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

Name: Canada
Address: CA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,547 per month in Netherlands vs $2,319 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,701 per month in Netherlands vs $3,377 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,854 per month in Netherlands vs $4,434 in Canada, rent included.

The cost of living in Netherlands is about 10% higher than in Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Netherlands and Canada are pricier than the global median – Netherlands by 91%, Canada by 74%.

Cost ranges are similar: Netherlands spans $1,775–$3,445, Canada $1,301–$3,107. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.41 €20.58

$18.15 CA$25.57

28.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.8 €80.7

$72.8 CA$103

26.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.76 €12.09

$10.99 CA$15.49

25.20%

Cappuccino

$4.06 €3.57

$3.79 CA$5.34

7.12%

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

$3.42 €3.00

$2.11 CA$2.97

62.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 €2.50

$1.75 CA$2.47

62.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.74 €5.92

$5.88 CA$8.28

14.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 €5.01

$5.80 CA$8.17

-1.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.20 CA$3.11

-39.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 €1.95

$2.67 CA$3.77

-16.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 €2.70

$3.81 CA$5.37

-19.42%

Eggs

$4.81 €4.23

$3.46 CA$4.88

39.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 €12.28

$11.71 CA$16.50

19.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.92 €13.99

$12.24 CA$17.25

30.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.35 €15.26

$15.03 CA$21.18

15.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 €2.15

$4.18 CA$5.89

-41.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 €2.28

$1.45 CA$2.05

78.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.75

$3.78 CA$5.32

-47.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 €3.34

$4.18 CA$5.89

-9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 €1.86

$2.65 CA$3.74

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.79

$2.77 CA$3.91

-26.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.13

$2.62 CA$3.70

-51.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.76

$1.86 CA$2.63

-53.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 €12.15

$14.63 CA$20.62

-5.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.69 €5.88

$13.33 CA$18.78

-49.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$3.06 CA$4.31

-49.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 €2.30

$3.32 CA$4.67

-21.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.91 €3.44

$2.52 CA$3.55

55.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.3 €80.3

$76.2 CA$107

19.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 €3.73

$3.49 CA$4.92

21.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 €2.27

$1.49 CA$2.09

73.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.68 €30.49

$28.20 CA$39.74

22.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 €2.03

$1.21 CA$1.70

90.08%

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

$38.3K €33.7K

$24.6K CA$34.7K

55.78%

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

$36.3K €31.9K

$20.6K CA$29.0K

76.22%

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

$261 €229

$153 CA$216

70.57%

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

$25.24 €22.19

$45.74 CA$64.5

-44.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.61 €43.61

$63.9 CA$90.0

-22.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.66 €36.62

$43.63 CA$61.5

-4.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.52 €21.56

$18.02 CA$25.39

36.07%

Cinema Ticket

$16.40 €14.41

$11.52 CA$16.24

42.36%

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

$2,165 €1,903

$810 CA$1,141

167.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,248 €8,130

$11.9K CA$16.7K

-22.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.4 €83.9

$56.0 CA$78.9

70.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.60 €40.09

$42.39 CA$59.7

7.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €95.4

$88.8 CA$125

22.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €120

$109 CA$154

24.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 €1,400

$1,368 CA$1,927

16.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 €1,122

$1,182 CA$1,666

7.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,594 €2,281

$2,128 CA$2,999

21.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 €1,873

$1,828 CA$2,575

16.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,841 €6,014

$4,580 CA$6,454

49.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,894 €4,302

$3,862 CA$5,443

26.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,800 €3,340

$2,898 CA$4,084

31.13%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Canada: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,441 in Netherlands vs $1,283 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,411 in Amsterdam and $1,473 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $3,631 in Netherlands vs $2,910 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 25% 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

Netherlands vs Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Canada is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 18% 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 18% 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.