Cost of Living Comparison Between Utrecht and Drammen Cost of Living Comparison Between Utrecht and Drammen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,086 per month in Utrecht vs $2,659 in Drammen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,329 per month in Utrecht vs $4,071 in Drammen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,571 per month in Utrecht vs $5,484 in Drammen, rent included.

Utrecht costs about 16% more than Drammen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Utrecht and Drammen sit above the global median – Utrecht by 124%, Drammen by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.96 €19.79

$21.46 NOK 199

6.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.9 €73.2

$132 NOK 1,221

-35.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.10 €12.15

$11.39 NOK 106

23.79%

Cappuccino

$4.96 €4.27

$5.36 NOK 49.76

-7.46%

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

$3.88 €3.35

$4.01 NOK 37.21

-3.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.91

$1.98 NOK 18.34

70.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.37 €6.35

$11.88 NOK 110

-37.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.76 €6.69

$6.89 NOK 63.9

12.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.40

$2.57 NOK 23.83

-36.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 €2.63

$4.17 NOK 38.71

-26.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 €2.20

$4.58 NOK 42.48

-44.32%

Eggs

$4.83 €4.16

$4.73 NOK 43.91

2.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.66 €11.78

$14.05 NOK 130

-2.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.42 €12.43

$15.67 NOK 145

-7.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$30.60 NOK 284

-34.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 €2.53

$3.47 NOK 32.18

-15.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.69 NOK 25.00

-8.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$3.55 NOK 32.96

-36.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 €3.30

$5.89 NOK 54.7

-34.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.66 NOK 24.72

-34.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.91 NOK 26.98

-30.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.36

$3.10 NOK 28.72

-49.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.47 NOK 22.95

-41.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.37 €13.25

$16.88 NOK 157

-8.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.08 €6.11

$16.45 NOK 153

-56.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$3.62 NOK 33.61

-61.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.49

$4.33 NOK 40.15

-33.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.81 €3.29

$3.47 NOK 32.22

9.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 €121

$94.7 NOK 878

48.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 €3.47

$12.42 NOK 115

-67.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.77 €2.38

$1.86 NOK 17.23

48.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.95 €40.47

$71.6 NOK 664

-34.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 €2.20

$2.25 NOK 20.87

13.78%

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

$43.8K €37.8K

$46.0K NOK 426.3K

-4.66%

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

$40.4K €34.8K

$45.2K NOK 419.1K

-10.63%

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

$250 €216

$273 NOK 2,534

-8.37%

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

$21.70 €18.70

$33.79 NOK 313

-35.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.90 €43.01

$54.1 NOK 502

-7.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.86 €40.39

$81.5 NOK 756

-42.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.41 €28.80

Cinema Ticket

$16.01 €13.80

$18.03 NOK 167

-11.20%

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

$3,194 €2,754

$252 NOK 2,337

1168.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,237 €7,100

$15.9K NOK 147.7K

-48.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.0 €84.5

$105 NOK 978

-7.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 €46.93

$61.6 NOK 571

-11.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €93.5

$134 NOK 1,244

-19.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €111

$156 NOK 1,444

-16.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 €1,705

$1,383 NOK 12.8K

43.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,562 €1,346

$1,036 NOK 9,607

50.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,297 €2,842

$2,121 NOK 19.7K

55.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 €2,028

$1,647 NOK 15.3K

42.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 €6,266

$10.6K NOK 98.1K

-31.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,062 €4,363

$6,427 NOK 59.6K

-21.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,380 €3,775

$3,712 NOK 34.4K

18.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

4.54

-29.30%

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

Last update for Utrecht: September 8, 2026

Last update for Drammen: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,978 in Utrecht versus $1,383 in Drammen. 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 18% 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 $85.0 in Utrecht versus $132 in Drammen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $510 – making Utrecht the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Drammen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,086 in Utrecht, $2,659 in Drammen – roughly 16% apart. Utrecht costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,629 per month in Utrecht and $3,989 in Drammen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $3,194 per month in Utrecht and $252 in Drammen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 39% cheaper in Utrecht – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,086 in Utrecht and $2,659 in Drammen. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Utrecht has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,659 in Drammen to $3,086 in Utrecht. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Drammen. 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.