZ$104

$216 €187

-71.73%

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

$38.79 NZ$65.8

$20.82 €17.96

86.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 NZ$97.6

$42.78 €36.90

34.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.26 NZ$44.54

$63.0 €54.3

-58.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 NZ$49.97

$13.87 €11.96

112.40%

Cinema Ticket

$14.57 NZ$24.72

$9.38 €8.09

55.33%

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

$716 NZ$1,214

$633 €546

13.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K NZ$40.1K

$12.3K €10.6K

91.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 NZ$110

$97.2 €83.8

-32.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.36 NZ$66.8

$39.85 €34.37

-1.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 NZ$165

$120 €103

-18.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NZ$184

$101 €87.5

7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$883 NZ$1,498

$1,030 €889

-14.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 NZ$1,157

$738 €637

-7.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,523 NZ$2,584

$2,029 €1,750

-24.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 NZ$2,676

$1,374 €1,185

14.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,106 NZ$6,964

$7,322 €6,315

-43.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,755 NZ$8,066

$5,071 €4,374

-6.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,802 NZ$4,754

$1,677 €1,446

67.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

3.44

98.55%

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

Last update for Hamilton: August 30, 2026

Last update for Split: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $883 in Hamilton and $1,030 in Split. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 67% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Hamilton vs $76.0 in Split. Groceries flip the comparison at $310 vs $308, with Split 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 Split: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 67% higher in Hamilton, 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: $883 in Hamilton versus $1,030 in Split. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamilton – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $76.0 in Split. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,659 per month in Hamilton versus $1,885 in Split – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,659 in Hamilton versus $1,885 in Split, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Split. 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 Split, 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 Hamilton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Split. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.