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: $2,811 in Toronto versus $2,507 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Toronto versus $3,577 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,449 in Toronto versus $4,647 in Hamilton.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 110% above, Hamilton 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 CA$25.90

$18.39 CA$25.47

1.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$113

$74.6 CA$103

9.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.99

$10.84 CA$15.02

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.38

$4.03 CA$5.58

-3.47%

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

$2.22 CA$3.07

$2.10 CA$2.90

5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.28

$1.73 CA$2.39

-4.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.38

$5.73 CA$7.94

5.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.11

$6.49 CA$8.99

1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.77

$2.23 CA$3.09

22.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.76

$2.11 CA$2.92

28.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.90

$3.00 CA$4.16

18.00%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.84

$3.20 CA$4.43

9.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.73

$7.76 CA$10.74

74.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.12

$11.64 CA$16.11

12.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 CA$23.49

$14.37 CA$19.89

18.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.76

$3.86 CA$5.34

7.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$1.31 CA$1.81

-9.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.50

$3.58 CA$4.95

-9.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.70

$3.73 CA$5.17

10.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$2.64 CA$3.65

-5.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$2.20 CA$3.04

30.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$2.22 CA$3.08

5.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.19

$13.59 CA$18.82

7.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 CA$19.63

$13.08 CA$18.11

8.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$2.47 CA$3.42

13.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$3.01 CA$4.16

7.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$2.56 CA$3.55

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 CA$158

$86.2 CA$119

32.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.20

$3.58 CA$4.96

5.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.21 CA$1.68

16.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.34

$24.51 CA$33.94

4.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.15 CA$1.60

-4.35%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$25.0K CA$34.6K

1.15%

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

$21.1K CA$29.2K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

0.62%

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

$120 CA$166

$150 CA$208

-20.30%

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

$37.54 CA$52.0

$38.86 CA$53.8

-3.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 CA$75.5

$53.0 CA$73.3

2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 CA$76.9

$36.45 CA$50.5

52.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 CA$29.28

$21.88 CA$30.29

-3.34%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.00

$11.73 CA$16.24

-1.45%

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

$1,129 CA$1,564

$644 CA$892

75.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$24.9K

$22.4K CA$31.0K

-19.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$78.8

$56.6 CA$78.4

0.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 CA$55.3

$34.04 CA$47.14

17.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$124

$97.3 CA$135

-7.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$120 CA$167

-5.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,561

$1,346 CA$1,864

37.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 CA$2,159

$1,306 CA$1,808

19.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,051

$2,056 CA$2,846

42.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 CA$3,420

$1,970 CA$2,728

25.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,085 CA$12.6K

$2,754 CA$3,813

229.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,036 CA$9,742

$2,768 CA$3,833

154.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$4,946

$2,916 CA$4,037

22.50%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Toronto and $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toronto pays 22% 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: $82.0 in Toronto vs $75.0 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 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

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.

Toronto pays 22% more on average, 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: $1,849 in Toronto versus $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,129 in Toronto versus $644 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.

At $2,507 in Hamilton versus $2,811 in Toronto, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Toronto. 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 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.