Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Almere Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Almere

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,508 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,590 in Almere, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,083 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,867 in Almere, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,657 per month in Amsterdam vs $5,143 in Almere, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 35% more than Almere, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Amsterdam and Almere sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 161%, Almere by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.10 €19.90

$21.24 €18.30

8.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 €93.1

$87.9 €75.8

22.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.51 €13.37

$13.87 €11.95

11.82%

Cappuccino

$4.81 €4.14

$4.43 €3.82

8.58%

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

$3.44 €2.96

$3.46 €2.98

-0.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 €2.71

$3.41 €2.94

-7.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 €5.91

$5.85 €5.04

17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 €6.09

$4.69 €4.04

50.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.28 €1.11

14.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 €2.04

$2.30 €1.98

2.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$3.35 €2.88

-20.90%

Eggs

$5.12 €4.41

$4.65 €4.01

10.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 €12.67

$13.07 €11.27

12.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.55 €12.54

$15.44 €13.30

-5.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.61 €14.31

$17.27 €14.88

-3.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 €2.51

$2.30 €1.98

26.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 €2.24

$2.48 €2.13

5.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.18 €1.87

-1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 €4.02

$4.18 €3.60

11.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.11 €1.82

-4.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.24 €1.93

-9.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.26 €1.09

1.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.01

$0.90 €0.77

31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.56 €12.54

$14.66 €12.63

-0.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.95 €5.99

$7.44 €6.41

-6.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.57 €1.35

9.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.69

$2.62 €2.26

19.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 €3.46

$3.57 €3.07

12.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 €98.3

$98.2 €84.6

16.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 €3.90

$7.65 €6.59

-40.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 €2.67

$1.86 €1.60

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.6 €55.7

$22.88 €19.71

182.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.26 €1.95

-1.77%

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

$42.6K €36.7K

$35.1K €30.2K

21.43%

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

$38.9K €33.5K

$35.3K €30.4K

10.23%

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

$306 €263

$267 €230

14.63%

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

$21.98 €18.93

$24.84 €21.40

-11.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 €45.13

$54.2 €46.67

-3.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.6 €54.0

$25.84 €22.27

142.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.96 €33.57

$29.90 €25.76

30.30%

Cinema Ticket

$17.20 €14.82

$17.23 €14.85

-0.17%

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

$2,830 €2,438

$2,467 €2,126

14.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K €18.7K

$10.7K €9,226

102.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.9 €86.0

$76.9 €66.2

29.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.14 €41.48

$37.76 €32.54

27.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €109

$98.1 €84.6

28.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$112 €96.7

22.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 €2,018

$1,275 €1,099

83.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,953 €1,683

$1,238 €1,067

57.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,168 €3,591

$2,083 €1,795

100.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,085 €2,658

$2,109 €1,817

46.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K €9,477

$6,046 €5,210

81.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,443 €6,413

$4,510 €3,886

65.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,630 €3,989

$3,410 €2,938

35.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

4.36

-7.80%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: June 8, 2026

Last update for Almere: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,342 in Amsterdam versus $1,275 in Almere. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 36% higher in Amsterdam, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in Amsterdam versus $88.0 in Almere. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $347 – making Almere the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Almere: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,263 per month in Amsterdam and $3,886 in Almere. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Almere, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Amsterdam, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in Amsterdam and $88.0 in Almere. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Almere, where all-in costs run around $2,590, than in Amsterdam at $3,508. In Almere it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amsterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Almere – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Almere. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amsterdam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.