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: $2,334 in Akron, OH versus $2,590 in Zaandam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,428 in Akron, OH versus $3,729 in Zaandam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,521 in Akron, OH versus $4,868 in Zaandam.

Living in Akron, OH costs roughly 10% less than in Zaandam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Akron, OH 74% above, Zaandam 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.24 $16.24

$17.34 €14.93

-6.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.4 $54.4

$87.9 €75.7

-38.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 $9.97

$13.69 €11.79

-27.17%

Cappuccino

$3.60 $3.60

$4.16 €3.58

-13.46%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$3.86 €3.32

-38.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$3.26 €2.81

-46.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$7.13 €6.14

-28.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.47 $5.47

$5.62 €4.84

-2.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.23 €1.06

-13.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.37 €2.04

13.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.01 $7.01

$3.09 €2.66

126.86%

Eggs

$4.68 $4.68

$4.83 €4.16

-3.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.45 $15.45

$14.14 €12.17

9.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.89 $11.89

$15.43 €13.29

-22.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.24 $19.24

$17.39 €14.97

10.64%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 $7.66

$2.32 €1.99

230.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.54 €2.19

-36.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.15 $10.15

$1.87 €1.61

442.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$3.99 €3.44

60.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.12 €1.82

0.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.96 €1.68

73.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.24 €1.07

89.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.88 €0.76

112.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.13 $9.13

$13.22 €11.38

-30.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$7.46 €6.42

98.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.49 €1.28

18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.37 €2.04

60.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 $1.28

$3.51 €3.02

-63.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.02 $49.02

$93.1 €80.1

-47.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 $4.92

$4.16 €3.58

18.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.43 €2.09

-35.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.03 $29.03

$26.96 €23.22

7.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$2.30 €1.98

-65.22%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$38.4K €33.1K

-34.37%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$37.1K €32.0K

-24.28%

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

$280 $280

$279 €240

0.21%

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

$41.34 $41.34

$23.58 €20.30

75.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.3 $82.3

$52.1 €44.89

57.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.13 $43.13

$47.89 €41.24

-9.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 $17.60

$23.03 €19.83

-23.58%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$15.13 €13.03

-19.96%

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

$1,337 $1,337

$2,101 €1,809

-36.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K $12.5K

$6,171 €5,314

101.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.25 $46.25

$114 €97.8

-59.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.6 $63.6

$46.90 €40.39

35.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 $87.1

$114 €98.0

-23.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$150 €129

-16.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 $964

$1,407 €1,211

-31.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$921 $921

$1,187 €1,022

-22.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 $1,281

$2,334 €2,009

-45.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 $1,593

$1,727 €1,487

-7.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,564 $1,564

$5,479 €4,718

-71.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,501 $1,501

$4,506 €3,880

-66.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,330 $3,330

$4,845 €4,172

-31.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

4.28

49.07%

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

Last update for Akron, OH: June 2, 2026

Last update for Zaandam: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $964 in Akron, OH and $1,407 in Zaandam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zaandam pays 45% 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: $54.0 in Akron, OH vs $88.0 in Zaandam. Groceries flip the comparison at $460 vs $347, 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 11% in total monthly costs ($2,334 vs $2,590 including rent). Akron, OH is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Zaandam earns 45% less. 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: $964 in Akron, OH versus $1,407 in Zaandam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,334 per month in Akron, OH versus $2,590 in Zaandam – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Akron, OH runs roughly 90% less than in Zaandam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,334 in Akron, OH versus $2,590 in Zaandam, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Akron, OH but tight or insufficient in Zaandam. The gap between the two cities makes Akron, OH 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 Akron, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Zaandam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.