Cost of Living Comparison Between Harrisonburg, VA and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Harrisonburg, VA and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,294 in Harrisonburg, VA versus $2,507 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,559 in Harrisonburg, VA versus $3,577 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,824 in Harrisonburg, VA versus $4,647 in Hamilton.

Living in Harrisonburg, VA costs roughly 8% less than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harrisonburg, VA 71% above, Hamilton 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.89 $9.89

$18.39 CA$25.56

-46.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.84 $45.84

$74.6 CA$104

-38.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.19 $9.19

$10.84 CA$15.07

-15.22%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$4.03 CA$5.60

41.69%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$2.10 CA$2.91

28.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.73 CA$2.40

57.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 $8.09

$5.73 CA$7.97

41.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.17 $9.17

$6.49 CA$9.02

41.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 $0.69

$2.23 CA$3.10

-69.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.11 CA$2.93

-3.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.00 CA$4.17

-17.33%

Eggs

$2.79 $2.79

$3.20 CA$4.44

-12.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.94 $17.94

$7.76 CA$10.78

131.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$11.64 CA$16.17

-27.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.92 $17.92

$14.37 CA$19.96

24.70%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$3.86 CA$5.36

56.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.31 CA$1.82

12.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$3.58 CA$4.97

44.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.35 $6.35

$3.73 CA$5.18

70.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.64 CA$3.66

30.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.20 CA$3.05

75.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.22 CA$3.09

3.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$2.00 CA$2.78

-43.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.42 $5.42

$13.59 CA$18.88

-60.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 $11.92

$13.08 CA$18.18

-8.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 $1.20

$2.47 CA$3.43

-51.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 $3.83

$3.01 CA$4.18

27.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.56 CA$3.56

-23.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.58 CA$4.98

12.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.21 CA$1.69

103.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.85 $29.85

$24.51 CA$34.06

21.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.15 CA$1.60

-25.22%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

20.15%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$20.9K CA$29.1K

21.26%

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

$206 $206

$150 CA$209

37.30%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$38.86 CA$54.0

54.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$53.0 CA$73.6

27.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.03 $43.03

$36.45 CA$50.6

18.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 CA$30.39

Cinema Ticket

$17.16 $17.16

$11.73 CA$16.30

46.29%

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

$2,664 $2,664

$644 CA$895

313.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K $40.0K

$22.4K CA$31.1K

78.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.9 $80.9

$56.6 CA$78.7

42.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 $50.2

$34.04 CA$47.30

47.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$97.3 CA$135

3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$120 CA$167

19.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 $1,609

$1,346 CA$1,870

19.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 $1,112

$1,306 CA$1,815

-14.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,637 $2,637

$2,056 CA$2,856

28.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,261 $2,261

$1,970 CA$2,737

14.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,124 $2,124

$2,754 CA$3,826

-22.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,209 $2,209

$2,768 CA$3,846

-20.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,262 $4,262

$2,916 CA$4,051

46.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

6.62

-2.11%

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

Last update for Harrisonburg, VA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,609 in Harrisonburg, VA and $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harrisonburg, VA pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Harrisonburg, VA vs $75.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $368 vs $343, with Hamilton 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

Harrisonburg, VA vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Harrisonburg, VA is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Harrisonburg, VA pays 46% 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: $1,609 in Harrisonburg, VA versus $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Hamilton pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,294 per month in Harrisonburg, VA versus $2,507 in Hamilton – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,294 in Harrisonburg, VA versus $2,507 in Hamilton, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Harrisonburg, VA but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Harrisonburg, VA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Harrisonburg, VA 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.

Expats usually find Harrisonburg, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.