Cost of Living Comparison Between Netherlands and Spain Cost of Living Comparison Between Netherlands and Spain

Name: Spain
Address: ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,547 per month in Netherlands vs $1,645 in Spain, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,701 per month in Netherlands vs $2,395 in Spain, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,854 per month in Netherlands vs $3,145 in Spain, rent included.

The cost of living in Netherlands is about 55% higher than in Spain on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Netherlands and Spain are pricier than the global median – Netherlands by 91%, Spain by 23%.

Cost ranges are similar: Netherlands spans $1,775–$3,445, Spain $1,121–$3,224. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.41 €20.58

$16.33 €14.35

43.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.8 €80.7

$58.1 €51.1

57.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.76 €12.09

$10.52 €9.25

30.80%

Cappuccino

$4.06 €3.57

$2.39 €2.10

69.87%

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

$3.42 €3.00

$2.58 €2.27

32.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 €2.50

$1.90 €1.67

49.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.74 €5.92

$3.54 €3.11

90.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 €5.01

$3.97 €3.49

43.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.17 €1.03

13.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 €1.95

$1.51 €1.33

47.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 €2.70

$1.66 €1.46

84.94%

Eggs

$4.81 €4.23

$2.96 €2.60

62.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 €12.28

$14.07 €12.37

-0.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.92 €13.99

$8.40 €7.39

89.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.35 €15.26

$15.60 €13.71

11.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 €2.15

$2.51 €2.20

-2.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 €2.28

$1.99 €1.75

30.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.75

$2.01 €1.77

-1.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 €3.34

$2.61 €2.29

45.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 €1.86

$1.79 €1.57

18.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.79

$1.98 €1.74

2.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.13

$1.36 €1.19

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.76

$0.80 €0.71

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 €12.15

$6.32 €5.56

118.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.69 €5.88

$5.60 €4.93

19.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.24 €1.09

24.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 €2.30

$2.07 €1.82

26.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.91 €3.44

$1.71 €1.50

128.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.3 €80.3

$35.24 €30.98

159.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 €3.73

$4.62 €4.06

-8.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 €2.27

$1.30 €1.14

99.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.68 €30.49

$26.85 €23.60

29.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 €2.03

$1.84 €1.62

25.00%

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

$38.3K €33.7K

$38.3K €33.6K

0.21%

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

$36.3K €31.9K

$30.9K €27.1K

17.53%

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

$261 €229

$150 €132

73.37%

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

$25.24 €22.19

$20.37 €17.90

23.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.61 €43.61

$34.06 €29.94

45.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.66 €36.62

$47.30 €41.58

-11.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.52 €21.56

$15.65 €13.76

56.68%

Cinema Ticket

$16.40 €14.41

$9.42 €8.28

74.10%

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

$2,165 €1,903

$515 €453

320.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,248 €8,130

$10.2K €9,002

-9.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.4 €83.9

$86.2 €75.8

10.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.60 €40.09

$36.67 €32.23

24.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €95.4

$90.6 €79.6

19.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €120

$109 €96.1

24.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 €1,400

$1,057 €929

50.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 €1,122

$813 €715

56.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,594 €2,281

$1,721 €1,513

50.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 €1,873

$1,231 €1,082

73.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,841 €6,014

$4,295 €3,775

59.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,894 €4,302

$2,610 €2,294

87.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,800 €3,340

$2,014 €1,771

88.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

3.51

21.08%

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

Last update for Netherlands: July 19, 2026

Last update for Spain: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,441 in Netherlands vs $897 in Spain. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,411 in Amsterdam and $1,566 in Madrid.

Average salary: $3,631 in Netherlands vs $1,998 in Spain. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 61% higher in Netherlands.

Dining out costs 62% more in Netherlands.

Public transport is 182% more expensive in Netherlands.

Salaries are 82% 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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Spain is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 20% 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 Spain, contributing to the overall 20% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Spain, but in Netherlands it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Spain 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.