Cost of Living Comparison Between Fullerton, CA and Utrecht Cost of Living Comparison Between Fullerton, CA and Utrecht

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,383 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $2,947 in Utrecht, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,196 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $4,160 in Utrecht, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,008 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $5,373 in Utrecht, rent included.

Fullerton, CA costs about 15% more than Utrecht, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Fullerton, CA and Utrecht sit above the global median – Fullerton, CA by 152%, Utrecht by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.15 $25.15

$21.14 €18.20

18.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 $84.0

$87.5 €75.4

-4.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.31 $11.31

$13.95 €12.01

-18.92%

Cappuccino

$5.42 $5.42

$4.39 €3.78

23.46%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$3.95 €3.40

-30.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.15 €2.71

-35.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.28 $7.28

$7.03 €6.05

3.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.62 $8.62

$5.86 €5.04

47.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.35 €1.16

-11.85%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.52 €2.17

58.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.00 €2.59

38.00%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$5.39 €4.64

-18.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.87 $10.87

$14.04 €12.09

-22.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.79 $8.79

$16.53 €14.23

-46.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 $14.80

$17.40 €14.98

-14.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.35 €2.02

43.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.48 €2.14

-22.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.93 €1.66

96.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$3.70 €3.19

51.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.94 €1.67

68.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.23 €1.92

46.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.36 €1.17

9.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.13 €0.98

86.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 $11.07

$14.32 €12.33

-22.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$7.22 €6.21

111.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.46 €1.26

21.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 $4.65

$2.67 €2.30

74.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 $2.29

$3.48 €3.00

-34.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 $63.3

$75.2 €64.7

-15.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.68 €3.17

10.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.54 €2.19

-34.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.28 $32.28

$26.59 €22.89

21.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.27 €1.95

-44.05%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$39.8K €34.3K

-39.10%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$39.8K €34.3K

-39.53%

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

$198 $198

$296 €255

-33.05%

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

$49.86 $49.86

$26.03 €22.41

91.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.6 $65.6

$46.51 €40.04

41.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.74 $39.74

$46.94 €40.41

-15.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.19 €19.96

Cinema Ticket

$14.07 $14.07

$15.92 €13.71

-11.62%

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

$1,378 $1,378

$2,609 €2,246

-47.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$11.2K €9,628

252.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 $70.3

$115 €98.6

-38.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.06 $35.06

$60.7 €52.2

-42.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 $83.9

$108 €92.7

-22.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$130 €112

-9.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,625 $2,625

$1,888 €1,625

39.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,017 $2,017

$1,521 €1,309

32.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,887 $3,887

$2,826 €2,433

37.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,012 $4,012

$2,241 €1,930

78.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,437 $5,437

$8,022 €6,906

-32.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,872 €5,056

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,607 $4,607

$4,615 €3,973

-0.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

4.39

49.89%

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

Last update for Fullerton, CA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Utrecht: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,625 in Fullerton, CA versus $1,888 in Utrecht. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 0% higher in Utrecht, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Fullerton, CA versus $88.0 in Utrecht. Groceries tell a different story – $375 in Fullerton, CA vs $358 in Utrecht – so Utrecht wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Fullerton, CA vs Utrecht: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,383 in Fullerton, CA, $2,947 in Utrecht – roughly 15% apart. Fullerton, CA costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,075 per month in Fullerton, CA and $4,420 in Utrecht. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Utrecht, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,378 per month in Fullerton, CA and $2,609 in Utrecht. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Fullerton, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,383 in Fullerton, CA and $2,947 in Utrecht. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Fullerton, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,947 in Utrecht to $3,383 in Fullerton, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Utrecht. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fullerton, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.