Cost of Living Comparison Between Utrecht and Burlington Cost of Living Comparison Between Utrecht and Burlington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,992 per month in Utrecht vs $2,724 in Burlington, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,240 per month in Utrecht vs $4,059 in Burlington, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,489 per month in Utrecht vs $5,393 in Burlington, rent included.

Utrecht costs about 10% more than Burlington, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Utrecht and Burlington sit above the global median – Utrecht by 124%, Burlington by 104%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.90 €18.30

$20.03 CA$28.18

4.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 €75.1

$73.0 CA$103

17.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.83 €12.11

$10.90 CA$15.34

26.88%

Cappuccino

$4.62 €4.05

$3.66 CA$5.15

26.23%

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

$4.08 €3.58

$1.94 CA$2.73

110.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.84

$1.65 CA$2.32

96.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 €6.11

$5.97 CA$8.40

16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.94

$6.65 CA$9.36

-15.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.18

$2.07 CA$2.91

-34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.03 CA$4.26

-19.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 €2.69

$4.38 CA$6.17

-29.68%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.64

$3.03 CA$4.26

74.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 €12.30

$13.73 CA$19.32

2.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.20 €14.18

$8.89 CA$12.51

82.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 €15.13

$21.96 CA$30.90

-21.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 €2.07

$3.46 CA$4.87

-31.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.23

$1.39 CA$1.95

83.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$3.64 CA$5.12

-46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 €3.30

$3.56 CA$5.00

5.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$1.95 CA$2.74

3.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.95

$1.79 CA$2.51

24.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.19

$2.20 CA$3.10

-38.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €1.01

$2.06 CA$2.89

-44.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.39 €12.61

$14.99 CA$21.09

-4.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.69 €5.86

$12.29 CA$17.30

-45.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.27

$2.47 CA$3.48

-41.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.39

$2.24 CA$3.15

21.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 €3.02

$3.24 CA$4.55

6.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 €65.8

$103 CA$146

-27.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 €3.24

$2.34 CA$3.29

58.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 €2.12

$1.72 CA$2.42

40.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.76 €23.43

$44.29 CA$62.3

-39.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 €2.02

$1.16 CA$1.63

98.28%

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

$41.0K €35.9K

$25.0K CA$35.2K

63.92%

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

$39.7K €34.8K

$21.6K CA$30.4K

83.81%

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

$288 €253

$133 CA$187

116.87%

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

$26.02 €22.79

$53.1 CA$74.8

-51.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.92 €41.97

$61.5 CA$86.6

-22.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$46.83 CA$65.9

2.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.07 €20.21

$22.90 CA$32.22

0.74%

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 €14.05

$10.95 CA$15.41

46.48%

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

$2,628 €2,301

$947 CA$1,332

177.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K €9,616

$24.6K CA$34.6K

-55.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 €103

$61.6 CA$86.7

90.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 €54.9

$68.5 CA$96.4

-8.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €94.2

$87.0 CA$122

23.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €114

$137 CA$193

-5.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 €1,652

$1,716 CA$2,414

9.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,523 €1,334

$1,481 CA$2,083

2.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,924 €2,561

$2,722 CA$3,830

7.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,309 €2,022

$2,436 CA$3,427

-5.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,310 €6,402

$5,331 CA$7,502

37.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,072 €4,442

$4,338 CA$6,104

16.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,271 €3,741

$3,413 CA$4,802

25.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.39

6.4

-31.41%

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

Last update for Utrecht: July 13, 2026

Last update for Burlington: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,887 in Utrecht versus $1,716 in Burlington. 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 25% 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 $86.0 in Utrecht versus $73.0 in Burlington. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Utrecht vs $374 in Burlington – 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

Utrecht vs Burlington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Utrecht is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,487 per month in Utrecht and $4,086 in Burlington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,628 per month in Utrecht and $947 in Burlington. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Utrecht – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,992 in Utrecht and $2,724 in Burlington. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Burlington – 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 Burlington. 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.