Cost of Living Comparison Between Zoetermeer and Ulm Cost of Living Comparison Between Zoetermeer and Ulm

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,540 per month in Zoetermeer vs $2,405 in Ulm, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,494 per month in Zoetermeer vs $3,475 in Ulm, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,448 per month in Zoetermeer vs $4,545 in Ulm, rent included.

Zoetermeer costs about 6% more than Ulm, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zoetermeer and Ulm sit above the global median – Zoetermeer by 90%, Ulm by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.12 €17.57

$17.09 €14.93

17.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.3 €79.8

$68.1 €59.5

34.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 €10.23

$12.54 €10.95

-6.62%

Cappuccino

$4.31 €3.76

$3.78 €3.31

14.02%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$3.69 €3.22

-37.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.71 €2.37

-12.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.71 €4.99

$4.74 €4.14

20.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 €5.00

$4.93 €4.30

16.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.02

$1.26 €1.10

-7.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.35 €2.06

-51.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 €2.80

$3.65 €3.19

-12.05%

Eggs

$4.49 €3.93

$3.96 €3.46

13.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.79 €12.05

$14.97 €13.08

-7.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.83 €12.08

$14.97 €13.08

-7.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.01 €14.86

$20.60 €18.00

-17.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$3.27 €2.85

-45.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$1.80 €1.57

37.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 €1.32

$2.33 €2.03

-35.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 €3.35

$5.17 €4.52

-25.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 €1.79

$1.59 €1.39

28.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.56 €1.36

-3.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 €1.07

$1.92 €1.68

-36.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.94

$1.21 €1.06

-11.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.53 €10.07

$9.54 €8.34

20.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.85 €5.98

$5.78 €5.05

18.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.17

$1.08 €0.94

24.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 €2.29

$1.82 €1.59

43.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.68 €4.09

$3.22 €2.81

45.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.9 €79.4

$60.8 €53.1

49.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.26 €4.59

$3.83 €3.34

37.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.87

$2.97 €2.60

-27.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.66 €18.05

$27.69 €24.19

-25.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 €1.95

$2.00 €1.75

11.50%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$31.4K €27.5K

20.70%

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

$33.0K €28.9K

$36.2K €31.6K

-8.73%

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

$243 €212

$388 €339

-37.48%

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

$24.20 €21.14

$41.57 €36.32

-41.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.34 €32.62

$54.9 €47.95

-31.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.04 €25.37

$36.09 €31.53

-19.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.87 €25.23

$11.53 €10.07

150.39%

Cinema Ticket

$16.57 €14.48

$13.62 €11.90

21.66%

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

$2,289 €2,000

$454 €397

404.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,209 €3,677

$13.5K €11.8K

-68.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 €81.2

$105 €91.5

-11.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.74 €43.45

$57.1 €49.85

-12.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €97.3

$91.2 €79.7

22.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$180 €157

$140 €123

28.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 €1,212

$1,143 €999

21.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 €1,121

$958 €837

33.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,716 €1,499

$2,006 €1,753

-14.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 €1,318

$1,492 €1,304

1.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,912 €5,166

$6,039 €5,276

-2.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,684 €4,092

$3,985 €3,482

17.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,587 €4,008

$3,738 €3,266

22.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.99

2.26%

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

Last update for Zoetermeer: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ulm: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,387 in Zoetermeer versus $1,143 in Ulm. 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 23% higher in Zoetermeer, 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 $91.0 in Zoetermeer versus $68.0 in Ulm. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in Zoetermeer vs $361 in Ulm – so Zoetermeer 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

Zoetermeer vs Ulm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zoetermeer is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,810 per month in Zoetermeer and $3,607 in Ulm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,289 per month in Zoetermeer and $454 in Ulm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Zoetermeer – 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 Ulm, where all-in costs run around $2,405, than in Zoetermeer at $2,540. In Ulm it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zoetermeer it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulm – 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 Ulm. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zoetermeer makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.