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 $2,217 per month in Canada vs $2,589 in Netherlands, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,254 per month in Canada vs $3,821 in Netherlands, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,291 per month in Canada vs $5,053 in Netherlands, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is roughly 14% 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 61%, Netherlands by 88%.

Cost ranges are similar: Canada spans $912–$3,779, Netherlands $1,251–$3,523. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.28 CA$25.23

$23.09 €19.85

-20.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$98.3

$93.8 €80.6

-24.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.13

$14.23 €12.24

-22.98%

Cappuccino

$3.95 CA$5.45

$4.27 €3.68

-7.49%

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

$2.07 CA$2.86

$3.85 €3.31

-46.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.41

$3.17 €2.73

-45.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.19

$7.13 €6.13

-16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 CA$7.85

$5.74 €4.93

-0.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.08

$1.38 €1.19

61.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$2.37 €2.04

14.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.14

$3.04 €2.62

22.37%

Eggs

$3.61 CA$4.99

$5.04 €4.34

-28.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 CA$14.92

$14.25 €12.26

-24.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 CA$16.87

$14.87 €12.78

-17.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.68 CA$21.65

$17.61 €15.14

-10.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.86

$2.72 €2.34

56.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$2.49 €2.14

-42.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.55

$2.12 €1.82

89.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.65

$4.39 €3.77

-6.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.70

$1.96 €1.69

36.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.39

$1.87 €1.61

31.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CA$3.68

$1.33 €1.14

100.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.49

$0.99 €0.86

81.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$19.96

$14.65 €12.59

-1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 CA$18.75

$7.17 €6.16

89.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.92

$1.58 €1.35

79.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CA$4.50

$2.74 €2.35

18.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.39

$3.85 €3.31

-36.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 CA$104

$97.9 €84.2

-23.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CA$4.35

$4.88 €4.20

-35.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 CA$2.13

$3.00 €2.58

-48.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.55 CA$38.03

$35.12 €30.20

-21.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.60

$2.42 €2.08

-52.07%

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

$28.4K CA$39.2K

$43.7K €37.6K

-35.07%

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

$19.5K CA$26.9K

$40.4K €34.8K

-51.87%

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

$155 CA$214

$267 €229

-41.91%

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

$43.47 CA$60.0

$24.14 €20.76

80.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$83.4

$52.4 €45.07

15.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 CA$56.8

$43.12 €37.08

-4.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.79 CA$27.32

$26.57 €22.85

-25.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 CA$15.91

$16.35 €14.05

-29.48%

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

$786 CA$1,084

$2,265 €1,948

-65.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K CA$20.5K

$9,252 €7,955

60.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$75.9

$100 €86.3

-45.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.25 CA$56.9

$43.96 €37.80

-6.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 CA$122

$106 €91.1

-16.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$139 €120

-23.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 CA$1,788

$1,708 €1,469

-24.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 CA$1,612

$1,322 €1,137

-11.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 CA$2,822

$2,639 €2,269

-22.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 CA$2,456

$2,090 €1,797

-14.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,786 CA$6,607

$6,811 €5,856

-29.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,973 CA$5,485

$4,959 €4,264

-19.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,078 CA$4,250

$3,942 €3,389

-21.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

3.86

25.91%

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

Last update for Canada: September 8, 2026

Last update for Netherlands: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,228 in Canada vs $1,448 in Netherlands. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,496 in Ottawa and $2,624 in Amsterdam.

Average salary: $2,981 in Canada vs $3,749 in Netherlands. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 18% higher in Netherlands.

Dining out costs 33% more in Netherlands.

Public transport is 48% more expensive in Netherlands.

Salaries are 26% 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 2% 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 2% 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.