Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zaandam and Akron, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Zaandam: $1,354 a month against $2,237 in Akron, OH, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Zaandam
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$1,354
/mo nomad
Akron, OH
🇺🇸 United States
$2,237
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zaandam and in Akron, OH

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,354 in Zaandam versus $2,237 in Akron, OH.

  • Zaandam $1,354
  • Akron, OH $2,237

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,417 in Zaandam versus $3,349 in Akron, OH.

  • Zaandam $3,417
  • Akron, OH $3,349

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,479 in Zaandam versus $4,460 in Akron, OH.

  • Zaandam $5,479
  • Akron, OH $4,460

Living in Zaandam costs roughly 39% less than in Akron, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zaandam 0% above, Akron, OH 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zaandam
Akron, OH
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.76 €19.36
$17.29 $17.29
25.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.9 €72.8
$76.2 $76.2
7.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.70 €12.18
$10.04 $10.04
36.45%
Cappuccino
$4.35 €3.87
$3.69 $3.69
17.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 €3.37
$2.12 $2.12
78.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30 €2.93
$1.64 $1.64
101.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.46 €4.85
$5.08 $5.08
7.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 €4.77
$4.93 $4.93
8.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zaandam
Akron, OH
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 €1.21
$0.92 $0.92
47.83%
White Bread (500g)
$2.84 €2.53
$2.42 $2.42
17.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.71 €2.41
$7.26 $7.26
-62.67%
Eggs
$4.67 €4.16
$4.92 $4.92
-5.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.93 €12.39
$15.61 $15.61
-10.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.59 €11.20
$11.88 $11.88
5.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.40 €15.48
$19.33 $19.33
-9.98%
Apples (1kg)
$2.59 €2.31
$7.07 $7.07
-63.37%
Banana (1kg)
$2.37 €2.11
$1.55 $1.55
52.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$7.78 $7.78
-75.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.37 €3.89
$6.83 $6.83
-36.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$3.91 $3.91
-51.41%
Onion (1kg)
$2.20 €1.95
$3.71 $3.71
-40.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 €1.09
$2.44 $2.44
-49.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 €0.93
$2.02 $2.02
-48.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.13 €12.57
$10.19 $10.19
38.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.92 €6.15
$14.78 $14.78
-53.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 €1.34
$1.74 $1.74
-13.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 €2.17
$5.02 $5.02
-51.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Zaandam
Akron, OH
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.44 €3.06
$1.24 $1.24
177.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$84.6 €75.3
$49.14 $49.14
72.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.25 €5.56
$4.89 $4.89
27.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.86 $1.86
20.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.65 €22.82
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.39 €2.13
$1.05 $1.05
127.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.7K €37.1K
$28.0K $28.0K
48.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.4K €35.1K
$26.4K $26.4K
49.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zaandam
Akron, OH
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$262 €233
$239 $239
9.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.90 €21.26
$40.46 $40.46
-40.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.2 €49.06
$80.4 $80.4
-31.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zaandam
Akron, OH
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.43 €41.30
$42.56 $42.56
9.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.95 €24.86
$17.65 $17.65
58.36%
Cinema Ticket
$16.30 €14.50
$12.53 $12.53
30.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zaandam
Akron, OH
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,482 €2,208
$1,320 $1,320
88.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,679 €5,941
$12.5K $12.5K
-46.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zaandam
Akron, OH
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.9 €75.5
$52.4 $52.4
61.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.01 €35.59
$65.5 $65.5
-38.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.3 €85.6
$106 $106
-9.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 €91.6
$124 $124
-16.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zaandam
Akron, OH
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,350 €1,201
$932 $932
44.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$864 $864
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,680 €1,495
$1,373 $1,373
22.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,482 €2,207
$1,447 $1,447
71.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,318 €4,731
$1,546 $1,546
244.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,302 €3,827
$1,511 $1,511
184.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zaandam
Akron, OH
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,639 €4,126
$3,282 $3,282
41.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
6.08
-37.50%

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

Last update for Zaandam: October 17, 2026

Last update for Akron, OH: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zaandam
$341
Akron, OH
$360 5.7% $19
Groceries & Markets
Zaandam
$339
Akron, OH
$458 35% $119
Eating Out
Zaandam
$334
Akron, OH
$263 21.2% $71
Clothing & Footwear
Zaandam
$146
Akron, OH
$157 7.3% $11
Getting Around
Zaandam
$116
Akron, OH
$68 41.1% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Zaandam
$79
Akron, OH
$68 14.4% $11
Accommodation & Living
Zaandam
- *
Akron, OH
$864

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,350 in Zaandam and $932 in Akron, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zaandam pays 41% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Zaandam vs $76.0 in Akron, OH. Groceries flip the comparison at $339 vs $458, with Zaandam cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Zaandam
🇺🇸 Akron, OH
🕒 Local time
22:30 10:30 PM
16:30 4:30 PM
6 h behind Zaandam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
76,804
197,542
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Zaandam Akron, OH 6,300 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Zaandam
  • Akron, OH

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
Zaandam vs Akron, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Zaandam and in Akron, OH?
Zaandam and Akron, OH differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,354 vs $2,237 including rent). Zaandam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Zaandam or Akron, OH?
Average pay runs 41% higher in Zaandam, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Zaandam and in Akron, OH?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,350 in Zaandam versus $932 in Akron, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Zaandam or Akron, OH?
All in, you'll spend $1,354 per month in Zaandam versus $2,237 in Akron, OH – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Zaandam and in Akron, OH?
A monthly transit pass in Zaandam runs roughly 72% less than in Akron, OH. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,354 in Zaandam versus $2,237 in Akron, OH, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zaandam but tight or insufficient in Akron, OH. The gap between the two cities makes Zaandam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Zaandam and Akron, OH?
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.
Is Zaandam or Akron, OH safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Zaandam and Akron, OH are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Zaandam or Akron, OH?
Expats usually find Zaandam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Akron, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Zaandam vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?