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: $3,543 in Amsterdam versus $3,261 in Alexandria, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,055 in Amsterdam versus $4,676 in Alexandria, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,567 in Amsterdam versus $6,091 in Alexandria, VA.

Living in Amsterdam is roughly 9% more expensive than Alexandria, VA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Amsterdam 164% above, Alexandria, VA 143% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.95 €19.75

$19.72 $19.72

16.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 €93.9

$81.4 $81.4

34.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.93 €12.84

$9.93 $9.93

50.35%

Cappuccino

$4.98 €4.29

$5.05 $5.05

-1.39%

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

$3.38 €2.91

$2.34 $2.34

44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 €2.83

$2.20 $2.20

49.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 €5.95

$6.07 $6.07

13.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 €5.92

$7.33 $7.33

-6.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.01 $1.01

45.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.11

$3.54 $3.54

-30.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$6.13 $6.13

-57.75%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.56

$4.94 $4.94

7.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.77 €12.71

$18.69 $18.69

-20.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.48 €12.45

$9.72 $9.72

48.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 €14.25

$15.86 $15.86

4.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$7.06 $7.06

-60.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.20

$1.74 $1.74

46.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 €1.90

$7.21 $7.21

-69.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 €4.19

$6.53 $6.53

-25.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$3.42 $3.42

-40.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.94 $2.94

-28.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$2.41 $2.41

-43.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$2.66 $2.66

-56.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.36 €12.35

$7.91 $7.91

81.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 €6.47

$14.85 $14.85

-49.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.70 $1.70

3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.65

$3.68 $3.68

-16.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 €3.36

$3.07 $3.07

27.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €101

$80.1 $80.1

47.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.11

$1.85 $1.85

157.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 €2.59

$1.40 $1.40

115.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.2 €56.0

$23.98 $23.98

171.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 €1.97

$0.86 $0.86

166.28%

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

$43.5K €37.4K

$24.8K $24.8K

75.11%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$24.9K $24.9K

55.24%

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

$304 €261

$170 $170

78.88%

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

$21.92 €18.85

$52.9 $52.9

-58.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 €44.83

$67.3 $67.3

-22.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 €54.7

$72.6 $72.6

-12.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.68 €34.13

Cinema Ticket

$17.14 €14.74

$15.09 $15.09

13.59%

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

$2,862 €2,462

$1,279 $1,279

123.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K €18.1K

$24.4K $24.4K

-14.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.5

$50.9 $50.9

99.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.40 €42.49

$49.15 $49.15

0.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €105

$95.1 $95.1

28.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$111 $111

23.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 €2,047

$2,393 $2,393

-0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 €1,685

$1,890 $1,890

3.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,236 €3,644

$3,550 $3,550

19.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,031 €2,608

$2,820 $2,820

7.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,569

$6,634 $6,634

67.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,621 €6,556

$4,054 $4,054

87.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,906 €4,220

$6,030 $6,030

-18.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

6.57

-38.81%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Alexandria, VA: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,380 in Amsterdam and $2,393 in Alexandria, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alexandria, VA pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $109 in Amsterdam vs $81.0 in Alexandria, VA. Groceries flip the comparison at $359 vs $452, with Amsterdam cheaper for home cooking.

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 9% in total monthly costs ($3,543 vs $3,261 including rent). Alexandria, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Alexandria, VA earns 23% less. 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: $2,380 in Amsterdam versus $2,393 in Alexandria, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,543 per month in Amsterdam versus $3,261 in Alexandria, VA – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria, VA runs roughly 47% 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 9% less than in Amsterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.