Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Rapids, MI and Krefeld Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Rapids, MI and Krefeld

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,439 in Grand Rapids, MI versus $2,007 in Krefeld.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,807 in Grand Rapids, MI versus $3,069 in Krefeld.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,175 in Grand Rapids, MI versus $4,131 in Krefeld.

Living in Grand Rapids, MI is roughly 22% more expensive than Krefeld, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Grand Rapids, MI 82% above, Krefeld 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 $18.31

$17.04 €14.79

7.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$67.5 €58.6

2.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.19 $11.19

$12.66 €10.98

-11.61%

Cappuccino

$4.84 $4.84

$3.63 €3.15

33.33%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$2.88 €2.50

-7.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.84 €2.46

-42.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$5.68 €4.93

3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$4.12 €3.58

74.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.35 €1.17

-37.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.32 €2.02

53.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.59 €3.11

36.49%

Eggs

$3.35 $3.35

$3.88 €3.36

-13.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.65 €12.71

-1.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.03 $12.03

$14.44 €12.52

-16.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 $14.88

$19.66 €17.06

-24.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$3.24 €2.81

60.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.93 €1.68

-29.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.35 €2.04

88.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.72 €4.09

-4.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.54 €1.34

36.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.47 €1.28

89.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.86 €1.61

29.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.09 €0.94

137.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.95 $8.95

$9.70 €8.42

-7.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.75 $14.75

$5.98 €5.19

146.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.09 €0.95

66.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.70 €1.47

105.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 $1.80

$3.68 €3.19

-51.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.08 $46.08

$60.8 €52.7

-24.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.80 €5.03

-45.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.15 €1.87

-33.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.30 $28.30

$40.80 €35.40

-30.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.05 €1.78

-56.10%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$31.8K €27.6K

-23.07%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$36.2K €31.4K

-32.99%

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

$117 $117

$349 €303

-66.55%

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

$45.30 $45.30

$36.15 €31.36

25.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 $62.1

$54.3 €47.07

14.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.24 $34.24

$41.15 €35.70

-16.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 $19.64

$22.77 €19.75

-13.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 $11.22

$13.84 €12.00

-18.93%

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

$946 $946

$418 €363

126.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$23.2K €20.1K

-8.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 $63.8

$92.9 €80.6

-31.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.50 $39.50

$47.65 €41.34

-17.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 $94.3

$104 €90.7

-9.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$166 €144

-15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$753 €653

157.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 $1,255

$598 €519

109.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,173 $3,173

$1,424 €1,235

122.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,389 $2,389

$1,258 €1,092

89.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,170 $2,170

$3,433 €2,978

-36.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,211 $2,211

$4,726 €4,100

-53.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,919 $3,919

$2,074 €1,800

88.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

3.98

63.57%

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

Last update for Grand Rapids, MI: June 1, 2026

Last update for Krefeld: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,938 in Grand Rapids, MI and $753 in Krefeld. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grand Rapids, MI pays 89% 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: $69.0 in Grand Rapids, MI vs $68.0 in Krefeld for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $351 per month, with Krefeld cheaper across the board.

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

Grand Rapids, MI vs Krefeld: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Krefeld is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Grand Rapids, MI pays 89% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,938 in Grand Rapids, MI versus $753 in Krefeld. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $946 in Grand Rapids, MI versus $418 in Krefeld. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Grand Rapids, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,007 in Krefeld versus $2,439 in Grand Rapids, MI, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Krefeld but tight or insufficient in Grand Rapids, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Krefeld 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, Grand Rapids, MI and Krefeld 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 Krefeld gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Grand Rapids, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.