Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bristol and Zwolle

For one person, living is cheaper in Zwolle: $2,305 a month against $2,835 in Bristol, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bristol
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,835
/mo nomad
Zwolle
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,305
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bristol and in Zwolle

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bristol and in Zwolle actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,835 in Bristol versus $2,305 in Zwolle.

  • Bristol $2,835
  • Zwolle $2,305

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,144 in Bristol versus $3,361 in Zwolle.

  • Bristol $4,144
  • Zwolle $3,361

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,453 in Bristol versus $4,417 in Zwolle.

  • Bristol $5,453
  • Zwolle $4,417

Living in Bristol is roughly 23% more expensive than in Zwolle, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bristol 110% above, Zwolle 71% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bristol
Zwolle
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.82 £17.87
$20.32 €18.08
17.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$113 £84.8
$83.5 €74.3
35.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.38 £7.79
$11.80 €10.50
-12.03%
Cappuccino
$5.27 £3.95
$3.99 €3.55
32.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 £1.92
$3.61 €3.21
-29.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 £1.38
$2.53 €2.25
-27.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.55 £5.66
$6.49 €5.78
16.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.51 £4.88
$5.70 €5.07
14.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bristol
Zwolle
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 £1.12
$1.15 €1.02
29.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 £1.22
$2.43 €2.16
-32.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.00 £1.50
$2.53 €2.25
-20.95%
Eggs
$4.29 £3.22
$4.41 €3.93
-2.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.39 £6.30
$13.15 €11.70
-36.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.69 £7.27
$13.71 €12.20
-29.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.85 £9.64
$16.41 €14.59
-21.69%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 £2.36
$1.90 €1.69
65.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 £1.29
$2.36 €2.10
-27.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 £1.97
$1.79 €1.60
46.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.16 £3.12
$3.70 €3.29
12.43%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 £1.54
$1.73 €1.54
18.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 £1.13
$1.88 €1.67
-19.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 £0.95
$1.22 €1.08
4.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.07 £1.55
$0.71 €0.63
191.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.58 £17.69
$13.76 €12.24
71.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.70 £8.03
$6.62 €5.89
61.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.87 £2.15
$1.35 €1.20
112.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57 £2.68
$2.79 €2.48
27.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Bristol
Zwolle
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.36 £2.52
$5.98 €5.32
-43.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$118 £88.6
$89.8 €79.9
31.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.39 £2.54
$3.67 €3.26
-7.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 £1.25
$2.74 €2.44
-39.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.38 £19.79
$45.07 €40.09
-41.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 £1.59
$2.21 €1.97
-4.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K £28.1K
$41.0K €36.4K
-8.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7K £29.8K
$39.6K €35.2K
0.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bristol
Zwolle
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$316 £237
$243 €216
29.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.76 £12.58
$21.96 €19.53
-23.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.59 £28.95
$44.12 €39.25
-12.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bristol
Zwolle
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.62 £36.48
$40.35 €35.90
20.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.50 £8.63
$21.19 €18.84
-45.73%
Cinema Ticket
$14.05 £10.54
$15.88 €14.12
-11.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bristol
Zwolle
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,221 £1,667
$1,588 €1,412
39.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.0K £18.7K
$8,101 €7,206
208.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bristol
Zwolle
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.5 £73.9
$96.2 €85.6
2.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.84 £36.64
$51.8 €46.08
-5.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 £79.1
$87.8 €78.1
20.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 £74.2
$123 €109
-19.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bristol
Zwolle
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,891 £1,419
$993 €883
90.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,424 £1,068
$998 €888
42.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,042 £2,282
$1,806 €1,606
68.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,266 £1,700
$1,484 €1,320
52.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,835 £5,128
$5,288 €4,704
29.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,177 £3,884
$4,348 €3,867
19.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bristol
Zwolle
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,731 £2,799
$3,014 €2,681
23.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.87
3.23
50.77%

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

Last update for Bristol: October 11, 2026

Last update for Zwolle: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bristol
$1.4K
Zwolle
$998 29.9% $426
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bristol
$371
Zwolle
$309 16.6% $62
Eating Out
Bristol
$353
Zwolle
$314 11% $39
Groceries & Markets
Bristol
$308
Zwolle
$318 3.3% $10
Clothing & Footwear
Bristol
$158
Zwolle
$161 2% $3.2
Getting Around
Bristol
$143
Zwolle
$131 8.5% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Bristol
$77
Zwolle
$72 6% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,891 in Bristol and $993 in Zwolle. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bristol pays 24% 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: $113 in Bristol vs $83.0 in Zwolle. Groceries flip the comparison at $308 vs $318, with Bristol cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Bristol
🇳🇱 Zwolle
🕒 Local time
08:21 8:21 AM
09:21 9:21 AM
1 h ahead of Bristol
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
463,400
132,411
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bristol Zwolle 610 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bristol
  • Zwolle

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Bristol vs Zwolle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Bristol and in Zwolle?
Bristol and Zwolle differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($2,835 vs $2,305 including rent). Zwolle is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Bristol or Zwolle?
Average pay runs 24% higher in Bristol, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Bristol and in Zwolle?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,891 in Bristol versus $993 in Zwolle. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Bristol pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Zwolle – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $113 in Bristol. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $2,305 in Zwolle versus $2,835 in Bristol, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Zwolle but tight or insufficient in Bristol. The gap between the two cities makes Zwolle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Bristol and Zwolle?
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.
Is Bristol or Zwolle safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Bristol and Zwolle are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Bristol or Zwolle?
Expats usually find Zwolle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Bristol. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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