Cost of living: how to work out yours
Sources checked on · Draft pending human review · Translated from the Spanish original
There is no single cost of living: it depends on the city, the type of housing and your situation. What helps is doing your own sum with today’s prices.
Steps
- Start from your net income, not the gross.
- Write down the fixed costs: housing, health insurance, transport and phone.
- Add the variable ones: food, warm clothing, leisure and money sent home.
- Set aside a buffer for the first month: deposit, first rent and the time until your first pay.
- Repeat the sum for two cities to compare.
Official sources
Deadlines, amounts and requirements change. Always check them with the source.
Frequently asked questions
Why do you not publish average prices?
Because without a source and a date they are not reliable. We prefer to give you the method.
Is there a tool?
Ruta NL Plus has a demo calculator: you enter the figures.
Which cost is most often forgotten?
The rental deposit and health insurance.
Related
Dutch salaries and payslips: the basics
The 2026 hourly minimum wage, gross and net, what a payslip shows, the 8% holiday pay and which deductions are allowed.
Transport: getting around
Bicycle, train and local transport in the Netherlands: what is worth knowing when you arrive.
How health insurance works
Basic health insurance in the Netherlands: who must have it, the four-month deadline, the 2026 excess, healthcare benefit and when you can switch insurer.
Does your case not fit? Read about personal guidance. This is general information, not legal, employment or tax advice.