Groningen at a glance
- Groningen is the cheapest of Netherlands's 6 priced cities: $1,941 a month in essentials, 38% below Amsterdam at $3,109.
- The average net salary of $3,131 covers that 1.6×.
- 101.7 men per 100 women aged 20–39, measured at COROP region level.
- PM2.5 averages 9 µg/m³ a year, 2× the WHO guideline of 5.
Green is the better side of each figure. Every line is computed from the tables below.
Monthly cost breakdown
Rent outside centre plus utilities, groceries, dining and local transport make up the essentials figure. Not a full lifestyle budget. The middle column is the median across the 6 Netherlands cities we track, so every row says whether Groningen is the cheap side of its own market or the dear one. Green is the better side of each row.
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $1,941 | $2,541 | 1.31× as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $919 | $1,492 | 1.62× as much |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $1,366 | $1,805 | 1.32× as much |
| Groceriesmonthly, one person | $197 | $200 | $3 |
| Dining outmonthly, one person | $462 | $478 | $16 |
| Utilitiesmonthly: power, water, heating, internet | $294 | $314 | $20 |
| Local transportmonthly pass or fare equivalent | $69 | $113 | 1.64× as much |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $3,131 | $4,190 | 1.34× as much |
| Rent, 3-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $1,446 | $2,323 | 1.61× as much |
| Rent, 3-bed city centremonthly, USD | $1,955 | $3,032 | 1.55× as much |
Single person, USD. Data updated August 6, 2026.
Everyday prices
What single items cost in Groningen, in USD. The monthly figures above are built from these. Cheaper side of each row in green.
Eating out
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $20.74 | $23.05 | $2.31 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal for 2, mid-range, three courses | $100.83 | $92.19 | $8.64 |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $16.13 | $15.00 | $1.13 |
| Cappuccino, regular | $4.71 | $4.58 | $0.12 |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 L draught | $6.34 | $7.00 | $0.66 |
| Imported beer, 0.33 L bottle | $5.59 | $5.90 | $0.31 |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $3.92 | $3.90 | $0.02 |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $3.10 | $3.45 | $0.35 |
Groceries
| Milk, 1 L | $1.48 | $1.54 | $0.06 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White bread, 500 g | $2.42 | $2.47 | $0.05 |
| White rice, 1 kg | $2.86 | $2.73 | $0.13 |
| Eggs, 12 | $4.49 | $4.79 | $0.29 |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $13.38 | $13.87 | $0.49 |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $13.20 | $13.55 | $0.36 |
| Apples, 1 kg | $3.07 | $3.12 | $0.06 |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $2.52 | $2.50 | $0.02 |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $4.76 | $3.74 | 1.27× as much |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $1.94 | $1.84 | $0.09 |
| Onions, 1 kg | $1.63 | $1.63 | $0.00 |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $1.29 | $1.34 | $0.05 |
Transport & bills
| One-way ticket, local transport | $4.26 | $4.14 | $0.12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly transit pass | $69.14 | $113.22 | 1.64× as much |
| Taxi start | $6.91 | $4.78 | 1.45× as much |
| Taxi, 1 km | $2.77 | $3.28 | $0.51 |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $2.59 | $2.58 | $0.00 |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² flat | $243.37 | $260.83 | $17.46 |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $51.12 | $52.45 | $1.34 |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $20.60 | $21.99 | $1.39 |
Leisure
| Gym, monthly | $38.89 | $49.36 | 1.27× as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema, one seat | $17.28 | $16.70 | $0.58 |
Dating-age sex ratio
Groningen has 101.7 men per 100 women aged 20–39 (COROP region level). That is the 2nd-highest of 6 Netherlands cities we track. Netherlands's national figure is 102.6, so Groningen runs 1 below the country as a whole.
A supply figure, 20–39. The dating-pool model is in Pro.
How Groningen ranks against every city we track
Groningen sits ahead of 83% of the 562 cities we track on safety. On local salary it is ahead of 79% of 545. Its weakest measure is city-centre rent, ahead of only 19% of 553.
Longer is better on every row: bar length is where Groningen sits among all the cities carrying that measure, which is why the count differs by row.
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Photo: Wutsje, CC BY-SA 3.0.
