Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,704 a month against $3,504 in Amsterdam, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Amsterdam
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$3,504
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,704
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amsterdam and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Amsterdam and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,504 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $3,504
  • Austin, TX $2,704

A couple spends around $5,010 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,133 in Austin, TX, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $5,010
  • Austin, TX $4,133

A family of three spends $6,516 per month in Amsterdam vs $5,562 in Austin, TX, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $6,516
  • Austin, TX $5,562

Amsterdam costs about 30% more than Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Amsterdam and Austin, TX sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 161%, Austin, TX by 102%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amsterdam
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.37 €19.96
$20.22 $20.22
10.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.0 €81.2
$85.0 $85.0
6.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.36 €13.71
$12.35 $12.35
24.37%
Cappuccino
$4.60 €4.11
$5.47 $5.47
-15.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$3.82 $3.82
-2.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 €2.70
$2.50 $2.50
21.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.41 €6.62
$8.06 $8.06
-8.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.68 €5.07
$8.99 $8.99
-36.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amsterdam
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 €1.36
$1.13 $1.13
34.51%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 €2.13
$3.78 $3.78
-37.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.54 €2.26
$3.25 $3.25
-21.85%
Eggs
$5.24 €4.68
$4.14 $4.14
26.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.95 €15.13
$13.08 $13.08
29.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.41 €11.97
$14.31 $14.31
-6.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.00 €20.53
$15.96 $15.96
44.11%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 €2.45
$4.38 $4.38
-37.21%
Banana (1kg)
$2.83 €2.52
$1.45 $1.45
95.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.63 €2.35
$4.54 $4.54
-42.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.87 €3.45
$4.19 $4.19
-7.64%
Potato (1kg)
$2.39 €2.13
$2.63 $2.63
-9.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 €1.53
$2.36 $2.36
-27.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 €1.28
$1.76 $1.76
-18.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 €1.59
$2.16 $2.16
-17.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.48 €12.92
$9.81 $9.81
47.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.21 €8.22
$14.72 $14.72
-37.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 €1.59
$2.78 $2.78
-35.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 €2.26
$3.48 $3.48
-27.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Amsterdam
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.72 €3.32
$1.49 $1.49
149.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$116 €104
$40.51 $40.51
186.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.70 €4.19
$2.67 $2.67
76.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.40 €3.04
$1.58 $1.58
115.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$38.74 €34.57
$35.29 $35.29
9.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.61 €2.33
$0.99 $0.99
163.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.7K €37.2K
$35.8K $35.8K
16.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.2K €34.1K
$27.2K $27.2K
40.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amsterdam
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$298 €266
$219 $219
35.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.98 €20.51
$58.0 $58.0
-60.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.0 €47.26
$68.4 $68.4
-22.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amsterdam
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.4 €53.9
$57.9 $57.9
4.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.40 €31.59
$14.82 $14.82
138.87%
Cinema Ticket
$16.86 €15.05
$14.13 $14.13
19.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amsterdam
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,764 €2,466
$1,509 $1,509
83.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.1K €15.3K
$21.5K $21.5K
-20.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amsterdam
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.3 €83.2
$51.7 $51.7
80.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.20 €36.77
$44.05 $44.05
-6.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 €89.3
$85.1 $85.1
17.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 €119
$105 $105
26.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amsterdam
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,605 €2,325
$1,932 $1,932
34.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 €1,720
$1,272 $1,272
51.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,903 €3,483
$3,670 $3,670
6.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,115 €2,780
$2,525 $2,525
23.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.3K €9,201
$7,617 $7,617
35.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,540 €5,836
$3,199 $3,199
104.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amsterdam
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,524 €4,038
$5,105 $5,105
-11.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.27
6.79
-51.84%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: October 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Amsterdam
$1.9K
Austin, TX
$1.3K 34% $655
Groceries & Markets
Amsterdam
$388
Austin, TX
$403 3.9% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amsterdam
$374
Austin, TX
$346 7.5% $28
Eating Out
Amsterdam
$356
Austin, TX
$348 2.2% $7.7
Clothing & Footwear
Amsterdam
$165
Austin, TX
$129 22.1% $37
Getting Around
Amsterdam
$153
Austin, TX
$57 62.7% $96
Sport & Entertainment
Amsterdam
$94
Austin, TX
$86 8.5% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,605 in Amsterdam versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. 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 13% higher in Austin, TX, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Amsterdam versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries tell a different story – $388 in Amsterdam vs $403 in Austin, TX – so Amsterdam wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
05:28 5:28 AM
22:28 10:28 PM
7 h behind Amsterdam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
881,933 Capital
974,447
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Amsterdam Austin, TX 8,170 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Amsterdam
  • Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Austin, TX cheaper than Amsterdam?
Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 30%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,255 per month in Amsterdam and $4,055 in Austin, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Austin, TX, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 187% less in Austin, TX. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,764 per month in Amsterdam and $1,509 in Austin, TX. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 enough to cover costs in Amsterdam or in Austin, TX?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,504 in Amsterdam and $2,704 in Austin, TX. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Amsterdam or Austin, TX more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Austin, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Amsterdam or Austin, TX?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Austin, TX. 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.

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