Do fixed costs rise as you get older? Not automatically. Age reflects a stage of life, but tenure, household size, income and car ownership usually matter more.
Fixed costs by age group in CBS data
The latest public CBS release specifically separating fixed costs by age uses the 2010 Budget Survey. It includes rent or imputed rent, water and energy, insurance and levies, and consumption taxes.
| Age of main income earner | Share of total spending |
|---|---|
| Under 45 | 30.1% |
| 45 to 64 | 33.5% |
| 65 or older | 39.7% |
Source: Statistics Netherlands (CBS), household fixed costs, 2010. These are sample averages, not current targets.
Households under 45 spent about €32,040 in total and €9,655 on fixed costs. For ages 45 to 64 those figures were €34,394 and €11,529. Households aged 65 and over spent less overall, about €25,831, but around €10,259 was fixed. Older households therefore had the highest percentage, not the highest amount.
What newer spending data shows
The 2020 CBS Budget Survey has seven age groups, but uses broad categories rather than a clean fixed-cost total. Housing, water and energy ranged from about 29.0% of all expenditure for ages 45 to 54 to 41.2% for ages 75 and over. The definitive figures are available in CBS StatLine.
Because 2020 was a pandemic year, transport, hospitality and leisure spending was unusual. CBS expects results from the next Budget Survey at the end of 2027. The 2020 figures are useful context, but not a current fixed-cost norm.
Why costs change through life
Younger people rent and live alone more often, so they cannot share internet, energy and local taxes. Between 35 and 55, larger homes, children and cars can raise the euro amount. CBS found that households around age 50 had the highest household energy bill in 2021, while their per-person bill was relatively low.
After children leave home, total spending may fall faster than housing costs. After retirement, spending tends to fall further while rent, maintenance, insurance and energy continue. This can make fixed costs a larger percentage even when the euro amount is not higher.
Age is not a budgeting target
An age group mixes tenants, homeowners, singles and families. Compare tenure, household size, income, car ownership and contracts before drawing conclusions. The guide to average fixed costs by household type is often a more useful second comparison.
Calculate your fixed-cost share
The Compare fixed costs by age tool divides your monthly fixed costs by all monthly expenditure and compares the result with the matching CBS age group.
For example, €1,000 of fixed costs and €2,500 of total spending gives a 40% share. For someone aged 45 to 64, that is 6.5 percentage points above the 2010 CBS average of 33.5%. It does not mean you must cut 6.5%. It tells you to inspect the largest items first.
Gather one complete month of statements and total housing, energy, water, insurance, taxes and hard-to-cancel contracts. Then total all spending. After using the calculator, review the three largest contracts and compare the result with the share of income spent on fixed costs.
Conclusion
Fixed costs by age group differ mainly because homes and households change through life. Historically, fixed costs took the largest share of spending among households aged 65 and over, but age alone cannot predict your bill. Use your own numbers and treat the age average as context, not a rule.