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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,550 per month in Netherlands vs $2,320 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,697 per month in Netherlands vs $3,377 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,843 per month in Netherlands vs $4,433 in Canada, rent included.

Netherlands costs about 10% more than Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Netherlands and Canada are pricier than the global median – Netherlands by 90%, Canada by 73%.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: Netherlands spans $1,801$3,508, Canada spans $1,320$3,077. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Netherlands
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.00 €19.93
$18.77 CA$26.19
22.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$93.7 €81.2
$74.2 CA$103
26.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.83 €11.99
$11.25 CA$15.70
22.93%
Cappuccino
$4.04 €3.50
$3.86 CA$5.38
4.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 €2.98
$2.19 CA$3.06
57.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 €2.46
$1.69 CA$2.36
68.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.13 €6.18
$5.96 CA$8.31
19.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.62 €4.87
$5.91 CA$8.24
-4.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Netherlands
Canada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.14
$2.29 CA$3.19
-42.36%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 €1.93
$2.76 CA$3.85
-19.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.20 €2.78
$3.60 CA$5.03
-11.11%
Eggs
$4.77 €4.13
$3.50 CA$4.88
36.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.87 €12.02
$11.47 CA$16.00
20.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.12 €13.97
$12.38 CA$17.28
30.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.19 €14.90
$14.97 CA$20.88
14.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.31 €2.00
$4.22 CA$5.89
-45.26%
Banana (1kg)
$2.50 €2.17
$1.51 CA$2.10
65.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 €1.67
$3.90 CA$5.45
-50.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.98 €3.45
$4.11 CA$5.73
-3.16%
Potato (1kg)
$2.12 €1.84
$2.79 CA$3.89
-24.01%
Onion (1kg)
$1.96 €1.70
$2.62 CA$3.66
-25.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 €1.06
$2.66 CA$3.71
-53.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 €0.74
$1.82 CA$2.53
-53.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.96 €12.10
$14.71 CA$20.53
-5.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.82 €5.91
$12.87 CA$17.96
-47.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 €1.33
$3.02 CA$4.21
-49.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62 €2.27
$3.39 CA$4.73
-22.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Netherlands
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.78 €3.27
$2.59 CA$3.62
45.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$93.6 €81.2
$78.1 CA$109
19.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.28 €3.71
$3.56 CA$4.97
20.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 €2.17
$1.47 CA$2.05
70.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.29 €29.72
$29.11 CA$40.61
17.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.90
$1.17 CA$1.63
87.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.3K €33.2K
$24.6K CA$34.4K
55.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.3K €30.6K
$20.5K CA$28.6K
71.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Netherlands
Canada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$265 €230
$154 CA$215
71.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 €21.84
$46.20 CA$64.5
-45.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.58 €42.11
$63.1 CA$88.0
-22.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Netherlands
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.70 €36.14
$42.87 CA$59.8
-2.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.54 €21.26
$17.61 CA$24.58
39.35%
Cinema Ticket
$16.03 €13.89
$11.46 CA$15.99
39.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Netherlands
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,170 €1,881
$813 CA$1,135
166.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,344 €8,099
$12.2K CA$17.1K
-23.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Netherlands
Canada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.7 €82.1
$56.3 CA$78.5
68.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.65 €38.69
$41.36 CA$57.7
7.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 €93.3
$89.0 CA$124
20.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 €121
$106 CA$148
31.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Netherlands
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,625 €1,408
$1,380 CA$1,925
17.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,290 €1,118
$1,182 CA$1,649
9.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,587 €2,243
$2,125 CA$2,965
21.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,091 €1,813
$1,889 CA$2,635
10.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,885 €5,967
$4,826 CA$6,734
42.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,121 €4,438
$3,896 CA$5,436
31.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Netherlands
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,827 €3,317
$2,947 CA$4,112
29.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.25
6.33
-32.86%

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

Last update for Netherlands: June 9, 2026

Last update for Canada: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,437 in Netherlands vs $1,279 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,342 in Amsterdam and $1,500 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $3,666 in Netherlands vs $2,945 in Canada. 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 24% higher in Netherlands, giving Netherlands stronger purchasing power.

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
Netherlands vs Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canada more expensive than Netherlands?
Canada is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 21% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Netherlands, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Netherlands consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Canada, contributing to the overall 21% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Canada or Netherlands?
$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.
Should I move to Canada or Netherlands?
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.

Netherlands vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries