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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,992 per month in Utrecht vs $2,212 in Drammen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,240 per month in Utrecht vs $3,324 in Drammen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,489 per month in Utrecht vs $4,437 in Drammen, rent included.

Utrecht costs about 35% more than Drammen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Utrecht and Drammen sit above the global median – Utrecht by 124%, Drammen by 66%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Utrecht
Drammen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.90 €18.26
$20.63 NOK 199
1.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.8 €74.9
$74.8 NOK 720
14.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.83 €12.08
$13.18 NOK 127
4.93%
Cappuccino
$4.62 €4.04
$4.73 NOK 45.58
-2.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.08 €3.57
$2.45 NOK 23.61
66.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 €2.83
$2.68 NOK 25.77
20.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.98 €6.10
$8.14 NOK 78.4
-14.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.64 €4.93
$6.23 NOK 60.0
-9.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Utrecht
Drammen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 €1.18
$2.11 NOK 20.29
-36.02%
White Bread (500g)
$2.43 €2.12
$3.13 NOK 30.13
-22.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.08 €2.69
$3.32 NOK 31.96
-7.23%
Eggs
$5.30 €4.63
$4.19 NOK 40.36
26.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.05 €12.27
$11.24 NOK 108
25.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.20 €14.15
$13.19 NOK 127
22.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.28 €15.10
$17.36 NOK 167
-0.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.36 €2.06
$1.95 NOK 18.79
21.03%
Banana (1kg)
$2.55 €2.23
$2.26 NOK 21.73
12.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 €1.71
$3.29 NOK 31.67
-40.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.76 €3.29
$3.79 NOK 36.47
-0.79%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 €1.77
$2.30 NOK 22.20
-12.17%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 €1.95
$1.34 NOK 12.89
66.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 €1.19
$1.79 NOK 17.21
-24.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 €1.00
$1.83 NOK 17.67
-37.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.39 €12.57
$14.30 NOK 138
0.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.69 €5.85
$12.44 NOK 120
-46.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 €1.27
$2.93 NOK 28.26
-50.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 €2.38
$4.08 NOK 39.32
-33.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Utrecht
Drammen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.45 €3.01
$2.83 NOK 27.23
21.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.1 €65.6
$76.5 NOK 736
-1.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.70 €3.23
$10.25 NOK 98.7
-63.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.42 €2.11
$1.22 NOK 11.71
98.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.76 €23.38
$99.6 NOK 959
-73.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.30 €2.01
$2.16 NOK 20.81
6.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.0K €35.8K
$41.1K NOK 395.6K
-0.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7K €34.7K
$39.1K NOK 376.7K
1.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Utrecht
Drammen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$288 €252
$218 NOK 2,101
32.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.02 €22.73
$43.27 NOK 417
-39.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.92 €41.86
$37.61 NOK 362
27.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Utrecht
Drammen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.99 €41.93
$84.5 NOK 814
-43.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.07 €20.16
$35.41 NOK 341
-34.85%
Cinema Ticket
$16.04 €14.02
$15.17 NOK 146
5.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Utrecht
Drammen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,628 €2,296
$302 NOK 2,906
770.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K €9,593
$10.1K NOK 97.5K
8.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Utrecht
Drammen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$118 €103
$97.2 NOK 936
20.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.7 €54.8
$24.93 NOK 240
151.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 €93.9
$101 NOK 970
6.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 €114
$144 NOK 1,390
-9.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Utrecht
Drammen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,887 €1,648
$942 NOK 9,070
100.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,523 €1,331
$769 NOK 7,407
98.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,924 €2,555
$1,460 NOK 14.1K
100.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,309 €2,017
$1,366 NOK 13.2K
69.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,310 €6,387
$10.3K NOK 99.5K
-29.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,072 €4,432
$6,145 NOK 59.2K
-17.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Utrecht
Drammen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,271 €3,732
$3,527 NOK 34.0K
21.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.39
4.38
0.23%

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

Last update for Utrecht: July 13, 2026

Last update for Drammen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,887 in Utrecht versus $942 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 21% 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 $75.0 in Drammen. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Utrecht vs $376 in Drammen – 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 Drammen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Utrecht and in Drammen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,992 in Utrecht, $2,212 in Drammen – roughly 35% apart. Utrecht costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Utrecht compared to Drammen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,487 per month in Utrecht and $3,318 in Drammen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Utrecht and Drammen?
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.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Utrecht and Drammen?
Kindergarten costs $2,628 per month in Utrecht and $302 in Drammen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Utrecht – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Drammen, where all-in costs run around $2,212, than in Utrecht at $2,992. In Drammen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Utrecht it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Utrecht and Drammen?
It depends on your priorities. Utrecht has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,212 in Drammen to $2,992 in Utrecht. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Utrecht or Drammen safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Utrecht and Drammen?
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.

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