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: $2,487 in Harrisonburg, VA versus $2,321 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,339 in Harrisonburg, VA versus $3,399 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,191 in Harrisonburg, VA versus $4,477 in Hamilton.

Living in Harrisonburg, VA is roughly 7% more expensive than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harrisonburg, VA 81% above, Hamilton 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.16 $23.16

$18.38 CA$25.45

26.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 $67.4

$68.1 CA$94.3

-1.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 $9.07

$12.51 CA$17.32

-27.50%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$3.56 CA$4.92

41.29%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.20 CA$3.05

39.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.74 CA$2.41

15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.18 CA$7.17

53.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.99 $7.99

$6.50 CA$9.00

22.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.05 CA$2.84

-55.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.22 CA$3.08

45.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.84 CA$3.93

80.99%

Eggs

$5.54 $5.54

$3.44 CA$4.77

61.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.38 $17.38

$7.57 CA$10.48

129.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 $7.57

$10.40 CA$14.41

-27.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.04 CA$19.45

30.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$3.91 CA$5.42

-0.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.28 CA$1.77

42.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.27 CA$5.91

16.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.92 CA$5.43

-9.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.64 CA$3.65

-3.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.75 CA$2.42

22.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.34 CA$3.25

1.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.46 CA$2.03

87.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.46 $6.46

$14.22 CA$19.69

-54.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 $11.56

$13.06 CA$18.08

-11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.38 CA$3.30

-13.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$4.19 CA$5.80

-35.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.74 CA$3.80

-28.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.47 $25.47

$87.7 CA$121

-70.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.50 CA$4.84

12.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.33 CA$1.84

17.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$23.47 CA$32.50

6.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.19 CA$1.64

-16.81%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$28.9K CA$40.0K

23.37%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$20.1K CA$27.8K

27.17%

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

$137 $137

$151 CA$209

-9.04%

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

$65.1 $65.1

$40.12 CA$55.6

62.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.1 $77.1

$51.2 CA$70.8

50.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.94 $44.94

$37.62 CA$52.1

19.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 CA$29.85

Cinema Ticket

$18.16 $18.16

$10.27 CA$14.22

76.83%

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

$806 $806

$615 CA$852

30.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.0K $42.0K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

153.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 $68.8

$50.2 CA$69.6

36.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.68 $44.68

$34.50 CA$47.77

29.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 $90.2

$91.9 CA$127

-1.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$121 CA$167

-8.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 $1,260

$1,320 CA$1,827

-4.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 $1,201

$1,211 CA$1,677

-0.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 $1,822

$2,063 CA$2,857

-11.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 $1,391

$1,928 CA$2,670

-27.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,139 $2,139

$2,814 CA$3,896

-23.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,206 $2,206

$2,808 CA$3,888

-21.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,300 $4,300

$2,912 CA$4,032

47.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

4.6

35.43%

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

Last update for Harrisonburg, VA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,260 in Harrisonburg, VA and $1,320 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harrisonburg, VA pays 48% 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: $67.0 in Harrisonburg, VA vs $68.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $390 vs $333, 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

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 48% higher in Harrisonburg, VA, 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: $1,260 in Harrisonburg, VA versus $1,320 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $806 in Harrisonburg, VA versus $615 in Hamilton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Harrisonburg, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,321 in Hamilton versus $2,487 in Harrisonburg, VA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Harrisonburg, VA. 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 Harrisonburg, VA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Hamilton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Harrisonburg, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.