Cost of Living Comparison Between Utrecht and Saint Paul, MN Cost of Living Comparison Between Utrecht and Saint Paul, MN

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,947 per month in Utrecht vs $2,423 in Saint Paul, MN, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,160 per month in Utrecht vs $3,836 in Saint Paul, MN, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,373 per month in Utrecht vs $5,249 in Saint Paul, MN, rent included.

Utrecht costs about 22% more than Saint Paul, MN, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Utrecht and Saint Paul, MN sit above the global median – Utrecht by 120%, Saint Paul, MN by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.14 €18.19

$18.12 $18.12

16.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 €75.3

$65.5 $65.5

33.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.95 €12.00

$10.13 $10.13

37.71%

Cappuccino

$4.39 €3.78

$5.06 $5.06

-13.24%

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

$3.95 €3.40

$2.70 $2.70

46.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 €2.71

$2.42 $2.42

30.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 €6.05

$6.03 $6.03

16.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 €5.04

$7.15 $7.15

-18.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$0.96 $0.96

40.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 €2.17

$4.30 $4.30

-41.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 €2.58

$3.88 $3.88

-22.68%

Eggs

$5.39 €4.63

$3.17 $3.17

70.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.04 €12.08

$9.52 $9.52

47.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.53 €14.22

$11.91 $11.91

38.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.40 €14.97

$14.28 $14.28

21.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$4.87 $4.87

-51.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$1.19 $1.19

108.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

$5.95 $5.95

-67.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 €3.18

$5.11 $5.11

-27.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$3.80 $3.80

-48.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$3.64 $3.64

-38.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$2.02 $2.02

-32.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.92 $1.92

-41.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.32 €12.32

$10.65 $10.65

34.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 €6.21

$14.56 $14.56

-50.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 €1.25

$1.76 $1.76

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.30

$4.42 $4.42

-39.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 €2.99

$2.26 $2.26

53.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 €64.7

$118 $118

-36.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 €3.16

$4.93 $4.93

-25.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 €2.19

$1.43 $1.43

77.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.59 €22.87

$29.52 $29.52

-9.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.86 $0.86

163.95%

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

$39.8K €34.2K

$35.7K $35.7K

11.50%

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

$39.8K €34.3K

$25.1K $25.1K

58.82%

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

$296 €254

$223 $223

32.78%

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

$26.03 €22.39

$48.45 $48.45

-46.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.51 €40.01

$72.0 $72.0

-35.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.94 €40.38

$41.36 $41.36

13.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.19 €19.95

$10.05 $10.05

130.75%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.69

$13.80 $13.80

15.36%

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

$2,609 €2,245

$1,466 $1,466

77.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K €9,620

$29.8K $29.8K

-62.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €98.5

$39.62 $39.62

189.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 €52.2

$41.88 $41.88

44.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €92.6

$83.4 $83.4

29.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €112

$130 $130

0.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 €1,624

$1,232 $1,232

53.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 €1,308

$1,012 $1,012

50.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,826 €2,431

$2,196 $2,196

28.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 €1,928

$2,253 $2,253

-0.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,022 €6,901

$2,899 $2,899

176.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,872 €5,051

$2,226 $2,226

163.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,615 €3,970

$4,182 $4,182

10.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.39

6.43

-31.73%

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

Last update for Utrecht: May 30, 2026

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,888 in Utrecht versus $1,232 in Saint Paul, MN. 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 10% 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 $88.0 in Utrecht versus $65.0 in Saint Paul, MN. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in Utrecht vs $389 in Saint Paul, MN – 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 Saint Paul, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Utrecht is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $3,634 in Saint Paul, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,609 per month in Utrecht and $1,466 in Saint Paul, MN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Utrecht – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Saint Paul, MN, where all-in costs run around $2,423, than in Utrecht at $2,947. In Saint Paul, MN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Utrecht it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint Paul, MN – 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 Saint Paul, MN. 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.