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

Name: Netherlands
Address: NL

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,642 per month in Spain vs $2,550 in Netherlands, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,397 per month in Spain vs $3,702 in Netherlands, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,151 per month in Spain vs $4,854 in Netherlands, rent included.

Spain is roughly 36% cheaper than Netherlands on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Spain and Netherlands are pricier than the global median – Spain by 23%, Netherlands by 90%.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: Spain spans $1,118–$3,230, Netherlands spans $1,820–$3,516. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.98 €13.64

$23.52 €20.08

-32.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.4 €49.91

$92.3 €78.8

-36.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 €8.79

$13.79 €11.78

-25.31%

Cappuccino

$2.40 €2.05

$4.21 €3.60

-42.99%

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

$2.59 €2.21

$3.41 €2.92

-24.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.57

$2.90 €2.47

-36.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 €2.99

$7.10 €6.06

-50.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 €3.43

$5.62 €4.80

-28.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.02

$1.30 €1.11

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 €1.29

$2.32 €1.98

-34.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.41

$3.08 €2.63

-46.43%

Eggs

$3.05 €2.61

$4.82 €4.12

-36.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 €12.01

$13.79 €11.77

1.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 €7.36

$16.11 €13.76

-46.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.71 €13.41

$17.14 €14.64

-8.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 €2.14

$2.39 €2.04

4.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.77

$2.50 €2.14

-17.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.79

$1.91 €1.63

9.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 €2.16

$3.97 €3.39

-36.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 €1.56

$2.07 €1.77

-12.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 €1.61

$1.98 €1.69

-4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.10

$1.27 €1.09

1.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.64

$0.92 €0.78

-18.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.26 €5.35

$13.92 €11.89

-55.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.89

$7.00 €5.98

-18.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.08

$1.48 €1.26

-14.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.68 €2.29

-23.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.45

$3.89 €3.32

-56.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.56 €29.51

$93.1 €79.5

-62.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 €3.82

$4.26 €3.64

4.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 €1.09

$2.59 €2.21

-50.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.89 €22.96

$35.38 €30.21

-24.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.18 €1.86

-19.72%

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

$38.4K €32.8K

$38.2K €32.6K

0.45%

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

$30.9K €26.4K

$36.2K €30.9K

-14.82%

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

$150 €128

$257 €220

-41.73%

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

$20.16 €17.21

$25.97 €22.18

-22.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.23 €28.37

$49.32 €42.12

-32.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.19 €40.30

$41.78 €35.68

12.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.06 €13.72

$24.48 €20.91

-34.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.17 €7.83

$16.15 €13.80

-43.22%

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

$509 €435

$2,182 €1,863

-76.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K €8,547

$9,459 €8,078

5.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 €74.5

$95.7 €81.7

-8.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.92 €31.53

$45.72 €39.04

-19.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 €77.7

$106 €90.4

-14.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 €91.8

$136 €116

-20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 €908

$1,623 €1,386

-34.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 €700

$1,292 €1,103

-36.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,419

$2,569 €2,194

-35.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 €1,069

$2,133 €1,821

-41.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,395 €3,754

$6,877 €5,873

-36.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,711 €2,315

$5,052 €4,314

-46.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,097 €1,791

$4,002 €3,418

-47.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.51

4.25

-17.41%

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

Last update for Spain: April 21, 2026

Last update for Netherlands: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $898 in Spain vs $1,433 in Netherlands. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,578 in Madrid and $2,372 in Amsterdam.

Average salary: $2,012 in Spain vs $3,686 in Netherlands. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 60% higher in Netherlands.

Dining out costs 62% more in Netherlands.

Public transport is 182% more expensive in Netherlands.

Salaries are 83% higher in Netherlands, giving Netherlands stronger purchasing power.

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

Spain vs Netherlands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Spain is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 23% 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 23% 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.