Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Utrecht and Saint Paul, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Paul, MN: $2,445 a month against $2,987 in Utrecht, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Utrecht, Netherlands
Saint Paul, MN, United States
Utrecht
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,987
/mo nomad
Saint Paul, MN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,445
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Utrecht and in Saint Paul, MN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Utrecht and in Saint Paul, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,987 per month in Utrecht vs $2,445 in Saint Paul, MN, rent included.

  • Utrecht $2,987
  • Saint Paul, MN $2,445

A couple spends around $4,205 per month in Utrecht vs $3,672 in Saint Paul, MN, rent included.

  • Utrecht $4,205
  • Saint Paul, MN $3,672

A family of three spends $5,423 per month in Utrecht vs $4,900 in Saint Paul, MN, rent included.

  • Utrecht $5,423
  • Saint Paul, MN $4,900

Utrecht costs about 22% more than Saint Paul, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Utrecht and Saint Paul, MN sit above the global median – Utrecht by 120%, Saint Paul, MN by 80%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Utrecht
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.74 €20.42
$15.66 $15.66
45.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.0 €75.5
$67.8 $67.8
23.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.55 €12.17
$10.07 $10.07
34.56%
Cappuccino
$4.78 €4.30
$5.03 $5.03
-4.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.84 €3.45
$3.09 $3.09
24.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 €3.04
$2.59 $2.59
30.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.59 €5.92
$6.04 $6.04
9.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.15 €6.43
$7.37 $7.37
-2.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Utrecht
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 €1.35
$0.98 $0.98
54.08%
White Bread (500g)
$2.98 €2.68
$3.80 $3.80
-21.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.54 €2.28
$3.33 $3.33
-23.72%
Eggs
$4.68 €4.20
$2.96 $2.96
58.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.36 €12.00
$9.39 $9.39
42.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.92 €12.50
$9.66 $9.66
44.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.68 €16.78
$13.17 $13.17
41.84%
Apples (1kg)
$2.74 €2.46
$4.84 $4.84
-43.39%
Banana (1kg)
$2.40 €2.15
$1.11 $1.11
116.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.08 €1.87
$5.88 $5.88
-64.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.78 €3.40
$4.92 $4.92
-23.17%
Potato (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$3.81 $3.81
-54.59%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 €1.69
$3.48 $3.48
-45.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.59 €1.43
$2.05 $2.05
-22.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 €1.24
$1.75 $1.75
-21.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.42 €12.96
$12.68 $12.68
13.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.82 €6.12
$14.65 $14.65
-53.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.22
$1.69 $1.69
-20.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 €2.40
$3.41 $3.41
-21.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Utrecht
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.55 €3.19
$1.96 $1.96
81.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$132 €119
$104 $104
27.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.73 €3.35
$2.54 $2.54
46.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.73 €2.45
$1.52 $1.52
79.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$45.56 €40.92
$31.02 $31.02
46.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.59 €2.33
$1.03 $1.03
151.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.0K €36.9K
$27.1K $27.1K
51.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.1K €36.0K
$26.6K $26.6K
50.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Utrecht
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$245 €220
$232 $232
5.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.75 €19.54
$50.6 $50.6
-57.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.16 €43.26
$64.7 $64.7
-25.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Utrecht
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.24 €39.74
$29.74 $29.74
48.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$31.25 €28.07
$8.50 $8.50
267.65%
Cinema Ticket
$15.06 €13.53
$13.07 $13.07
15.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Utrecht
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,274 €2,941
$1,481 $1,481
121.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,994 €7,181
$28.1K $28.1K
-71.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Utrecht
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.1 €83.7
$41.01 $41.01
127.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.5 €46.25
$40.23 $40.23
27.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €92.1
$82.1 $82.1
24.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126 €113
$110 $110
14.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Utrecht
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,945 €1,747
$1,444 $1,444
34.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,558 €1,400
$1,153 $1,153
35.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,128 €2,810
$2,660 $2,660
17.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,229 €2,002
$2,132 $2,132
4.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,109 €6,386
$2,631 $2,631
170.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,877 €4,381
$1,949 $1,949
150.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Utrecht
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,245 €3,813
$4,256 $4,256
-0.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.23
6.31
-48.81%

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

Last update for Utrecht: October 26, 2026

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Utrecht
$1.6K
Saint Paul, MN
$1.2K 26% $405
Eating Out
Utrecht
$356
Saint Paul, MN
$283 20.4% $73
Groceries & Markets
Utrecht
$352
Saint Paul, MN
$360 2.2% $7.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Utrecht
$315
Saint Paul, MN
$348 10.4% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Utrecht
$168
Saint Paul, MN
$123 26.6% $45
Getting Around
Utrecht
$164
Saint Paul, MN
$122 25.6% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Utrecht
$74
Saint Paul, MN
$56 24.9% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,945 in Utrecht versus $1,444 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84 in Utrecht versus $68 in Saint Paul, MN. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Utrecht vs $360 in Saint Paul, MN – so Utrecht wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Utrecht
🇺🇸 Saint Paul, MN
🕒 Local time
01:13 1:13 AM
19:13 7:13 PM
6 h behind Utrecht
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
367,947
285,068
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Utrecht Saint Paul, MN 6,710 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Utrecht
  • Saint Paul, MN

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Saint Paul, MN cheaper than Utrecht?
Yes – Utrecht is pricier by about 22%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,481 per month in Utrecht and $3,667 in Saint Paul, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Paul, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,444 there versus $1,945 in Utrecht.
Is eating out cheaper in Utrecht or in Saint Paul, MN?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $84 in Utrecht and $68 in Saint Paul, MN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 21% less in Saint Paul, MN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is Utrecht or Saint Paul, MN more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Utrecht or Saint Paul, MN?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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