Cost of Living Comparison Between Poughkeepsie, NY and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Poughkeepsie, NY and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,958 in Poughkeepsie, NY versus $2,474 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,987 in Poughkeepsie, NY versus $3,600 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,016 in Poughkeepsie, NY versus $4,726 in Hamilton.

Living in Poughkeepsie, NY is roughly 20% more expensive than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Poughkeepsie, NY 121% above, Hamilton 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.20 $19.20

$18.60 CA$26.20

3.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 $78.8

$72.4 CA$102

8.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 $11.68

$11.09 CA$15.62

5.32%

Cappuccino

$3.84 $3.84

$4.14 CA$5.83

-7.25%

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

$1.96 $1.96

$2.10 CA$2.96

-6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.74 CA$2.45

-29.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$6.02 CA$8.48

-15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

$6.73 CA$9.48

-12.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.26 CA$3.19

-54.87%

White Bread (500g)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.20 CA$3.10

83.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$2.96 CA$4.17

87.16%

Eggs

$5.27 $5.27

$3.27 CA$4.61

61.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 $13.27

$7.47 CA$10.53

77.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.25 $14.25

$11.72 CA$16.51

21.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.82 $17.82

$13.98 CA$19.69

27.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$3.85 CA$5.43

20.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.31 CA$1.85

-21.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.68 CA$5.19

31.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$3.85 CA$5.43

30.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.71 CA$3.82

11.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.15 CA$3.03

59.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.22 CA$3.13

-12.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.08 CA$2.92

-12.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.47 $14.47

$13.59 CA$19.14

6.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 $9.93

$12.53 CA$17.65

-20.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.38 CA$3.35

-5.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.02 CA$4.26

28.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.56 CA$3.60

12.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 CA$123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 $5.13

$3.67 CA$5.17

39.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.28 CA$1.80

56.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.41 $27.41

$23.87 CA$33.62

14.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.15 CA$1.62

-21.74%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$25.3K CA$35.6K

18.50%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$21.0K CA$29.6K

23.51%

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

$98.6 $98.6

$150 CA$211

-34.30%

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

$58.4 $58.4

$39.82 CA$56.1

46.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 $67.6

$52.8 CA$74.3

28.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.85 $19.85

$36.04 CA$50.8

-44.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.31 $40.31

$22.46 CA$31.64

79.47%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$11.62 CA$16.37

26.76%

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

$1,422 $1,422

$646 CA$909

120.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K $27.9K

$22.4K CA$31.6K

24.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 $51.4

$56.4 CA$79.4

-8.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.01 $46.01

$34.02 CA$47.92

35.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 $83.0

$97.1 CA$137

-14.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$119 CA$167

-11.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$1,357 CA$1,911

20.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 $1,773

$1,283 CA$1,807

38.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 $2,108

$1,989 CA$2,802

5.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,362 $2,362

$2,022 CA$2,848

16.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,575 $1,575

$2,731 CA$3,847

-42.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,288 $2,288

$2,714 CA$3,823

-15.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,466 $4,466

$2,832 CA$3,989

57.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.62

-2.57%

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

Last update for Poughkeepsie, NY: July 21, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Poughkeepsie, NY and $1,357 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Poughkeepsie, NY pays 58% 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: $79.0 in Poughkeepsie, NY vs $72.0 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $343 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

Poughkeepsie, NY vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 58% higher in Poughkeepsie, NY, 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: $1,633 in Poughkeepsie, NY versus $1,357 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Poughkeepsie, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,958 per month in Poughkeepsie, NY versus $2,474 in Hamilton – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Hamilton is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Hamilton is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Poughkeepsie, NY, 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 20% less than in Poughkeepsie, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.