Cost of Living Comparison Between Worcester, MA and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Worcester, MA and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,991 in Worcester, MA versus $2,493 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,001 in Worcester, MA versus $3,584 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,010 in Worcester, MA versus $4,676 in Hamilton.

Living in Worcester, MA is roughly 20% more expensive than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Worcester, MA 124% above, Hamilton 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 $17.33

$18.13 CA$25.41

-4.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.2 $66.2

$73.3 CA$103

-9.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$10.98 CA$15.39

10.47%

Cappuccino

$4.03 $4.03

$4.05 CA$5.68

-0.49%

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

$2.07 $2.07

$2.10 CA$2.94

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.81 CA$2.53

-3.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$5.83 CA$8.17

4.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 $7.17

$6.58 CA$9.23

8.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$2.23 CA$3.13

-56.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.12 CA$2.98

58.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$2.85 CA$4.00

98.95%

Eggs

$3.62 $3.62

$3.14 CA$4.40

15.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.85 $18.85

$7.74 CA$10.85

143.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.49 $13.49

$11.56 CA$16.21

16.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.42 $19.42

$14.39 CA$20.18

34.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$3.91 CA$5.48

-1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.30 CA$1.82

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.55 CA$4.97

11.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.90 CA$5.47

0.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.62 CA$3.67

24.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.19 CA$3.07

11.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.21 CA$3.09

-15.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.99 CA$2.80

-19.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.97 $12.97

$13.47 CA$18.88

-3.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.79 $11.79

$12.63 CA$17.71

-6.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.41 CA$3.38

-26.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.07 CA$4.31

5.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.62 CA$3.68

-24.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 CA$123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.54 CA$4.96

-14.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.22 CA$1.71

68.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.96 $28.96

$23.62 CA$33.12

22.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.14 CA$1.60

-25.44%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$25.4K CA$35.6K

16.32%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$20.4K CA$28.6K

21.90%

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

$191 $191

$155 CA$218

23.18%

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

$52.7 $52.7

$40.11 CA$56.2

31.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 $54.7

$51.2 CA$71.7

7.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.02 $30.02

$36.80 CA$51.6

-18.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.40 CA$31.40

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 $12.55

$11.57 CA$16.22

8.47%

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

$1,737 $1,737

$643 CA$901

170.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K $30.5K

$21.7K CA$30.4K

40.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.27 $37.27

$56.0 CA$78.5

-33.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.54 $33.54

$33.71 CA$47.26

-0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 $86.9

$96.7 CA$136

-10.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 $157

$121 CA$170

29.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 $1,847

$1,352 CA$1,895

36.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,768 $1,768

$1,268 CA$1,778

39.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 $2,806

$1,987 CA$2,785

41.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,320 $2,320

$2,022 CA$2,835

14.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,843 $2,843

$2,710 CA$3,800

4.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,813 $2,813

$2,749 CA$3,854

2.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,133 $4,133

$2,871 CA$4,025

43.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.62

-0.30%

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

Last update for Worcester, MA: July 13, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,847 in Worcester, MA and $1,352 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Worcester, MA pays 44% 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: $66.0 in Worcester, MA vs $73.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $406 vs $341, with Hamilton cheaper for home cooking.

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

Worcester, MA vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 44% higher in Worcester, MA, 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: $1,847 in Worcester, MA versus $1,352 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Worcester, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,991 per month in Worcester, MA versus $2,493 in Hamilton – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 Worcester, MA, 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 20% less than in Worcester, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.