Cost of Living Comparison Between Paterson, NJ and Mechelen Cost of Living Comparison Between Paterson, NJ and Mechelen

🙂 Solo nomad: Paterson, NJ is 8.7% cheaper than Mechelen without rent, and 28.2% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Paterson, NJ is 4.8% cheaper than Mechelen without rent, and 46% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.74 $16.74

$23.26 €20.08

-28.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$114 €98.7

-10.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.82 $11.82

$12.79 €11.04

-7.58%

Cappuccino

$6.02 $6.02

$4.06 €3.51

48.28%

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

$2.3 $2.3

$3.32 €2.87

-30.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$3.14 €2.71

-50.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$5.72 €4.94

23.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.58 €3.96

52.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.31 €1.13

0.76%

White Bread (500g)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.67 €2.31

62.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$2.35 €2.03

141.28%

Eggs

$6.44 $6.44

$3.98 €3.44

61.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.26 $15.26

$17.5 €15.11

-12.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 $10.32

$11.94 €10.31

-13.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.75 $19.75

$19.02 €16.42

3.84%

Apples (1kg)

$7.62 $7.62

$3 €2.59

154.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.37 €2.04

2.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.28 €1.96

88.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$3.02 €2.61

36.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.91 €1.65

57.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.16 €1.86

21.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.33 €1.15

106.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.81 €0.7

216.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.48 $17.48

$12.69 €10.95

37.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.75 $17.75

$9.22 €7.96

92.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.83 €1.58

1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.36 €2.04

91.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.16 €2.73

-37.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 €48.29

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 $4.95

$5.9 €5.1

-16.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.46 €2.13

-11.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.67 $42.67

$45.87 €39.6

-6.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.84 €1.59

-49.46%

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

$24K $24K

$33.7K €29.1K

-28.98%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$33.1K €28.6K

-21.56%

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

$183 $183

$207 €179

-11.71%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$24.98 €21.57

114.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 $62.1

$50.5 €43.63

22.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.53 $42.53

$31.39 €27.1

35.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.71 €11.83

Cinema Ticket

$20.31 $20.31

$15.09 €13.03

34.59%

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

$1,726 $1,726

$582 €502

196.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$13.4K €11.6K

17.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 $67.4

$111 €95.4

-39.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.04 $48.04

$51.1 €44.11

-5.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$106 €91.6

0.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 $173

$160 €139

7.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 $2,721

$893 €771

204.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 $1,346

$746 €644

80.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 $2,678

$1,373 €1,185

95.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,111 $3,111

$1,119 €966

177.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,398 $2,398

$3,463 €2,990

-30.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,092 $2,092

$2,925 €2,526

-28.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,264 $3,264

$2,397 €2,070

36.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

3.27

96.94%

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

Last update for Paterson, NJ: October 27, 2025

Last update for Mechelen: October 28, 2025

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