Cost of Living Comparison Between Utrecht and Montclair, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Utrecht and Montclair, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,947 per month in Utrecht vs $2,816 in Montclair, NJ, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,160 per month in Utrecht vs $4,285 in Montclair, NJ, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,373 per month in Utrecht vs $5,753 in Montclair, NJ, rent included.

Utrecht costs about 5% more than Montclair, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Utrecht and Montclair, NJ sit above the global median – Utrecht by 120%, Montclair, NJ by 110%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.14 €18.20

$17.45 $17.45

21.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 €75.4

$101 $101

-13.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.95 €12.01

$11.88 $11.88

17.42%

Cappuccino

$4.39 €3.78

$5.80 $5.80

-24.31%

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

$3.95 €3.40

$3.06 $3.06

29.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 €2.71

$1.60 $1.60

96.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 €6.06

$7.99 $7.99

-12.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 €5.04

$11.95 $11.95

-50.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.26 $1.26

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 €2.17

$4.13 $4.13

-38.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 €2.59

$5.49 $5.49

-45.36%

Eggs

$5.39 €4.64

$6.47 $6.47

-16.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.04 €12.09

$14.18 $14.18

-0.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.53 €14.24

$10.11 $10.11

63.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.40 €14.98

$19.86 $19.86

-12.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$5.89 $5.89

-60.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.54 $2.54

-2.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

$4.23 $4.23

-54.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 €3.19

$4.32 $4.32

-14.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$3.13 $3.13

-38.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.54 $2.54

-12.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.87 $2.87

-52.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.98

$2.48 $2.48

-54.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.32 €12.33

$17.16 $17.16

-16.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 €6.21

$15.08 $15.08

-52.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.85 $1.85

-21.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.30

$3.84 $3.84

-30.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 €3.00

$1.95 $1.95

78.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 €64.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 €3.17

$2.95 $2.95

24.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 €2.19

$2.13 $2.13

19.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.59 €22.89

$42.30 $42.30

-37.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.91 $0.91

149.45%

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

$39.8K €34.3K

$23.3K $23.3K

70.48%

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

$39.8K €34.3K

$25.6K $25.6K

55.35%

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

$296 €255

$180 $180

64.13%

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

$26.03 €22.42

$52.7 $52.7

-50.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.51 €40.05

$62.0 $62.0

-24.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.94 €40.42

$42.98 $42.98

9.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.19 €19.97

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.71

$19.73 $19.73

-19.31%

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

$2,609 €2,247

$1,763 $1,763

47.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K €9,630

$15.9K $15.9K

-29.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €98.6

$66.1 $66.1

73.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 €52.2

$48.96 $48.96

23.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €92.7

$98.3 $98.3

9.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €112

$120 $120

8.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 €1,626

$2,280 $2,280

-17.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 €1,310

$1,561 $1,561

-2.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,826 €2,433

$3,779 $3,779

-25.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 €1,930

$2,679 $2,679

-16.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,022 €6,908

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,872 €5,057

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,615 €3,974

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.39

6.44

-31.83%

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

Last update for Utrecht: May 30, 2026

Last update for Montclair, NJ: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,888 in Utrecht versus $2,280 in Montclair, NJ. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Utrecht versus $101 in Montclair, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $441 – 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 Montclair, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Utrecht is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,420 per month in Utrecht and $4,224 in Montclair, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,947 in Utrecht and $2,816 in Montclair, NJ. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $2,609 per month in Utrecht and $1,763 in Montclair, NJ. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,947 in Utrecht and $2,816 in Montclair, NJ. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Montclair, NJ – 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 Montclair, NJ. 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.