The cost of living in the Netherlands has risen significantly over the past five years, driven primarily by housing costs and energy prices. For expats planning a move, having realistic numbers is the difference between a comfortable arrival and an unpleasant first three months. The figures below are based on 2026 averages from CBS (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek) and major rental and price comparison platforms, with our own adjustments where the official data lags reality.
Housing: the biggest variable
Housing is by far the largest cost and the most location-dependent. A one-bedroom furnished apartment in central Amsterdam rents for €1,800–€2,400 per month in 2026; an unfurnished equivalent runs €1,400–€2,000. Outside the canal ring, in neighbourhoods like Amsterdam-Noord, Slotervaart, or Diemen, the same property costs €1,200–€1,700. Rotterdam, despite being the second-largest city, is meaningfully cheaper: €1,100–€1,500 for a comparable one-bedroom. The Hague sits between the two at €1,300–€1,800. Utrecht has narrowed the gap with Amsterdam and now runs €1,400–€1,900. Eindhoven, anchored by ASML and the Brainport ecosystem, is €1,000–€1,500 — the best value among the major expat hubs.
For a two-bedroom suitable for couples or a single person who wants a home office, add roughly €400–€600 per month to the one-bedroom figures above. Furnished short-stay rentals are 20–40 per cent more expensive than equivalent unfurnished annual contracts; if you can sign a longer lease and buy your own furniture, the savings are substantial.
Utilities and internet
For a one-bedroom apartment, expect €120–€180 per month for gas, electricity, and water combined. This has come down from the 2022–2024 energy crisis peaks but remains higher than pre-2021 levels. Internet (fibre, 500 Mbps to 1 Gbps) runs €40–€55 per month from Ziggo, KPN, or Odido. Mobile plans with reasonable data allowances cost €15–€30 per month. Television licence: there is no separate TV licence fee in the Netherlands; public broadcasting is funded through general taxation.
Health insurance
Mandatory basic health insurance (basisverzekering) costs €135–€165 per adult per month in 2026, with a separate annual deductible of €385 that you pay out-of-pocket for hospital and specialist care if you use it. A supplementary dental policy adds €15–€30 per month. Children up to 18 are insured free under their parents' policy, with full dental cover.
Groceries
A single adult cooking at home spends roughly €250–€400 per month on groceries. Albert Heijn is convenient but mid-priced; Jumbo and Lidl are noticeably cheaper for the same basket. Dirk and Aldi are the cheapest mainstream supermarkets. Eating out in the Netherlands is more expensive than in most of Southern Europe — a casual two-course dinner with one drink costs €30–€50 per person; lunch at a café runs €12–€18 for a sandwich and coffee. A pint of beer is typically €5–€7 in central Amsterdam, less elsewhere.
Transport
The Netherlands has excellent public transport. A monthly OV-chipkaart subscription for unlimited regional travel within a single province costs roughly €100–€140 depending on the operator. Many employers offer a reisvergoeding (travel allowance) that covers commuting costs in full or in part — confirm this in your employment contract. A bicycle is essential and effectively free transport once you own one; a decent used bike costs €150–€300. Owning a car is expensive due to fuel taxes, parking permits (€150–€600 per year in cities), and Motorrijtuigenbelasting (road tax) of €500–€1,500 per year depending on the vehicle.
Putting it together: monthly budget by city
For a single expat living modestly in a one-bedroom apartment, with public transport, mostly cooking at home, and occasional going out, realistic monthly budgets are: Amsterdam €2,400–€3,200, Utrecht €2,200–€2,900, The Hague €2,000–€2,700, Rotterdam €1,900–€2,600, Eindhoven €1,800–€2,400. For couples sharing accommodation, add roughly €700–€1,000 for the second person (food, transport, insurance) but split the housing — total household budget typically lands at 1.5× to 1.6× the single figure.
What the 30% ruling does to these numbers
If you qualify for the 30% ruling, your effective tax rate is significantly lower for your first years in the Netherlands, which means a higher take-home pay for any given gross salary. A €70,000 gross salary with the full 30% ruling yields roughly €4,400 net per month — comfortable in any of the cities above. The same gross salary without the ruling nets approximately €3,750 per month, which is still workable but tighter in Amsterdam or Utrecht.
The one-off costs of arriving
Monthly budgets miss the setup costs, which for most people land in the first two months and are substantial.
Expect a rental deposit of one to two months' rent, agency costs where they legitimately apply, and — because Dutch "unfurnished" can mean no flooring, no light fittings and sometimes no kitchen appliances — a furnishing bill that regularly runs into thousands. Add a bicycle, which is transport infrastructure rather than a hobby here, plus the administrative odds and ends: apostilles and sworn translations for your gemeente registration, and possibly a licence exchange.
A realistic setup reserve for a single person moving into an unfurnished one-bedroom is several thousand euros beyond the first month's rent. Arriving without it is the most common financial mistake new expats make.
Where the money actually goes: the Dutch quirks
A few line items behave differently here than newcomers expect.
Cycling replaces a car for most people. In the major cities a car is often a net inconvenience — parking permits are expensive and waiting lists real. A decent second-hand bike and good rain gear substitute for a monthly car cost, which is a genuine and often overlooked saving.
Eating out is expensive relative to groceries. The gap between cooking at home and eating out is wider than in southern Europe, so habits transplanted from Spain or Italy will inflate a Dutch budget quickly.
Public transport is good and not cheap. Fares are distance-based, and a daily intercity commute can rival a car in cost. If you are choosing between cities, check the actual fare for the specific commute rather than assuming transport is a rounding error — our city comparison is a good starting point.
Municipal taxes arrive separately. Waste and water board levies are billed by your municipality, not bundled into rent, and land as annual or quarterly bills that surprise people who budgeted only for rent and utilities.
Two households, same salary, very different outcomes
The largest determinant of how a Dutch salary feels is not the salary. It is the combination of city, whether you hold the 30% ruling, and whether you are supporting one adult or a family.
A single person on the ruling in Eindhoven and a family without it in central Amsterdam can hold identical gross salaries and experience entirely different financial lives — the rent difference alone can approach a thousand euros a month, before childcare. If you have children, the childcare allowance is usually a larger factor in household finances than any other single item on this page.