Dutch household cost of living trends

Dutch household expenditures have faced upward pressure across several essential categories. Research based on bank transactions from late 2024 to mid-2025 indicated that the average monthly grocery spend was approximately €585.

By 2026, budget pressures intensified due to rising energy and transport costs. The average monthly bill for gas and electricity rose to €277, up from €224 in February. When including fuel, total monthly energy and transport expenses can exceed €400. Fuel prices for Euro95 reached a record advisory price of €2.692 per liter in early September, a trend influenced by shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz following conflict in Iran.

While spending on medical services and housing has increased, expenditure on durable goods saw a slight decline of 0.9% in March 2026 compared to the previous year.

In a study by Wageningen University & Research, it was revealed that Dutch consumers spent nearly 15.6 billion euros on food with sustainability labels last year, a 6 percent increase from the previous year. However, researchers noted this growth was largely driven by price increases rather than changing habits, as the share of sustainable food in total food expenditures remained stagnant at 22 percent.

Spending on organic products rose by 13 percent to nearly 2.5 billion euros, while the ‘Beter Leven’ label accounted for approximately 5.7 billion euros. Most of this spending occurred in supermarkets, which accounted for over 13.3 billion euros. Researcher Katja Logatcheva stated that without initiatives from the food supply chain, the market share of sustainable food is unlikely to increase significantly.