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: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $2,493 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $3,584 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $4,676 in Hamilton.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 17% more expensive than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Hamilton 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.10

$18.13 CA$25.41

2.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$109

$73.3 CA$103

6.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.20

$10.98 CA$15.39

-1.28%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.51

$4.05 CA$5.68

-2.96%

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

$2.24 CA$3.15

$2.10 CA$2.94

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.81 CA$2.53

-3.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.48

$5.83 CA$8.17

3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.23

$6.58 CA$9.23

10.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.23

$2.23 CA$3.13

3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$2.12 CA$2.98

44.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.28

$2.85 CA$4.00

32.28%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.06

$3.14 CA$4.40

37.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.63

$7.74 CA$10.85

62.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.27

$11.56 CA$16.21

18.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.41

$14.39 CA$20.18

11.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.98

$3.91 CA$5.48

8.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.30 CA$1.82

16.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.50

$3.55 CA$4.97

10.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.13

$3.90 CA$5.47

30.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$2.62 CA$3.67

22.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.33

$2.19 CA$3.07

41.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.64

$2.21 CA$3.09

17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.64

$1.99 CA$2.80

-5.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.66

$13.47 CA$18.88

14.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.88

$12.63 CA$17.71

17.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.37

$2.41 CA$3.38

29.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.33

$3.07 CA$4.31

23.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$2.62 CA$3.68

-7.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$116

$87.4 CA$123

-5.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.27

$3.54 CA$4.96

6.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.22 CA$1.71

21.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.81

$23.62 CA$33.12

14.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.14 CA$1.60

14.04%

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

$25.2K CA$35.3K

$25.4K CA$35.6K

-0.76%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$20.4K CA$28.6K

0.72%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$155 CA$218

-40.91%

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

$39.34 CA$55.2

$40.11 CA$56.2

-1.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.0

$51.2 CA$71.7

18.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.5

$36.80 CA$51.6

21.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.27

$22.40 CA$31.40

-29.11%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.07

$11.57 CA$16.22

5.27%

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

$1,185 CA$1,661

$643 CA$901

84.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.0K

$21.7K CA$30.4K

-14.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.6

$56.0 CA$78.5

11.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.4

$33.71 CA$47.26

25.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$133

$96.7 CA$136

-1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$121 CA$170

-5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,775

$1,352 CA$1,895

46.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,304

$1,268 CA$1,778

29.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,015

$1,987 CA$2,785

80.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,901

$2,022 CA$2,835

37.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$2,710 CA$3,800

223.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,936

$2,749 CA$3,854

157.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,739

$2,871 CA$4,025

17.73%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $1,352 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 18% 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 $73.0 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 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

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 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Vancouver, 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: $1,979 in Vancouver versus $1,352 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,185 in Vancouver 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 21% higher in Vancouver. 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 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 17% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.