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: $2,946 in Worcester, MA versus $2,507 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,989 in Worcester, MA versus $3,577 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,032 in Worcester, MA versus $4,647 in Hamilton.

Living in Worcester, MA is roughly 18% more expensive than Hamilton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Worcester, MA 120% above, Hamilton 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.28 $17.28

$18.39 CA$25.47

-6.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.9 $64.9

$74.6 CA$103

-12.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 $12.04

$10.84 CA$15.02

11.07%

Cappuccino

$4.06 $4.06

$4.03 CA$5.58

0.74%

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

$2.12 $2.12

$2.10 CA$2.90

0.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.73 CA$2.39

-1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 $5.95

$5.73 CA$7.94

3.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 $6.93

$6.49 CA$8.99

6.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.23 CA$3.09

-56.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.11 CA$2.92

62.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$3.00 CA$4.16

90.67%

Eggs

$3.63 $3.63

$3.20 CA$4.43

13.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.38 $19.38

$7.76 CA$10.74

149.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$11.64 CA$16.11

17.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.73 $19.73

$14.37 CA$19.89

37.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.86 CA$5.34

-2.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.31 CA$1.81

10.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.58 CA$4.95

5.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.73 CA$5.17

8.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.64 CA$3.65

18.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.20 CA$3.04

15.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.22 CA$3.08

-16.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.00 CA$2.77

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.91 $12.91

$13.59 CA$18.82

-5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 $11.88

$13.08 CA$18.11

-9.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.47 CA$3.42

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$3.01 CA$4.16

12.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.56 CA$3.55

-22.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$119

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.58 CA$4.96

-15.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.21 CA$1.68

73.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.61 $29.61

$24.51 CA$33.94

20.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.15 CA$1.60

-20.00%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$25.0K CA$34.6K

19.46%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

17.73%

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

$194 $194

$150 CA$208

29.13%

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

$54.1 $54.1

$38.86 CA$53.8

39.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 $55.8

$53.0 CA$73.3

5.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.79 $29.79

$36.45 CA$50.5

-18.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 CA$30.29

Cinema Ticket

$12.65 $12.65

$11.73 CA$16.24

7.84%

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

$1,753 $1,753

$644 CA$892

172.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.1K $30.1K

$22.4K CA$31.0K

34.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.21 $37.21

$56.6 CA$78.4

-34.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.33 $33.33

$34.04 CA$47.14

-2.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 $85.8

$97.3 CA$135

-11.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 $158

$120 CA$167

31.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 $1,882

$1,346 CA$1,864

39.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,730 $1,730

$1,306 CA$1,808

32.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,797 $2,797

$2,056 CA$2,846

36.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,246 $2,246

$1,970 CA$2,728

13.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,864 $2,864

$2,754 CA$3,813

4.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,787 $2,787

$2,768 CA$3,833

0.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,069 $4,069

$2,916 CA$4,037

39.54%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Worcester, MA and $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Worcester, MA pays 40% 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: $65.0 in Worcester, MA vs $75.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $410 vs $343, 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Worcester, MA pays 40% 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: $1,882 in Worcester, MA versus $1,346 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Worcester, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,946 per month in Worcester, MA versus $2,507 in Hamilton – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,507 in Hamilton versus $2,946 in Worcester, MA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Worcester, MA. 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 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 18% less than in Worcester, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.