Cost of living 2018 in the Netherlands

Hello Priscilla,


I am new to the forum but have lived in the NL since 1991. Maybe I can answer some of your questions (I will leave out those which are not applicable to me):


How much does it cost to rent an apartment or a house in the Netherlands?

N/A



How much does it cost to buy an apartment or a house in the Netherlands?

Back in 2004, we paid €375,000 for a 170-year old farmhouse here in Drenthe, that was in need of modernisation. Since the property crash of 2008, houses in our region have fallen by as much as 40% and have taken many years to sell (4-5 years is not unheard of, much longer if you are unlucky!)



How much do you pay on average for public transportation (bus, subway, train, tram, taxi)?

I pay €983.30 per year for my teenage daughter's bus pass to school (22 km o/w journey)



How much do you pay for basic food items such as rice, bread, and pasta?


Basic food items:

Rice - around €2.00 per 1kg pack (supermarket own brand)

Bread - €2.75 per whole loaf (from the bakery)

Pasta - around €0.60 per 500g pack (supermarket own brand), and up to €2 for the same quantity, but upmarket Italian brands (Barilla and De Cecco, for example) 




What is your monthly budget for groceries?


The Netherlands is among the cheapest for groceries in Western Europe, although dairy products, potatoes and many other products (chicken, a good example) have seen large increases over the past few years. We have a local COOP which we use for bulk buying of weekly-discounted items, including many non-perishables such as rice, pasta, soft drinks, dishwasher & washing machine detergent, cleaning products and toilet/kitchen rolls. This saves us a huge amount on what we would otherwise pay and helps us to keep our grocery bills low (savings are often 40-70% on the normal supermarket prices).

For the rest of our shopping, we head to Jumbo. Although there are few special offers, if you buy their own label products you have good quality for a reasonable price (much better and cheaper than AH). We can fill a shopping trolley at Jumbo for a family of 4 (including 2 teenagers) for between €80-100 per week (including meat, but no alcohol).

Due to the high costs of many personal hygiene products (deodorants, toothpaste, shampoo, etc) in the NL, we either bulk-buy when we visit the UK, or purchase ‘parallel trade' products from Action (same product, just manufactured usually in Asia, often half the price of what you pay at the supermarket or at Kruidvat/Etos, etc. here).

As our children have been brought up on imported breakfast cereals (Nestle, all the non-chocolate ones that you can't get here!) we now bulk-buy these via German online stores. Shipping is very reasonable and works out much cheaper than purchasing from an ‘expat store'.



How much does it cost to see a doctor/dentist/physician/specialist in the Netherlands?

This is (semi)covered by compulsory health insurance. You only pay extra if you have basic or non-complete cover.



How much do you pay for health insurance per month?

Medical insurance is compulsory in the Netherlands. This costs at least €100 per person, per month over the age of 18, but this offers limited cover. With two teenagers needing dental braces, we have to pay for the additional cover, which takes our insurance to €275 in total per month.
There is also a €385 excess per person (over the age of 18). For example, if you need medication, have a blood test, visit a hospital to see a specialist, you will be billed for this out of your excess. Some medical insurers do allow you to pay this excess in instalments, either in advance (i.e. €385 divided by 12 months, what you do not use is returned to you), or in instalments after costs on your excess are made



How much does childcare cost on average per month?

N/A (we haven't used this in over 10 years)



What is your child's schooling budget per month?

Once your kids are attending high/secondary school here, be prepared for the cost of school trips and other contributions that have to be paid.
Total already this school year = €160 for our child (Year 1), and €400 for our child (Year 3).

Public transport season tickets (covered above) cost us around €100 per month, per child

Our childrens' clothes come mostly from the UK. Shoes mostly from German online stores operating in the NL. Our children take packed lunches to school.



How much does it cost to fill up your car's fuel tank?

Currently around €1.58 per litre, off the motorway



How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc., per month?

Our electricity and gas bill averages out now at €435 per month (this is for an old farmhouse with an even older roof!) This is a substantial increase on what we paid last year (the government here has increased energy taxes for 2018).
We used to pay €700 per month back in 2005 and had reduced it down to almost €350 a month, by using LED bulbs and other power-saving techniques. The Netherlands though remains in the top 5 most expensive countries for gas and electricity in the world. Switching as much as possible from gas to electricity, and then using solar power has become very popular here.
Water bill is extra, at around €350 a year. Waste water though is billed separately in our area from Council tax, and this is another €500 per year



How much do you pay for your internet and phone subscription?

We pay €81.50 per month for KPN internet and TV (that includes Spotify Premium as well, try to take that away from two teenagers!) It includes a landline phone as well, but call usage is charged extra.

I don't have a mobile phone subscription package (buy mobile phones simlock-free in the UK and then use a Dutch pre-paid card, that works out much cheaper for me)



How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays?

N/A (work from home)



How much do you pay for an espresso coffee?

Nearby cafes charge €1.95 for an expresso, although we rarely eat or drink out in the NL like we used to in the 1990s!



How much do you pay for a cinema ticket?

Around €10.75 for an adult (matinee showing), a few Euros less for a child/pensioner



How much does a gym membership cost in the Netherlands?

I pay around €35 a month and that gives me an hour's fitness training per week