Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Alkmaar Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Alkmaar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,440 in Amsterdam versus $2,509 in Alkmaar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,964 in Amsterdam versus $3,682 in Alkmaar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,488 in Amsterdam versus $4,855 in Alkmaar.

Living in Amsterdam is roughly 37% more expensive than in Alkmaar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Amsterdam 150% above, Alkmaar 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.03 €19.81

$31.09 €26.75

-25.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 €81.2

$91.2 €78.4

3.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 €12.80

$15.35 €13.21

-3.06%

Cappuccino

$4.54 €3.91

$4.06 €3.49

11.82%

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

$4.02 €3.46

$3.33 €2.87

20.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 €2.72

$2.61 €2.24

21.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 €6.52

$5.85 €5.03

29.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 €5.09

$4.56 €3.92

29.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.43 €1.23

6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 €2.12

$2.41 €2.07

2.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$3.55 €3.06

-27.61%

Eggs

$5.20 €4.48

$5.02 €4.32

3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.46 €15.02

$14.74 €12.68

18.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 €11.91

$15.61 €13.43

-11.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.63 €18.61

$17.56 €15.11

23.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 €2.62

$2.68 €2.30

13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 €2.56

$2.60 €2.23

14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 €2.19

$1.93 €1.66

32.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 €3.63

$4.24 €3.65

-0.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.02 €1.74

30.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 €1.37

$2.21 €1.91

-27.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.32 €1.14

15.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.89 €0.76

92.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.80 €12.74

$13.33 €11.47

11.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.95 €7.70

$7.46 €6.42

19.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.35 €1.16

29.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.37 €2.04

8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 €3.46

$2.30 €1.98

74.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €102

$60.3 €51.9

96.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.11

$2.99 €2.57

59.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 €2.93

$1.70 €1.46

100.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.61 €34.09

$25.80 €22.20

53.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 €2.17

$2.36 €2.03

6.78%

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

$43.1K €37.1K

0.01%

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

$40.3K €34.7K

$40.8K €35.1K

-1.33%

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

$310 €266

$256 €220

20.98%

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

$23.16 €19.93

$21.60 €18.59

7.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 €46.78

$47.30 €40.70

14.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 €54.8

$47.42 €40.81

34.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.79 €30.80

$6.31 €5.43

467.19%

Cinema Ticket

$17.41 €14.98

$15.68 €13.49

11.03%

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

$2,897 €2,492

$756 €650

283.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K €15.2K

$2,487 €2,140

609.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.1 €85.3

$119 €103

-16.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.92 €34.35

$46.75 €40.22

-14.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.2

$115 €98.6

-11.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €119

$123 €106

12.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,597 €2,235

$799 €688

225.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 €1,649

$1,034 €890

85.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,970 €3,416

$2,921 €2,514

35.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,964 €2,551

$1,653 €1,422

79.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K €9,338

$5,206 €4,480

108.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,031 €6,050

$4,312 €3,710

63.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,619 €3,975

$3,370 €2,900

37.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

-16.00%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: August 29, 2026

Last update for Alkmaar: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,597 in Amsterdam and $799 in Alkmaar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amsterdam pays 37% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $94.0 in Amsterdam vs $91.0 in Alkmaar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 vs $358 per month, with Alkmaar 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 Alkmaar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alkmaar wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Amsterdam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alkmaar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 37% higher in Amsterdam, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,597 in Amsterdam versus $799 in Alkmaar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Alkmaar runs roughly 96% less than in Amsterdam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,897 in Amsterdam versus $756 in Alkmaar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,509 in Alkmaar versus $3,440 in Amsterdam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alkmaar but tight or insufficient in Amsterdam. The gap between the two cities makes Alkmaar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alkmaar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,509 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alkmaar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Amsterdam and Alkmaar 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 Alkmaar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Amsterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.