Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilversum and Cambridge, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilversum and Cambridge, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,093 in Hilversum versus $4,380 in Cambridge, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,525 in Hilversum versus $5,628 in Cambridge, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,956 in Hilversum versus $6,876 in Cambridge, MA.

Living in Hilversum costs roughly 29% less than in Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hilversum 132% above, Cambridge, MA 228% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.80 €25.19

$16.70 $16.70

72.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 €79.7

$100 $100

-8.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.46 €14.40

$12.19 $12.19

35.03%

Cappuccino

$4.66 €4.08

$5.53 $5.53

-15.73%

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

$3.72 €3.26

$2.96 $2.96

25.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 €2.59

$2.43 $2.43

21.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 €5.21

$7.84 $7.84

-24.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 €4.45

$8.14 $8.14

-37.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.19

$1.09 $1.09

24.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 €2.00

$3.89 $3.89

-41.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 €3.17

$6.58 $6.58

-44.83%

Eggs

$4.92 €4.31

$4.59 $4.59

7.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 €11.34

$14.92 $14.92

-13.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.50 €15.31

$13.77 $13.77

27.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.43 €15.25

$20.53 $20.53

-15.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 €1.68

$6.60 $6.60

-70.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.23

$1.88 $1.88

35.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.69

$6.43 $6.43

-69.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 €3.37

$6.30 $6.30

-38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.82

$3.21 $3.21

-34.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.88

$3.66 $3.66

-41.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.06

$2.45 $2.45

-50.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.79

$2.54 $2.54

-64.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.97 €10.47

$13.45 $13.45

-11.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 €5.89

$15.92 $15.92

-57.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.70 $1.70

-9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 €2.40

$5.54 $5.54

-50.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.61 €4.03

$2.39 $2.39

92.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 €86.6

$90.3 $90.3

9.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 €5.17

$2.64 $2.64

123.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.79 $1.79

18.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.56 €24.99

$27.80 $27.80

2.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 €1.91

$0.89 $0.89

144.94%

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

$40.5K €35.4K

$28.9K $28.9K

39.80%

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

$39.0K €34.1K

$25.1K $25.1K

55.59%

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

$266 €233

$159 $159

67.33%

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

$29.39 €25.71

$52.5 $52.5

-44.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.0 €50.8

$57.2 $57.2

1.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.1 €61.3

$99.0 $99.0

-29.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.20 €36.05

$30.07 $30.07

37.01%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 €15.45

$15.29 $15.29

15.50%

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

$679 €594

$2,745 $2,745

-75.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,585 €6,636

$27.8K $27.8K

-72.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 €111

$65.9 $65.9

92.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 €53.3

$44.54 $44.54

36.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 €117

$103 $103

29.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$181 €159

$149 $149

21.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 €1,541

$2,783 $2,783

-36.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 €1,302

$2,911 $2,911

-48.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,011 €2,635

$5,004 $5,004

-39.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,438 €2,133

$3,505 $3,505

-30.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,977 €6,104

$4,903 $4,903

42.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,378 €4,705

$5,025 $5,025

7.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,721 €3,256

$6,115 $6,115

-39.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

6.43

-30.02%

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

Last update for Hilversum: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cambridge, MA: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,762 in Hilversum and $2,783 in Cambridge, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 64% 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: $91.0 in Hilversum vs $100 in Cambridge, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $480 per month, with Hilversum 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

Hilversum vs Cambridge, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hilversum wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Cambridge, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hilversum the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 64% lower in Cambridge, MA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,762 in Hilversum versus $2,783 in Cambridge, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Cambridge, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Hilversum – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $100 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Hilversum is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Hilversum delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,093 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hilversum hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Hilversum and Cambridge, MA 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 Hilversum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.