Wheels of Gouda cheese in a shop window

Cost of Living in the Netherlands in 2026: Rent, Groceries, Healthcare and Wages

What daily life costs in the Netherlands compared with the EU, Belgium and Germany: housing, rent rules, groceries, insurance, VAT, and the minimum wage that pays for it.

← Living in the NetherlandsCosts and household6 min readUpdated 5 Oct 2026
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How expensive is it?

115.6overall price level (EU average = 100, 2025)
134.2housing, water and energy
99.4groceries: roughly the EU average
119.9restaurants and cafés

The headline: housing is the big cost; supermarket food is not. Most budgets are decided by where you live and how much space you rent.

Infographic: cost of living in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany compared
ToolCheck what you can claimEight questions, then every allowance and benefit for your household, with amounts.

Housing and rent rules

Rented homes get points (the woningwaarderingsstelsel) for size, energy label, kitchen, bathroom and the WOZ value. The points decide the maximum legal rent.

SocialMid-rentFree sector
Pointsup to 143144 to 186187 and up
Maximum rent 2026€932.93€1,228.07No maximum
Who gets itWaiting lists, income limitsRegulated since 1 July 2024Open market
Infographic: social, mid-rent and free-sector housing compared

Paying too much? The Huurcommissie (rent tribunal) can lower your rent. And if you buy instead: rent vs buy calculator.

Fixed monthly costs to plan for

Rent or mortgage

Usually the biggest item. Energy is often not included in the rent.

Health insurance

Mandatory for residents. Premiums are set by each insurer every November. Low incomes get zorgtoeslag.

Energy and water

Monthly advance payments, settled once a year against actual use.

Municipal taxes

Waste collection, sewage and water board taxes, billed yearly. Low incomes can ask for an exemption.

Internet and phone

Fibre is common. Prepaid and SIM-only phone plans are cheap.

Transport

A bike is cheapest. Public transport is good but not cheap; employers often pay a travel allowance.

Infographic: Dutch VAT rates sorted by product
VAT (btw) is 21% on most things, 9% on food, medicines and books. Hotel stays moved to 21% in 2026.

What people earn

Infographic: Dutch hourly minimum wage by age
From 1 July 2026 the minimum wage for adults (21+) is €14.99 an hour.

On top of the salary, employees get at least 8% holiday allowance (usually paid in May) and often a 13th month. See what a salary is worth after tax with the take-home salary calculator.

Infographic: salaries in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany compared

Ways to save

  1. 1
    Check your benefits

    Rent, healthcare and childcare allowances can be worth hundreds a month. Try the toeslagen calculator.

  2. 2
    Compare health insurance yearly

    Basic cover is identical everywhere; only the price and service differ.

  3. 3
    Shop at discounters and markets

    Prices vary a lot between supermarket chains. Weekly markets are good for fruit and vegetables.

  4. 4
    Use off-peak travel

    NS off-peak subscriptions give 40% discount outside rush hour.

  5. 5
    Get a Museumkaart

    One yearly card for free entry to hundreds of museums.

Sources

This article is based on these official pages. If anything here differs from them, the official page is right.

Ready to run your own numbers?

Monthly budget calculator
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