Cost of Living Comparison Between Lowell, MA and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Lowell, MA and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,677 in Lowell, MA versus $2,321 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,239 in Lowell, MA versus $3,399 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,800 in Lowell, MA versus $4,477 in Hamilton.

Living in Lowell, MA is roughly 15% more expensive than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lowell, MA 95% above, Hamilton 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.95 $17.95

$18.38 CA$25.43

-2.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 $69.2

$68.1 CA$94.3

1.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 $8.83

$12.51 CA$17.31

-29.42%

Cappuccino

$4.92 $4.92

$3.56 CA$4.92

38.20%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$2.20 CA$3.04

-7.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.74 CA$2.40

-4.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.91 $4.91

$5.18 CA$7.17

-5.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.23 $8.23

$6.50 CA$9.00

26.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.05 CA$2.84

-59.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.22 CA$3.08

-1.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$2.84 CA$3.93

95.07%

Eggs

$4.06 $4.06

$3.44 CA$4.76

18.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

$7.57 CA$10.48

46.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.77 $8.77

$10.40 CA$14.40

-15.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 $17.47

$14.04 CA$19.43

24.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.91 CA$5.42

-30.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.28 CA$1.77

-9.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$4.27 CA$5.90

59.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$3.92 CA$5.42

41.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.64 CA$3.65

-38.64%

Onion (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.75 CA$2.42

152.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.34 CA$3.24

29.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.46 CA$2.02

57.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.57 $13.57

$14.22 CA$19.67

-4.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 $13.68

$13.06 CA$18.07

4.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.38 CA$3.30

-27.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 $4.13

$4.19 CA$5.80

-1.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.74 CA$3.79

-32.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.6 $54.6

$87.7 CA$121

-37.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 $3.85

$3.50 CA$4.84

10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.33 CA$1.84

33.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 $28.94

$23.47 CA$32.48

23.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.19 CA$1.64

-29.41%

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

$37.5K $37.5K

$28.9K CA$40.0K

29.81%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$20.1K CA$27.8K

29.86%

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

$185 $185

$151 CA$209

22.98%

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

$51.8 $51.8

$40.12 CA$55.5

29.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$51.2 CA$70.8

31.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.62 $39.62

$37.62 CA$52.1

5.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.57 $12.57

$21.56 CA$29.83

-41.70%

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 $14.52

$10.27 CA$14.21

41.38%

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

$1,373 $1,373

$615 CA$852

123.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K $30.3K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

82.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$50.2 CA$69.5

11.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 $38.09

$34.50 CA$47.74

10.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 $81.5

$91.9 CA$127

-11.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 $69.0

$121 CA$167

-42.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,632 $1,632

$1,320 CA$1,826

23.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 $1,438

$1,211 CA$1,676

18.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,740 $3,740

$2,063 CA$2,855

81.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,205 $3,205

$1,928 CA$2,668

66.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,538 $3,538

$2,814 CA$3,893

25.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,552 $3,552

$2,808 CA$3,886

26.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,018 $4,018

$2,912 CA$4,030

37.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.04

4.6

31.30%

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

Last update for Lowell, MA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,632 in Lowell, MA and $1,320 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lowell, MA pays 38% 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: $69.0 in Lowell, MA vs $68.0 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $333 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

Lowell, MA vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Lowell, MA, 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: $1,632 in Lowell, MA versus $1,320 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,373 in Lowell, MA 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 11% higher in Lowell, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,321 in Hamilton versus $2,677 in Lowell, MA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Lowell, MA. 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 Lowell, MA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lowell, MA and Hamilton 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 15% less than in Lowell, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.