Cost of Living Comparison Between Split and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Split and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,800 in Split versus $1,873 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,790 in Split versus $2,972 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,780 in Split versus $4,071 in Hamilton.

Living in Split costs roughly 4% less than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Split 34% above, Hamilton 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.26 €14.84

$13.98 NZ$23.61

23.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 €69.9

$83.6 NZ$141

-2.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 €7.94

$8.86 NZ$14.96

4.18%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.44

$3.52 NZ$5.95

-19.60%

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

$3.54 €3.05

$2.34 NZ$3.95

51.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.48

$2.95 NZ$4.98

-2.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 €4.71

$6.74 NZ$11.38

-18.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 €4.28

$6.01 NZ$10.14

-17.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.65 NZ$2.79

-13.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.68

$1.32 NZ$2.24

48.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 €3.22

$1.93 NZ$3.26

93.78%

Eggs

$3.90 €3.36

$5.79 NZ$9.77

-32.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 €10.82

$5.63 NZ$9.51

123.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$8.28 NZ$13.98

14.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 €11.64

$11.04 NZ$18.64

22.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 €1.67

$2.71 NZ$4.58

-28.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 €1.69

$2.84 NZ$4.79

-30.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.94 NZ$4.96

-21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 €1.95

$6.57 NZ$11.09

-65.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.23 NZ$3.77

-32.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.93 NZ$3.26

-29.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.23

$2.70 NZ$4.55

-47.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.07 NZ$1.81

19.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 €5.07

$25.78 NZ$43.52

-77.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.09 €7.82

$11.15 NZ$18.83

-18.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.46

$3.57 NZ$6.03

-52.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 €2.09

$4.25 NZ$7.17

-42.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.68 NZ$2.84

1.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.12 €32.79

$46.94 NZ$79.3

-18.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 €2.90

$4.33 NZ$7.30

-22.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.92 NZ$3.25

9.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.48 €8.15

$41.50 NZ$70.1

-77.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.65 NZ$2.79

7.27%

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

$37.5K €32.3K

$23.9K NZ$40.4K

56.83%

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

$26.3K €22.7K

$23.3K NZ$39.4K

12.90%

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

$215 €185

$90.9 NZ$153

136.87%

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

$23.99 €20.64

$38.51 NZ$65.0

-37.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.09 €30.19

$54.0 NZ$91.2

-35.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 €52.4

$31.91 NZ$53.9

90.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 €12.69

$16.55 NZ$27.95

-10.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.92

$13.40 NZ$22.62

-31.34%

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

$192 €165

$830 NZ$1,401

-76.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,077 €7,808

$18.3K NZ$30.8K

-50.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 €70.7

$61.7 NZ$104

33.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.64 €34.10

$40.63 NZ$68.6

-2.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €92.6

$88.1 NZ$149

22.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 €92.0

$117 NZ$198

-8.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 €830

$971 NZ$1,639

-0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 €612

$869 NZ$1,468

-18.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,642

$1,213 NZ$2,048

57.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 €1,077

$1,621 NZ$2,737

-22.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,437 €6,397

$4,122 NZ$6,960

80.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,150 €4,430

$4,679 NZ$7,899

10.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,687 €1,451

$2,752 NZ$4,646

-38.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

6.83

-37.48%

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

Last update for Split: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $965 in Split and $971 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 63% 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: $81.0 in Split vs $84.0 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $310 per month, with Split 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

Split vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Split is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Hamilton earns 63% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $965 in Split versus $971 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Split – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $84.0 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,800 per month in Split versus $1,873 in Hamilton – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,800 in Split versus $1,873 in Hamilton, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Split but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Split the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Split 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.

Safety-wise, Split 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 Split gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.