Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,788 in Toronto versus $2,493 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $3,584 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $4,676 in Hamilton.

Living in Toronto is roughly 12% more expensive than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Hamilton 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.96

$18.13 CA$25.41

2.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$73.3 CA$103

14.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.38

$10.98 CA$15.39

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$4.05 CA$5.68

-1.48%

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

$2.11 CA$2.96

$2.10 CA$2.94

0.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$1.81 CA$2.53

-6.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$5.83 CA$8.17

1.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.08

$6.58 CA$9.23

-1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.23 CA$3.13

21.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$2.12 CA$2.98

34.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$2.85 CA$4.00

24.91%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.96

$3.14 CA$4.40

12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.59

$7.74 CA$10.85

71.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.29

$11.56 CA$16.21

12.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.51

$14.39 CA$20.18

16.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$3.91 CA$5.48

5.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.30 CA$1.82

-12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.76

$3.55 CA$4.97

-4.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.64

$3.90 CA$5.47

3.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$2.62 CA$3.67

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$2.19 CA$3.07

34.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.21 CA$3.09

11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.99 CA$2.80

-3.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.01

$13.47 CA$18.88

11.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.10

$12.63 CA$17.71

13.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.41 CA$3.38

12.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$3.07 CA$4.31

1.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$2.62 CA$3.68

-6.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$87.4 CA$123

29.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.08

$3.54 CA$4.96

2.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.22 CA$1.71

9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.82

$23.62 CA$33.12

8.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.14 CA$1.60

-2.63%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$25.4K CA$35.6K

-0.43%

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

$21.8K CA$30.5K

$20.4K CA$28.6K

6.64%

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

$117 CA$164

$155 CA$218

-24.91%

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

$37.60 CA$52.7

$40.11 CA$56.2

-6.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.3

$51.2 CA$71.7

4.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.1

$36.80 CA$51.6

55.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.24

$22.40 CA$31.40

-6.87%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.20

$11.57 CA$16.22

-0.09%

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

$1,125 CA$1,577

$643 CA$901

74.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$21.7K CA$30.4K

-14.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.4

$56.0 CA$78.5

2.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$54.8

$33.71 CA$47.26

15.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$96.7 CA$136

-9.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$121 CA$170

-6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,582

$1,352 CA$1,895

36.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,146

$1,268 CA$1,778

20.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,101

$1,987 CA$2,785

47.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,508

$2,022 CA$2,835

23.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$2,710 CA$3,800

221.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

$2,749 CA$3,854

149.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,842

$2,871 CA$4,025

20.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

6.62

-22.05%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,352 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 20% 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $73.0 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $341 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

Toronto vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 20% higher in Toronto, 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: $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,352 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,125 in Toronto versus $643 in Hamilton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Toronto. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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 Toronto, 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 12% less than in Toronto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.