Cost of Living Comparison Between Winterthur and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Winterthur and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,216 per month in Winterthur vs $4,857 in Hamilton, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,106 per month in Winterthur vs $9,118 in Hamilton, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,997 per month in Winterthur vs $13.4K in Hamilton, rent included.

Winterthur is about 13% cheaper than Hamilton, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Winterthur and Hamilton sit above the global median – Winterthur by 206%, Hamilton by 252%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.87 CHF 24.98

$50.1 BMD 50.1

-38.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 CHF 102

$151 BMD 151

-16.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.41 CHF 14.90

$16.91 BMD 16.91

8.87%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.12

$6.22 BMD 6.22

1.61%

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

$5.47 CHF 4.43

$3.11 BMD 3.11

75.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 CHF 4.06

$3.08 BMD 3.08

62.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.68 CHF 7.02

$7.47 BMD 7.47

16.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.62 CHF 5.36

$9.09 BMD 9.09

-27.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.85

$4.54 BMD 4.54

-49.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 CHF 3.10

$8.49 BMD 8.49

-54.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.60 CHF 3.72

$5.45 BMD 5.45

-15.60%

Eggs

$7.33 CHF 5.93

$7.60 BMD 7.60

-3.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.48 CHF 27.09

$18.75 BMD 18.75

78.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.15 CHF 24.40

$23.05 BMD 23.05

30.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.06 CHF 35.65

$27.43 BMD 27.43

60.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 CHF 3.46

$12.87 BMD 12.87

-66.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.83

$6.57 BMD 6.57

-65.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$7.06 BMD 7.06

-53.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.88 CHF 5.56

$3.96 BMD 3.96

73.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.98

$6.94 BMD 6.94

-64.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 CHF 2.14

$3.09 BMD 3.09

-14.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 2.02

$6.46 BMD 6.46

-61.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CHF 0.96

$3.58 BMD 3.58

-66.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 CHF 8.93

$17.93 BMD 17.93

-38.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.43 CHF 10.87

$24.64 BMD 24.64

-45.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 CHF 2.66

$5.05 BMD 5.05

-35.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 CHF 3.28

$4.42 BMD 4.42

-8.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.58 CHF 4.52

$4.96 BMD 4.96

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.7 CHF 79.0

$70.2 BMD 70.2

39.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.67 CHF 4.59

$6.47 BMD 6.47

-12.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 CHF 2.77

$2.96 BMD 2.96

15.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.1 CHF 49.39

$71.4 BMD 71.4

-14.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.84

$2.42 BMD 2.42

-6.20%

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

$43.3K CHF 35.0K

$37.2K BMD 37.2K

16.53%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

$42.4K BMD 42.4K

-6.70%

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

$430 CHF 348

$252 BMD 252

70.21%

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

$31.53 CHF 25.51

$150 BMD 150

-78.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.7 CHF 63.7

$164 BMD 164

-51.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.0 CHF 68.8

$185 BMD 185

-54.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.70 CHF 27.26

$14.90 BMD 14.90

126.17%

Cinema Ticket

$28.39 CHF 22.97

$13.59 BMD 13.59

108.90%

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

$1,820 CHF 1,473

$1,299 BMD 1,299

40.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K CHF 26.7K

$25.0K BMD 25.0K

31.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$183 CHF 148

$90.6 BMD 90.6

101.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$146 CHF 118

$69.7 BMD 69.7

109.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$201 CHF 162

$143 BMD 143

39.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$464 CHF 376

$130 BMD 130

257.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,403 CHF 1,944

$3,714 BMD 3,714

-35.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 CHF 1,408

$2,451 BMD 2,451

-28.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,845 CHF 3,111

$8,589 BMD 8,589

-55.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,550 CHF 2,063

$7,834 BMD 7,834

-67.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.2K CHF 18.8K

$15.0K BMD 15.0K

54.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$17.0K CHF 13.8K

$9,099 BMD 9,099

87.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,580 CHF 5,324

$6,749 BMD 6,749

-2.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.48

8.63

-71.26%

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

Last update for Winterthur: September 6, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,403 in Winterthur versus $3,714 in Hamilton. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Hamilton, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $126 in Winterthur versus $151 in Hamilton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $663 vs $767 – making Winterthur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Winterthur vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,216 in Winterthur, $4,857 in Hamilton – roughly 15% apart. Hamilton costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,324 per month in Winterthur and $7,286 in Hamilton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Winterthur, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $126 in Winterthur and $151 in Hamilton. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,216 in Winterthur and $4,857 in Hamilton. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$5,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,216 in Winterthur and $4,857 in Hamilton. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Hamilton has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $4,216 in Winterthur to $4,857 in Hamilton. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Winterthur. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hamilton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.