Cost of Living Comparison Between Utrecht and Milton Cost of Living Comparison Between Utrecht and Milton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,992 in Utrecht versus $3,143 in Milton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,240 in Utrecht versus $4,242 in Milton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,489 in Utrecht versus $5,341 in Milton.

Living in Utrecht costs roughly 5% less than in Milton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Utrecht 124% above, Milton 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.90 €18.28

$14.75 CA$20.68

41.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 €75.0

$75.0 CA$105

14.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.83 €12.10

$13.00 CA$18.23

6.38%

Cappuccino

$4.62 €4.05

$3.78 CA$5.31

22.22%

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

$4.08 €3.57

$3.15 CA$4.41

29.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.84

$2.44 CA$3.42

32.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 €6.11

$8.05 CA$11.29

-13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.93

$5.60 CA$7.86

0.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.18

$2.38 CA$3.34

-43.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.12

$2.62 CA$3.68

-7.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 €2.69

$4.44 CA$6.23

-30.63%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.64

$3.40 CA$4.76

55.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 €12.29

$6.60 CA$9.25

112.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.20 €14.17

$29.60 CA$41.51

-45.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 €15.12

$19.12 CA$26.81

-9.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 €2.07

$5.46 CA$7.66

-56.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.23

$1.55 CA$2.17

64.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$2.95 CA$4.13

-33.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 €3.29

$3.22 CA$4.52

16.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$1.10 CA$1.54

83.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.95

$1.25 CA$1.75

78.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.19

$1.74 CA$2.44

-21.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.24 CA$3.14

-48.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.39 €12.59

$12.34 CA$17.30

16.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.69 €5.85

$13.19 CA$18.49

-49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.27

$2.17 CA$3.05

-33.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.39

$2.82 CA$3.96

-3.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 €3.01

$2.87 CA$4.03

20.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 €65.7

$45.49 CA$63.8

65.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 €3.24

$3.08 CA$4.31

20.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 €2.11

$1.49 CA$2.09

62.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.76 €23.41

$36.38 CA$51.0

-26.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 €2.01

$1.09 CA$1.53

111.01%

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

$41.0K €35.9K

$25.1K CA$35.2K

63.21%

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

$39.7K €34.7K

$23.9K CA$33.5K

66.33%

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

$288 €252

$249 CA$348

16.03%

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

$26.02 €22.77

$59.9 CA$83.9

-56.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.92 €41.92

$68.6 CA$96.2

-30.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$32.58 CA$45.67

47.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.07 €20.19

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 €14.03

$16.52 CA$23.16

-2.91%

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

$2,628 €2,299

$550 CA$771

377.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K €9,606

$11.9K CA$16.7K

-7.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 €103

$55.5 CA$77.8

111.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 €54.8

$54.0 CA$75.8

16.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €94.1

$93.1 CA$131

15.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €114

$127 CA$179

2.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 €1,651

$1,780 CA$2,495

6.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,523 €1,333

$1,677 CA$2,350

-9.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,924 €2,559

$2,631 CA$3,689

11.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,309 €2,020

$2,362 CA$3,311

-2.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,310 €6,396

$4,655 CA$6,527

57.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,072 €4,438

$4,065 CA$5,699

24.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,271 €3,737

$3,165 CA$4,438

34.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.39

6.8

-35.44%

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

Last update for Utrecht: July 13, 2026

Last update for Milton: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,887 in Utrecht and $1,780 in Milton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Utrecht pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Utrecht vs $75.0 in Milton. Groceries flip the comparison at $356 vs $454, with Utrecht cheaper for home cooking.

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 Milton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Utrecht and Milton differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,992 vs $3,143 including rent). Utrecht is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 35% higher in Utrecht, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,887 in Utrecht versus $1,780 in Milton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Utrecht runs roughly 65% less than in Milton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,628 in Utrecht versus $550 in Milton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Utrecht is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Utrecht and Milton are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Utrecht gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Milton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.