Typical cost of living in Eindhoven: What to expect
What’s the cost of living in Eindhoven?
The city of Eindhoven is less expensive than the capital, Amsterdam, but it’s just a little more expensive than Rotterdam. What does that mean in practice?
Eindhoven has a thriving economy which includes a number of universities and many high-tech companies. This equates to more disposable income, higher expenditure, and therefore higher prices than in many other parts of the Netherlands – at least for certain goods and services.
In Eindhoven, the cost of living is generally still good value, however. The biggest savings are on things like ‘discretionary’ and luxury purchases (which are at least 10% cheaper), as are things like taxis and childcare.
What does eating out cost in Eindhoven?
Restaurants in Eindhoven are very similar in price to most of the rest of the Netherlands, costing between €10 to €20 for a main course in an average restaurant.
If you go a little more upmarket, you can expect to spend €30 to €35 for a three-course meal, which is about 15% cheaper than Amsterdam.
How expensive is rent in Eindhoven?
Rent is one of the costs of living in Eindhoven that’s very advantageous, especially when compared to renting in Amsterdam.
Keep in mind that the Universities place extra pressure on smaller dwellings, so smaller apartments are disproportionately more expensive to rent. However, it’s still the case that you get some great value for money, and especially for larger apartments and houses.
A typical one-bedroom apartment in the city center will cost around €1200 - €1300 per month, compared with €1600+ in Amsterdam.
A three-bedroom apartment outside the city center will cost €1550 per month in Eindhoven.
Overall, this means that you can expect to pay between 20% to 40% less for rent in Eindhoven, compared to an equivalent apartment in Amsterdam.
What taxes or charges do I need to pay in Eindhoven?
If you own a property or are the user of a non-residential/business property you need to pay local property tax, or OZB each year. This pays for most of the local services supplied by the municipality, and it is calculated based on the official value (WOZ value) of the property.
As an owner of a residential property in 2022, you need to pay 0.10714% of the WOZ value, and for a non-residential/business property the owner is liable for 0.30377% of the WOZ.
If you are the user of a non-residential or business property, you’ll need to pay 0.21777% of the WOZ.
As a practical example, if you own a 100m2 apartment in the city center of Eindhoven with a WOZ value of €360,000, then you can expect to pay €385.70 for your OZB obligation in 2021.
Costs of living in Eindhoven: Utilities
Of course, your regular cost of living will also be affected by the cost of utilities, including gas, water, TV/Phone/Internet and electricity.
As you might expect, these are not very different to the national average and also very similar to Amsterdam. Based on an average 85m2 apartment, You can expect to spend €215 per month on these costs (combined) in Eindhoven, however this is an ‘average’ figure that doesn’t account for the huge variation in the different packages on offer, or your personal consumption patterns.
If you live in a modern, well-insulated apartment you will save much more on your heating costs as well.
What are the costs of childcare in Eindhoven?
The costs of childcare are generally pretty expensive, but they are strongly influenced by the amount of government subsidy that is provided. As a result the costs of childcare are roughly equivalent throughout most cities in the Netherlands. You should count on spending about €2000 per month on full-time childcare in Eindhoven.
Be aware, you can (and should) apply for the government subsidy, which is called kinderopvangtoeslag.
This subsidy will pay for the majority of the childcare costs, provided you are working enough hours and your income isn’t too high. It works on a sliding scale, so the more you earn the less government help you get. As an illustration: if you earn a combined income of €45,000 per year, the government will pay €1600 (of the €2000 total costs), so you only need to pay €400 yourself each month.
If you’re earning a combined €90,000 however, the government will only pay around €1000 of the costs, so you will need to cover €1000 per month in childcare costs yourself.
It’s a fair system that encourages parents to get back to work, especially if they need the money.
You should be aware, however, that this is likely to change in the future. In December 2021, the Dutch government announced that it would gradually replace the childcare benefit for people who are in work with a 95% direct payment to the childcare provider themselves.
What are the supermarkets in Eindhoven?
Here in Eindhoven, you’ll see more Jumbo supermarkets than in most other cities in the Netherlands. The supermarket brand originates in this area and is headquartered in the town of Veghel, which is not far from Eindhoven.
In addition to the many Jumbo supermarkets, you can also find the usual crowd of other supermarkets in Eindhoven, including, Albert Heijn, SPAR, Lidl and PLUS.
All these supermarkets offer a wide variety of foods, including many brands you may be familiar with.
Eindhoven is not very expensive to live in. Depending on who you ask.
Compared to the capital, Amsterdam, Eindhoven offers very favorable costs of living. However, it is still one of the major cities in the south of the Netherlands, and it is comparatively expensive when compared to some other towns in the region.
The costs of living in Eindhoven are pretty favorable if you are earning a decent wage, and it offers a great quality of life too. Many ‘optional’ costs that are extortionate in other European cities (like having a piece of cake and a coffee), are relatively modest and affordable here. This means that you can enjoy great value-for-money, and a great quality of life here in Eindhoven.
Last updated: June 30, 2022
