A great quality of life, one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, 7th best education system in the world: the Netherlands have a lot to offer. Unsurprisingly, it has become a destination of choice for expatriates. But how much does it cost to live in the Netherlands? In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the cost of living in the Netherlands.
Overview of the average cost of living in the Netherlands in 2024
| Services | Prices |
|---|---|
| Average monthly salary | €3,200 |
| Price of renting a flat in the city centre | €1,500 on average |
| Purchase price of a city-centre flat | €5,800 / m2 |
| Petrol (1L) | €1.90 |
| Mobile package (calls + 10 GB data) | €22.50 |
| Cinema ticket | €13 |
| Restaurant meal for 2 people | €75 |
As a member of the eurozone, the Netherlands have the euro as its official currency. The cost of living in the Netherlands is €2,100 for a single person and €5,300 for a family of four. These figures include accommodation, shopping, transport costs and the cost of mobile and internet packages.
By way of comparison, using the same indicators, the cost of living in France is €1,630. This means that living in the Netherlands is around 25% more expensive than living in France.
Accommodation in the Netherlands
Rent accounts for 30% of the monthly budget for living in the Netherlands; in France, this amount is reduced by a third. Here’s a comparison of prices in the two countries:
Renting in the Netherlands
- On average, in the Netherlands renting a one-bedroom flat in the city centre costs between €1,000 and €2,060 per month, compared with €500 and €1,300 in France.
- On the outskirts, Dutch rents range from €780 to €1,800, compared with €400 and €1,000 in France
Buying real-estate in the Netherlands
The average price per m2 in the Netherlands is between €3,900 and €10,000 in the city centre and between €3,000 and €7,000 outside. The average range is therefore €4,300 to €5,800/m2, compared with €4,000 to €5,900/m2 in France. The difference in purchase prices between the Netherlands and France is therefore fairly small.
However, house prices vary considerably from one Dutch city to another. Here’s a comparative table of the budget needed for accommodation in the country’s main cities:
| Accommodation type | Amsterdam | Haarlem | Maastricht | Rotterdam | The Hague |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-bedroom flat in city centre | €2,060 | €1,400 | €1,150 | €1,500 | €1,400 |
| One-bedroom flat outside of the city centre | €1,700 | €1,200 | €900 | €1,200 | €1,100 |
| Price per m2 in city centre | €9,500 | €6,400 | €4,500 | €5,100 | €4,800 |
| Price per m2 outside the city centre | €7,000 | €5,200 | €2,875 | €3,700 | €3,500 |
There are also additional charges (electricity, air conditioning, heating, water, etc.) of €230 for an 85 m2 flat. For more details, please note that :
- Electricity costs €0.239 per kWh
- kWh of gas is €0.114
Food prices in the Netherlands
People in the Netherlands generally shop at markets or supermarkets, particularly Albert Heijn (a Dutch supermarket chain). Food prices are around the European average, representing around 24% of the monthly cost of living.
Here is a table showing the prices of some basic foods in the Netherlands:
| Food | Average price in the Netherlands |
| Bread (500 g) | €1.75 |
| Eggs (12 pieces) | €4.20 |
| Chicken fillets (1 kg) | €14 |
| Red meat (1 kg) | €15 |
| Tomatoes (1 kg) | €3.40 |
| Potatoes (1 kg) | €1.85 |
| Bananas (1 kg) | €2.20 |
| Apples (1 kg) | €1.80 |
| Milk (1 L) | €1.10 |
| Water (1,5 L) | €0.73 |
Transport
The Netherlands has a comprehensive public transport network and an efficient road network.
Since 2005, residents have been able to use the OV-Chipkaart (smart card) to travel on all Dutch public transport. It costs €7.50 and is topped up with credits (euros) debited when using the bus, tram, metro or train.
The current fares are as follows:
| Means of transport | One-way fare |
|---|---|
| Bus, tramway, metro | €4 |
| Syntus (train and bus) | €10 |
| Qliner Arriva (bus for long-distance journeys anywhere in the Netherlands) | €10 |
Taxi prices in the Netherlands start at €3.50 and cost €2.50 per kilometre travelled. To travel by car, expect to pay an average of €1.90 per litre of petrol.
Cost of healthcare in the Netherlands
| Medical services | Average price in the Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Consultation with a general practitioner | €50 |
| Consultation with a specialist | €100 to €200 |
| One night in hospital | €150 |
| Emergency room visit | €250 |
| Tooth extraction | €45 to €75 |
| Giving birth in a birth centre | €800 |
According to the Euro Health Consumer Index 2024, the Dutch healthcare system is considered the best in Europe, just behind Switzerland. You can take out various types of insurance, including private international insurance, which is ideal for expatriates.
Education in the Netherlands
The Dutch education system is one of the best in the world.
If you want to send your child to a public school, the annual fees for an international primary school range from €4,600 to €18,000. There is a wide choice of English-speaking schools in the Netherlands. You can also choose a Franco-Dutch school, such as the Lycée Français Vincent van Gogh in The Hague-Amsterdam.
Here are the tuition fees for the year 2024-2025:
- Enrolment: €350
- Re-enrolment: €300
- PS to CM2: €7,440 in Amsterdam and €7,700 in The Hague
- 6th to 3rd year: €10,470
- Seconde to Terminale: €11,080
Telecommunication services in the Netherlands
For mobile and internet services, expect to pay the following prices on average:
- Mobile internet package (calls + 10 GB of data): from €10 to €30
- Internet subscription 60 Mbps and unlimited data: from €30 to €60
Leisure activities in the Netherlands
There’s plenty to do in the Netherlands. From walks in the tulip fields to the entertainment on Amsterdam’s Place Leidseplein, there’s no shortage of leisure activities. Whether you’re on your own or with the family, here are a few examples:
- Go to the Van Gogh Museum: €22 per adult, free for under-18s.
- Visit the Keukenhof Botanical Gardens: €20 per adult, €9 per child.
- A day at the Efteling theme park: between €38 and €51.
- Go to the cinema: €13 per ticket.
- Take out a gym membership: €38 per month.
Budget for different cities in the Netherlands
Here is the Numbeo 2024 cost of living index (from highest to lowest) by Dutch cities:
- Amsterdam: 71.1
- Haarlem: 69.7
- Maastricht: 65.5
- Utrecht: 64.3
- Rotterdam: 63.4
- Delft: 61.7
- Eindhoven: 61.2
- The Hague: 59.9
- Groningen: 56.7
For comparison:
Cost of living in Amsterdam: In Amsterdam, the average monthly budget for one person is €2,800, including rent. However, the monthly salary in Amsterdam is among the highest in the Netherlands; around €3,500 on average.
Cost of living in Rotterdam: To live in Rotterdam, expect to spend an average of €2,200 per month, including rent.
Cost of living in The Hague: In The Hague, the cost of living for one person is around €2,000, also including rent
The cost of living in the Netherlands compared with neighbouring countries
In general, living in the Netherlands requires a larger budget than in neighbouring countries:
Compared with Germany
The cost of living in the Netherlands is 13% higher than in Germany. While the monthly budget for one person is €2,100 in the Netherlands, it is estimated at €1,700 in Germany. The main difference lies in the housing budget, which is up to 45% lower in Germany.
Compared with Belgium
Living in the Netherlands requires a monthly budget that is 20% higher than in Belgium. For a family of four, living in Belgium costs around €4,200 a month, including rent, compared with €5,300 in the Netherlands. However, the average salary in the Netherlands is considerably higher, at €3,200 a month, compared with €2,400 in Belgium.
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