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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Hamilton vs Surrey in 2026: cost index 105 vs 118, rent $1,700 vs $2,200, income $72,000 vs $70,000, QoL 58 vs 56.
Hamilton vs Surrey in 2026: cost index 105 vs 118, rent $1,700 vs $2,200, income $72,000 vs $70,000, QoL 58 vs 56.
Hamilton ranks #1 with a cost index of 105 and rent of $1,700/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 112 (+11 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 57/100. Top: Hamilton at 58/100.
Safest city: Hamilton (58/100 safety score).
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Hamilton stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 105 and median income of $72,000, it offers competitive value despite costs slightly above the national median. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Hamilton leads with a composite score of 58/100 — reflecting its safety (58), healthcare (74), and walkability (62) metrics. Context matters here. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
The country average QoL score is 63/100. Hamilton leads with 58/100, reflecting its safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA.
Hamilton (ranked #1) has a cost index of 105 and rent of $1,700/mo. Surrey (#2) has index 118 and rent $2,200/mo — a 13-point gap.