Cost of Living Comparison Between Akron, OH and Zaandam Cost of Living Comparison Between Akron, OH and Zaandam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,252 in Akron, OH versus $1,420 in Zaandam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,360 in Akron, OH versus $3,539 in Zaandam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,468 in Akron, OH versus $5,659 in Zaandam.

Living in Akron, OH is roughly 59% more expensive than in Zaandam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Akron, OH 64% above, Zaandam 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.95 $16.95

$22.77 €19.65

-25.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$83.7 €72.2

-8.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$13.91 €12.00

-26.82%

Cappuccino

$3.67 $3.67

$4.34 €3.74

-15.44%

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

$2.07 $2.07

$3.90 €3.37

-46.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$3.51 €3.03

-52.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.78 €4.99

-11.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 $4.91

$5.39 €4.65

-8.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.35 €1.17

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.47 €2.13

-3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.34 $7.34

$2.84 €2.45

158.45%

Eggs

$4.77 $4.77

$5.01 €4.33

-4.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.45 $15.45

$14.01 €12.09

10.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.58 $11.58

$13.21 €11.40

-12.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$17.62 €15.21

9.25%

Apples (1kg)

$7.02 $7.02

$2.68 €2.31

161.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.51 €2.17

-38.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.55 $7.55

$1.98 €1.71

281.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.84 $6.84

$4.50 €3.89

52.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.89 €1.63

109.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.28 €1.97

67.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.23 €1.06

104.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.03 €0.89

99.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.80 $9.80

$14.37 €12.40

-31.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 $14.30

$7.53 €6.49

89.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.50 €1.29

17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 $5.23

$2.46 €2.13

112.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 $1.28

$3.64 €3.14

-64.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.76 $49.76

$85.5 €73.8

-41.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 $5.03

$6.66 €5.74

-24.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.34 €2.02

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.31 €23.56

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$2.45 €2.12

-61.63%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$43.3K €37.4K

-15.60%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$40.6K €35.0K

-32.38%

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

$247 $247

$278 €240

-11.36%

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

$40.91 $40.91

$24.47 €21.11

67.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 $78.6

$58.4 €50.4

34.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.04 $44.04

$48.67 €41.99

-9.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 $17.19

$29.45 €25.41

-41.63%

Cinema Ticket

$12.59 $12.59

$16.70 €14.41

-24.61%

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

$1,299 $1,299

$2,558 €2,207

-49.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K $12.5K

$7,066 €6,098

77.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 $54.5

$89.7 €77.4

-39.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 $64.9

$41.71 €35.99

55.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$103 €88.9

1.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$104 €90.0

20.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 $944

$1,415 €1,221

-33.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$860 $860

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 $1,375

$1,719 €1,483

-19.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 $1,470

$2,601 €2,244

-43.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,538 $1,538

$5,520 €4,763

-72.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,489 $1,489

$4,423 €3,817

-66.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,265 $3,265

$4,913 €4,239

-33.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.05

3.81

58.79%

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

Last update for Akron, OH: August 29, 2026

Last update for Zaandam: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $944 in Akron, OH and $1,415 in Zaandam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zaandam pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Akron, OH vs $84.0 in Zaandam. Groceries flip the comparison at $454 vs $344, with Zaandam 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

Akron, OH vs Zaandam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Akron, OH and Zaandam differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($2,252 vs $1,420 including rent). Zaandam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 50% lower in Zaandam. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $944 in Akron, OH versus $1,415 in Zaandam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,252 per month in Akron, OH versus $1,420 in Zaandam – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Zaandam runs roughly 72% less than in Akron, OH. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,420 in Zaandam versus $2,252 in Akron, OH, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zaandam but tight or insufficient in Akron, OH. The gap between the two cities makes Zaandam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Akron, OH and Zaandam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Zaandam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Akron, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.