Cost of Living Comparison Between Schiedam and Ballina Cost of Living Comparison Between Schiedam and Ballina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,619 per month in Schiedam vs $2,271 in Ballina, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,831 per month in Schiedam vs $3,357 in Ballina, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,042 per month in Schiedam vs $4,442 in Ballina, rent included.

Schiedam costs about 15% more than Ballina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Schiedam and Ballina sit above the global median – Schiedam by 91%, Ballina by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.94 €17.15

$17.66 €15.19

12.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €78.7

$69.8 €60.1

31.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.70 €13.51

$12.61 €10.85

24.50%

Cappuccino

$4.40 €3.79

$4.04 €3.48

8.91%

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

$3.75 €3.22

$1.61 €1.38

132.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 €2.63

$1.36 €1.17

124.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 €6.14

$5.83 €5.01

22.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 €5.94

$7.51 €6.46

-8.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 €1.25

$1.74 €1.50

-16.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 €1.95

$2.32 €2.00

-2.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 €2.31

$1.97 €1.70

36.04%

Eggs

$4.59 €3.95

$3.22 €2.77

42.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.44 €13.28

$14.70 €12.65

5.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.33 €11.47

$13.24 €11.39

0.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 €14.42

$17.38 €14.95

-3.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$3.43 €2.95

-18.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.62 €1.39

46.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$3.47 €2.98

-42.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 €4.23

$4.88 €4.20

0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 €1.21

$2.46 €2.12

-43.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.84 €1.58

-28.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.44 €1.24

-19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.67

$2.17 €1.87

-64.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.79 €11.86

$21.07 €18.13

-34.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 €5.18

$10.28 €8.84

-41.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.19

$4.28 €3.69

-67.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.76

$3.75 €3.22

-45.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$5.79 €4.98

-60.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.1 €81.0

$137 €118

-31.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 €3.05

$5.39 €4.64

-34.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.53 €1.32

134.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.50 €20.22

$34.73 €29.88

-32.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.09 €1.79

13.88%

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

$42.6K €36.7K

$35.4K €30.5K

20.23%

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

$41.2K €35.5K

$39.6K €34.0K

4.21%

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

$291 €251

$251 €216

16.16%

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

$17.76 €15.29

$22.99 €19.78

-22.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 €48.93

$40.26 €34.64

41.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.69 €24.69

$53.1 €45.71

-45.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.15 €21.64

$11.57 €9.95

117.37%

Cinema Ticket

$15.95 €13.73

$12.80 €11.01

24.61%

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

$1,855 €1,596

$1,098 €944

69.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.5K

$5,510 €4,741

121.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 €103

$99.2 €85.4

20.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.17 €32.85

$43.90 €37.78

-13.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$107 €92.0

10.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 €124

$116 €99.8

23.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,696 €1,460

$941 €810

80.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 €1,053

$888 €764

37.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,415 €2,078

$1,347 €1,159

79.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 €1,727

$1,380 €1,187

45.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,830 €5,017

$3,539 €3,046

64.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,172 €3,590

$2,931 €2,522

42.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,562 €2,205

$3,432 €2,953

-25.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.8

4.14

-32.37%

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

Last update for Schiedam: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ballina: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,696 in Schiedam versus $941 in Ballina. 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 34% higher in Ballina, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Schiedam versus $70.0 in Ballina. Groceries tell a different story – $334 in Schiedam vs $381 in Ballina – so Schiedam 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

Schiedam vs Ballina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Schiedam costs about 15% more than Ballina, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,928 per month in Schiedam and $3,407 in Ballina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 46% less in Ballina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,855 per month in Schiedam and $1,098 in Ballina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ballina, where all-in costs run around $2,271, than in Schiedam at $2,619. In Ballina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Schiedam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ballina costs $2,271 versus $2,619 in Schiedam. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Ballina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Schiedam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.