Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $2,507 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,231 in Vancouver versus $3,577 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,630 in Vancouver versus $4,647 in Hamilton.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 13% more expensive than Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Hamilton 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.28

$18.39 CA$25.47

-0.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$74.6 CA$103

4.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.02

$10.84 CA$15.02

0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.51

$4.03 CA$5.58

-1.24%

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

$2.12 CA$2.93

$2.10 CA$2.90

0.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.46

$1.73 CA$2.39

2.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$7.99

$5.73 CA$7.94

0.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.46

$6.49 CA$8.99

16.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.21

$2.23 CA$3.09

4.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.29

$2.11 CA$2.92

46.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.38

$3.00 CA$4.16

29.67%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.27

$3.20 CA$4.43

41.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.88

$7.76 CA$10.74

66.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.58

$11.64 CA$16.11

21.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.80

$14.37 CA$19.89

9.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.89

$3.86 CA$5.34

10.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.03

$1.31 CA$1.81

12.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.57

$3.58 CA$4.95

12.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.01

$3.73 CA$5.17

35.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.18

$2.64 CA$3.65

14.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$2.20 CA$3.04

34.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$2.22 CA$3.08

17.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.60

$2.00 CA$2.77

-6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.04

$13.59 CA$18.82

11.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.80

$13.08 CA$18.11

9.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$2.47 CA$3.42

24.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$3.01 CA$4.16

24.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.37

$2.56 CA$3.55

-4.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$86.2 CA$119

-1.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$3.58 CA$4.96

4.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.21 CA$1.68

23.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$37.98

$24.51 CA$33.94

11.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.15 CA$1.60

16.52%

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

$25.1K CA$34.8K

$25.0K CA$34.6K

0.63%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

-1.00%

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

$91.8 CA$127

$150 CA$208

-38.85%

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

$39.42 CA$54.6

$38.86 CA$53.8

1.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.6

$53.0 CA$73.3

15.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.2

$36.45 CA$50.5

23.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.71

$21.88 CA$30.29

-28.34%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.12

$11.73 CA$16.24

5.46%

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

$1,180 CA$1,634

$644 CA$892

83.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.0K

$22.4K CA$31.0K

-16.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.8

$56.6 CA$78.4

10.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.7

$34.04 CA$47.14

26.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$131

$97.3 CA$135

-2.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$120 CA$167

-1.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,762

$1,346 CA$1,864

48.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,256

$1,306 CA$1,808

24.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,969

$2,056 CA$2,846

74.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,834

$1,970 CA$2,728

40.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

$2,754 CA$3,813

235.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,811

$2,768 CA$3,833

155.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,810

$2,916 CA$4,037

19.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.62

-15.26%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 19% 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: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $75.0 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 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

Vancouver vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Vancouver pays 19% 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: $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,180 in Vancouver 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 21% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,507 in Hamilton versus $2,831 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. 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 Vancouver, 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 13% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.