Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Paul, MN and Utrecht Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Paul, MN and Utrecht

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,423 per month in Saint Paul, MN vs $2,947 in Utrecht, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,836 per month in Saint Paul, MN vs $4,160 in Utrecht, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,249 per month in Saint Paul, MN vs $5,373 in Utrecht, rent included.

Saint Paul, MN is about 18% cheaper than Utrecht, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Saint Paul, MN and Utrecht sit above the global median – Saint Paul, MN by 81%, Utrecht by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 $18.12

$21.14 €18.19

-14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.5 $65.5

$87.5 €75.3

-25.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$13.95 €12.00

-27.38%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$4.39 €3.78

15.26%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$3.95 €3.40

-31.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$3.15 €2.71

-23.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$7.03 €6.05

-14.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 $7.15

$5.86 €5.04

22.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.35 €1.16

-28.89%

White Bread (500g)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.52 €2.17

70.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.00 €2.58

29.33%

Eggs

$3.17 $3.17

$5.39 €4.63

-41.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 $9.52

$14.04 €12.08

-32.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 $11.91

$16.53 €14.22

-27.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.28 $14.28

$17.40 €14.97

-17.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.35 €2.02

107.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$2.48 €2.14

-52.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$1.93 €1.66

208.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.70 €3.18

38.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.94 €1.67

95.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.23 €1.92

63.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.36 €1.17

48.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.13 €0.97

69.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.65 $10.65

$14.32 €12.32

-25.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.56 $14.56

$7.22 €6.21

101.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.46 €1.25

20.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.67 €2.30

65.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.48 €2.99

-35.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 $118

$75.2 €64.7

56.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.68 €3.16

33.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.54 €2.19

-43.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.52 $29.52

$26.59 €22.87

11.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.27 €1.95

-62.11%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$39.8K €34.2K

-10.31%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$39.8K €34.3K

-37.03%

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

$223 $223

$296 €254

-24.68%

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

$48.45 $48.45

$26.03 €22.39

86.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$46.51 €40.01

54.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.36 $41.36

$46.94 €40.38

-11.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.05 $10.05

$23.19 €19.95

-56.66%

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 $13.80

$15.92 €13.69

-13.32%

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

$1,466 $1,466

$2,609 €2,245

-43.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$11.2K €9,620

166.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.62 $39.62

$115 €98.5

-65.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.88 $41.88

$60.7 €52.2

-30.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 $83.4

$108 €92.6

-22.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$130 €112

-0.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 $1,232

$1,888 €1,624

-34.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 $1,012

$1,521 €1,308

-33.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 $2,196

$2,826 €2,431

-22.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,253 $2,253

$2,241 €1,928

0.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,899 $2,899

$8,022 €6,901

-63.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,226 $2,226

$5,872 €5,051

-62.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,182 $4,182

$4,615 €3,970

-9.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

4.39

46.47%

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

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: June 2, 2026

Last update for Utrecht: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,232 in Saint Paul, MN versus $1,888 in Utrecht. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Utrecht, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Saint Paul, MN versus $88.0 in Utrecht. Groceries tell a different story – $389 in Saint Paul, MN vs $358 in Utrecht – so Utrecht wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Saint Paul, MN vs Utrecht: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Utrecht is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,634 per month in Saint Paul, MN and $4,420 in Utrecht. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Paul, MN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,466 per month in Saint Paul, MN and $2,609 in Utrecht. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Utrecht – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Saint Paul, MN, where all-in costs run around $2,423, than in Utrecht at $2,947. In Saint Paul, MN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Utrecht it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint Paul, MN – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Saint Paul, MN. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Utrecht makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.