Cost of Living in Netherlands - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Netherlands
Address: NL

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $1,159 (excluding rent), and $2,689 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $2,904 (excluding rent), and $5,341 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.78 €19.61

$11.38 €9.80

$34.16 €29.41

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.0 €80.9

$64.6 €55.6

$141 €121

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.15

$11.76 €10.12

$17.64 €15.19

Cappuccino

$4.08 €3.51

$2.28 €1.96

$5.71 €4.92

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

$3.43 €2.95

$2.27 €1.95

$4.55 €3.91

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 €2.55

$2.35 €2.02

$4.12 €3.55

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.74 €5.80

$3.71 €3.19

$8.99 €7.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 €5.05

$4.10 €3.53

$7.62 €6.56

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.09 €0.94

$1.72 €1.48

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 €1.90

$1.13 €0.98

$3.39 €2.92

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 €2.73

$1.95 €1.68

$3.78 €3.26

Eggs

$4.94 €4.25

$2.99 €2.57

$5.75 €4.95

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 €11.91

$10.49 €9.03

$21.84 €18.80

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.18 €13.93

$8.81 €7.58

$17.82 €15.34

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.08 €14.70

$11.59 €9.98

$23.20 €19.98

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 €2.00

$1.81 €1.56

$3.41 €2.93

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$1.77 €1.53

$2.95 €2.54

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.72 €1.48

$3.42 €2.95

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 €3.45

$2.37 €2.04

$7.07 €6.09

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.14 €0.98

$2.27 €1.96

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.34 €1.16

$3.25 €2.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.12 €0.96

$1.51 €1.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.59 €0.51

$1.76 €1.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.85 €11.92

$10.39 €8.94

$14.42 €12.42

Wine (Bottle)

