Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Alexandria, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Alexandria, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,440 in Amsterdam versus $3,386 in Alexandria, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,964 in Amsterdam versus $4,869 in Alexandria, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,488 in Amsterdam versus $6,351 in Alexandria, VA.

Living in Amsterdam is roughly 2% more expensive than in Alexandria, VA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Amsterdam 150% above, Alexandria, VA 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.03 €19.80

$19.86 $19.86

15.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 €81.1

$104 $104

-9.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 €12.79

$11.85 $11.85

25.57%

Cappuccino

$4.54 €3.91

$4.37 $4.37

3.89%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 €3.46

$2.75 $2.75

46.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 €2.71

$2.25 $2.25

40.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 €6.52

$5.06 $5.06

49.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 €5.08

$7.87 $7.87

-24.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.05 $1.05

45.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 €2.12

$3.46 $3.46

-28.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$5.18 $5.18

-50.39%

Eggs

$5.20 €4.47

$5.55 $5.55

-6.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.46 €15.01

$18.76 $18.76

-6.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 €11.90

$19.95 $19.95

-30.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.63 €18.59

$23.63 $23.63

-8.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 €2.61

$8.03 $8.03

-62.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 €2.56

$2.33 $2.33

27.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 €2.19

$7.47 $7.47

-65.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 €3.63

$8.05 $8.05

-47.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$4.82 $4.82

-45.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 €1.37

$3.28 $3.28

-51.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.90 $2.90

-47.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.47

$3.20 $3.20

-46.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.80 €12.73

$9.13 $9.13

62.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.95 €7.70

$17.75 $17.75

-49.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.71 $1.71

2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 €2.22

$3.65 $3.65

-29.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 €3.45

$2.93 $2.93

37.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €102

$78.7 $78.7

50.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.10

$4.10 $4.10

16.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 €2.93

$1.43 $1.43

138.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.61 €34.05

$24.76 $24.76

59.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 €2.17

$0.91 $0.91

176.92%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$43.1K €37.0K

$35.6K $35.6K

21.13%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$40.3K €34.6K

$25.5K $25.5K

57.89%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$310 €266

$219 $219

41.42%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.16 €19.91

$52.4 $52.4

-55.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 €46.74

$61.9 $61.9

-12.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 €54.7

$71.9 $71.9

-11.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.79 €30.77

Cinema Ticket

$17.41 €14.97

$15.65 $15.65

11.25%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,897 €2,490

$2,037 $2,037

42.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K €15.2K

$32.0K $32.0K

-44.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.1 €85.2

$48.28 $48.28

105.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.92 €34.32

$49.03 $49.03

-18.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.2

$85.8 $85.8

18.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €119

$133 $133

3.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,597 €2,233

$2,340 $2,340

10.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 €1,647

$1,836 $1,836

4.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,970 €3,413

$3,442 $3,442

15.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,964 €2,549

$2,760 $2,760

7.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K €9,329

$6,683 $6,683

62.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,031 €6,044

$4,105 $4,105

71.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,619 €3,971

$6,053 $6,053

-23.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

6.1

-44.92%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Amsterdam: August 29, 2026

Last update for Alexandria, VA: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,597 in Amsterdam and $2,340 in Alexandria, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alexandria, VA pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $94.0 in Amsterdam vs $104 in Alexandria, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 vs $562 per month, with Amsterdam cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Amsterdam vs Alexandria, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amsterdam and Alexandria, VA differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($3,440 vs $3,386 including rent). Alexandria, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Alexandria, VA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,597 in Amsterdam versus $2,340 in Alexandria, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,440 per month in Amsterdam versus $3,386 in Alexandria, VA – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria, VA runs roughly 50% less than in Amsterdam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Alexandria, VA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Amsterdam and Alexandria, VA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Alexandria, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Amsterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.