Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Netherlands Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Netherlands

Name: Netherlands
Address: NL

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,319 per month in Canada vs $2,547 in Netherlands, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,377 per month in Canada vs $3,701 in Netherlands, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,434 per month in Canada vs $4,854 in Netherlands, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is roughly 9% lower than in Netherlands on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Canada and Netherlands are pricier than the global median – Canada by 74%, Netherlands by 91%.

Cost ranges are similar: Canada spans $1,301–$3,107, Netherlands $1,775–$3,445. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.15 CA$25.57

$23.41 €20.58

-22.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.8 CA$103

$91.8 €80.7

-20.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 CA$15.49

$13.76 €12.09

-20.13%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.34

$4.06 €3.57

-6.65%

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

$2.11 CA$2.97

$3.42 €3.00

-38.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.47

$2.84 €2.50

-38.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 CA$8.28

$6.74 €5.92

-12.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 CA$8.17

$5.70 €5.01

1.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.11

$1.33 €1.17

65.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.77

$2.22 €1.95

20.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.37

$3.07 €2.70

24.10%

Eggs

$3.46 CA$4.88

$4.81 €4.23

-28.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 CA$16.50

$13.97 €12.28

-16.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.24 CA$17.25

$15.92 €13.99

-23.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.03 CA$21.18

$17.35 €15.26

-13.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.89

$2.44 €2.15

71.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$2.59 €2.28

-44.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.32

$1.99 €1.75

89.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.89

$3.80 €3.34

10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.74

$2.12 €1.86

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.91

$2.03 €1.79

36.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CA$3.70

$1.28 €1.13

104.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.63

$0.86 €0.76

116.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.63 CA$20.62

$13.82 €12.15

5.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.33 CA$18.78

$6.69 €5.88

99.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.31

$1.54 €1.35

98.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 CA$4.67

$2.62 €2.30

26.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 CA$3.55

$3.91 €3.44

-35.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.2 CA$107

$91.3 €80.3

-16.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 CA$4.92

$4.24 €3.73

-17.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$2.59 €2.27

-42.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.20 CA$39.74

$34.68 €30.49

-18.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.70

$2.30 €2.03

-47.39%

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

$24.6K CA$34.7K

$38.3K €33.7K

-35.81%

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

$20.6K CA$29.0K

$36.3K €31.9K

-43.25%

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

$153 CA$216

$261 €229

-41.37%

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

$45.74 CA$64.5

$25.24 €22.19

81.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 CA$90.0

$49.61 €43.61

28.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.63 CA$61.5

$41.66 €36.62

4.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.02 CA$25.39

$24.52 €21.56

-26.51%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 CA$16.24

$16.40 €14.41

-29.76%

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

$810 CA$1,141

$2,165 €1,903

-62.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.7K

$9,248 €8,130

28.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 CA$78.9

$95.4 €83.9

-41.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.39 CA$59.7

$45.60 €40.09

-7.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 CA$125

$109 €95.4

-18.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$154

$136 €120

-19.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 CA$1,927

$1,592 €1,400

-14.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 CA$1,666

$1,276 €1,122

-7.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,128 CA$2,999

$2,594 €2,281

-17.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,828 CA$2,575

$2,130 €1,873

-14.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,580 CA$6,454

$6,841 €6,014

-33.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,862 CA$5,443

$4,894 €4,302

-21.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,898 CA$4,084

$3,800 €3,340

-23.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

4.25

48.94%

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

Last update for Canada: July 20, 2026

Last update for Netherlands: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,283 in Canada vs $1,441 in Netherlands. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,473 in Ottawa and $2,411 in Amsterdam.

Average salary: $2,910 in Canada vs $3,631 in Netherlands. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 12% higher in Netherlands.

Dining out costs 26% more in Netherlands.

Public transport is 43% more expensive in Netherlands.

Salaries are 25% higher in Netherlands, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Netherlands.

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

Canada vs Netherlands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Canada is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 18% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Netherlands, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Netherlands consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Canada, contributing to the overall 18% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Canada, but in Netherlands it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Canada is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.