$7.21 €6.21

$6.01 €5.17

$10.81 €9.31

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.00 €0.86

$2.03 €1.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 €2.36

$1.51 €1.30

$3.52 €3.03

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 €3.40

$2.37 €2.04

$5.94 €5.12

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.9 €78.2

$65.3 €56.2

$170 €147

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.77

$3.75 €3.23

$8.24 €7.09

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 €2.16

$2.03 €1.75

$3.10 €2.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.07 €30.19

$28.06 €24.16

$64.3 €55.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.17 €1.87

$2.40 €2.06

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

$38.2K €32.9K

$29.7K €25.6K

$41.3K €35.6K

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

$36.3K €31.2K

$30.9K €26.6K

$40.3K €34.7K

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

$260 €224

$173 €149

$462 €398

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

$25.08 €21.59

$11.38 €9.80

$34.16 €29.41

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.53 €42.65

$34.94 €30.08

$69.9 €60.2

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.86 €36.90

$23.43 €20.17

$70.3 €60.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.45 €21.05

$11.62 €10.01

$39.16 €33.71

Cinema Ticket

$16.50 €14.21

$14.15 €12.18

$20.04 €17.25

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

$2,149 €1,850

$1,213 €1,045

$2,889 €2,487

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,277 €7,987

$5,411 €4,659

$20.7K €17.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.6 €82.3

$44.66 €38.46

$137 €118

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.34 €38.17

$21.68 €18.67

$74.2 €63.9

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.6

$68.7 €59.2

$149 €128

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €120

$70.3 €60.5

$234 €202

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 €1,353

$1,141 €983

$2,332 €2,008

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 €1,099

$900 €775

$1,941 €1,671

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 €2,266

$1,734 €1,493

$4,266 €3,673

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,078 €1,789

$1,364 €1,174

$3,043 €2,620

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,702 €5,770

$4,951 €4,263

$10.7K €9,224

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,024 €4,326

$3,814 €3,284

$7,650 €6,587

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,864 €3,327

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

2.5

4.6

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

Last update: January 19, 2026

By City in Netherlands

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	's-Hertogenbosch	108780	127	$1,123	$2,561	$2,913	$5,485	171.46	278.33
2	Alkmaar	111834	124	$1,165	$2,448	$2,951	$5,252	148.21	139.82
3	Almelo	73107	118	$913	$2,365	$2,574	$4,422	30.11	308.01
4	Almere	222825	130	$1,085	$2,625	$2,783	$5,201	44.22	323.01
5	Amersfoort	160759	141	$1,155	$2,856	$2,939	$4,860	305.7	284.45
6	Amstelveen	91675	155	$1,134	$3,114	$2,827	$4,825	255.62	304.7
7	Amsterdam	881933	175	$1,212	$3,494	$3,141	$6,672	44.75	284.14
8	Apeldoorn	167191	129	$975	$2,543	$2,951	$4,784	235.88	249.49
9	Arnhem	165770	113	$931	$2,220	$2,290	$4,631	180.27	273.99
10	Bergen op Zoom	51834	117	$984	$2,308	$2,835	$4,444	284.22	283.8
11	Best	29988	114	$909	$2,263	$2,358	$4,108	98.14	258.44
12	Beverwijk	41626	118	$1,079	$2,371	$2,736	$4,392	8.05	346.75
13	Borculo	10000	127	$1,260	$2,550	$2,738	$4,730	27	223.57
14	Breda	150008	117	$1,218	$2,354	$3,082	$4,704	122.87	280.72
15	Bussum	33220	136	$1,172	$2,776	$2,746	$5,290	66.76	295.52
16	Culemborg	28955	165	$1,148	$3,358	$2,388	$4,696	87.94	252.34
17	Delft	106086	120	$1,028	$2,340	$2,634	$5,054	90.8	273.72
18	Den Helder	56296	122	$996	$2,438	$2,493	$4,721	72.95	242.34
19	Deventer	102781	123	$1,001	$2,472	$3,051	$4,611	163.87	323.23
20	Dordrecht	121434	128	$935	$2,586	$3,100	$4,681	112.8	283.39
21	Drachten	45186	100	$923	$2,032	$2,448	$3,801	183.67	252.88
22	Ede	122012	111	$938	$2,184	$2,550	$4,266	135.6	107.15
23	Eindhoven	243730	131	$1,097	$2,568	$2,863	$4,826	44	290.39
24	Emmen	108765	117	$1,058	$2,377	$2,846	$4,565	203.33	281.31
25	Enschede	161235	121	$1,080	$2,369	$2,731	$5,123	22.09	322.12
26	Etten-Leur	43027	122	$1,017	$2,466	$2,569	$4,613	156	311.11
27	Geleen	31970	121	$902	$2,390	$2,691	$4,526	39.69	304.99
28	Goes	27495	124	$934	$2,472	$2,799	$4,546	148.25	269.41
29	Gouda	73427	126	$1,246	$2,478	$2,885	$5,375	31.78	243.13
30	Groningen	201242	106	$976	$2,105	$2,541	$4,213	20.74	282.45
31	Haarlem	165396	145	$1,268	$2,917	$3,221	$5,684	33.71	313.82
32	Halle	2000	131	$1,166	$2,669	$2,729	$4,867	277.75	195.39
33	Heerlen	87086	112	$1,210	$2,259	$2,819	$4,652	207.36	300.07
34	Hengelo	81140	114	$966	$2,268	$2,695	$4,574	298.21	294.28
35	Hilversum	93345	154	$1,327	$3,048	$3,422	$5,949	108.68	298.53
36	Hoofddorp	76638	160	$1,144	$3,135	$3,257	$5,904	152.35	297.1
37	Huizen	41273	131	$1,149	$2,582	$3,432	$4,977	238.86	269.95
38	Ijmuiden	31307	126	$1,085	$2,498	$2,456	$4,686	97.84	287.7
39	Leeuwarden	91992	129	$1,312	$2,611	$2,842	$4,966	140.8	290.06
40	Leiden	127089	135	$1,087	$2,672	$2,756	$5,027	14.46	298.87
41	Lelystad	78598	90	$1,246	$1,821	$3,012	$3,815	90.45	315.48
42	Lisse	22995	129	$1,197	$2,525	$3,056	$4,917	202.31	283.7
43	Maastricht	120105	128	$1,113	$2,517	$2,763	$4,762	53.87	259.13
44	Middelburg	40345	123	$997	$2,507	$2,344	$4,786	43.45	261.24
45	Nijmegen	-	132	$1,268	$2,690	$3,151	$5,142	136.16	283.44
46	Oostrewolde	-	122	$1,074	$2,437	$2,650	$4,454	-	-
47	Purmerend	79915	126	$937	$2,538	$2,364	$4,537	139.88	319.9
48	Rijswijk	51027	132	$1,253	$2,613	$2,999	$5,036	175.35	308.43
49	Roermond	41225	102	$1,130	$1,995	$2,344	$4,151	34.67	259.37
50	Rotterdam	572392	147	$1,184	$2,894	$2,966	$5,660	192.94	299.15

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Netherlands - Frequently Asked Questions

The Netherlands offers a mix of value depending on region and lifestyle. In major cities you'll likely encounter higher housing costs and service fees, but reliable transit, strong healthcare access, and a clean, safe environment add efficiency to daily life. In smaller towns and rural areas, everyday expenses feel gentler, with shorter commutes and a closer sense of community. For travelers, expats, and digital nomads, the payoff is predictable routines, quality infrastructure, and easy access to parks and culture. Cost of Living in Netherlands varies by district; plan around housing and transit when you compare options. Tip: Map out neighborhoods by vibe – city center, canal-side, and suburb each offer different trade-offs.

Searching for housing often means exploring neighborhoods by vibe and price range, from bustling city cores to calmer outskirt pockets. Food options are diverse, with seasonal produce, markets, and a mix of international and local staples. Public transport is generally efficient, and cycling remains a practical choice in many cities. For work and study, co-working spaces, libraries, and cafes offer flexible options with reliable Wi-Fi. When you plan errands, expect consistent service hours and good consumer protections. Netherlands living cost varies by city, housing type, and how you move around. Tip: Use long-term rentals and transit passes to keep costs predictable.

To balance budget and quality, build a simple framework: identify must-haves (quiet workspace, good transport links, access to nature) and prefer neighborhoods with easy access to groceries and cafes. Use seasonal planning for groceries and energy use, lean into public transit passes, and consider bicycle-friendly areas for long-term savings. Budget with a flexible daily routine that avoids peak pricing for accommodations and services. In spring and autumn you’ll find cultural programming and outdoor markets, which can offer affordable or even free experiences. Tip: Start with a 2-to-4-week neighborhood trial to gauge vibe and costs.