Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Bakersfield, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakersfield, CA: $2,855 a month against $3,517 in Amsterdam, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

170

Cost of Living Index in Amsterdam
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Amsterdam Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Bakersfield, CA
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Bakersfield, CA Living Index

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Amsterdam

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$3,517

/mo nomad

Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amsterdam and in Bakersfield, CA

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 Bakersfield, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,517 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,855 in Bakersfield, CA, rent included.

Amsterdam $3,517
Bakersfield, CA $2,855

A couple spends around $5,063 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,902 in Bakersfield, CA, rent included.

Amsterdam $5,063
Bakersfield, CA $3,902

A family of three spends $6,608 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,949 in Bakersfield, CA, rent included.

Amsterdam $6,608
Bakersfield, CA $4,949

Amsterdam costs about 23% more than Bakersfield, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Amsterdam and Bakersfield, CA sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 158%, Bakersfield, CA by 110%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.34 €20.07

$18.64 $18.64

19.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 €79.6

$64.8 $64.8

36.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.80 €13.29

$14.10 $14.10

4.96%

Cappuccino

$4.65 €4.18

$5.74 $5.74

-18.99%

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

$3.69 €3.32

$2.73 $2.73

35.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.60

$2.01 $2.01

44.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 €7.12

$5.90 $5.90

34.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 €5.87

$5.81 $5.81

12.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 €1.29

$1.09 $1.09

32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.15

$4.16 $4.16

-42.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 €2.25

$5.07 $5.07

-50.69%

Eggs

$5.15 €4.63

$3.29 $3.29

56.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.90 €15.18

$12.75 $12.75

32.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 €11.44

$13.34 $13.34

-4.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.87 €20.55

$15.93 $15.93

43.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.47

$4.16 $4.16

-33.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 €2.46

$2.04 $2.04

34.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 €2.46

$3.95 $3.95

-30.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 €3.47

$3.79 $3.79

1.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.26

$2.14 $2.14

17.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 €1.48

$2.42 $2.42

-31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.35

$2.12 $2.12

-28.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.52

$2.48 $2.48

-31.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 €13.04

$11.59 $11.59

25.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.60 €7.73

$17.80 $17.80

-51.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.60

$1.97 $1.97

-9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.25

$4.79 $4.79

-47.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.70 €3.32

$1.62 $1.62

128.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 €105

$58.1 $58.1

100.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 €4.21

$3.03 $3.03

54.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 €3.08

$2.07 $2.07

65.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.00 €35.04

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 €2.30

$1.52 $1.52

68.42%

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

$40.6K €36.5K

$27.5K $27.5K

47.60%

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

$38.9K €34.9K

$27.2K $27.2K

43.22%

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

$306 €275

$390 $390

-21.51%

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

$22.66 €20.35

$59.4 $59.4

-61.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 €47.45

$74.9 $74.9

-29.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 €49.37

$32.71 $32.71

68.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.66 €32.04

$24.81 $24.81

43.73%

Cinema Ticket

$16.48 €14.81

$15.11 $15.11

9.07%

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

$2,778 €2,495

$1,501 $1,501

85.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €15.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 €83.3

$59.9 $59.9

54.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.28 €37.08

$47.66 $47.66

-13.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €91.1

$98.9 $98.9

2.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €120

$120 $120

11.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,642 €2,373

$1,536 $1,536

71.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 €1,787

$1,311 $1,311

51.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,165 €3,741

$1,828 $1,828

127.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,251 €2,920

$1,834 $1,834

77.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K €9,480

$2,742 $2,742

284.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,734 €6,049

$2,430 $2,430

177.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,625 €4,155

$3,743 $3,743

23.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

6.43

-48.68%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: October 27, 2026

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Amsterdam

$2K 56.6%

Bakersfield, CA

$1.3K 45.9% 34.1% $678

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amsterdam

$382 10.9%

Bakersfield, CA

$525 18.4% 37.4% $143

Groceries & Markets

Amsterdam

$381 10.8%

Bakersfield, CA

$411 14.4% 8% $30

Eating Out

Amsterdam

$358 10.2%

Bakersfield, CA

$320 11.2% 10.5% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Amsterdam

$166 4.7%

Bakersfield, CA

$147 5.2% 11.5% $19

Getting Around

Amsterdam

$153 4.4%

Bakersfield, CA

$78 2.7% 49.1% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Amsterdam

$88 2.5%

Bakersfield, CA

$63 2.2% 28.4% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,642 in Amsterdam versus $1,536 in Bakersfield, CA. 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 24% higher in Amsterdam. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Amsterdam versus $65 in Bakersfield, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $381 in Amsterdam vs $411 in Bakersfield, CA – so Amsterdam wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇳🇱 Amsterdam

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🕒 Local time

23:06 11:06 PM

15:06 3:06 PM

8 h behind Amsterdam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

881,933 Capital

373,640

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.11 USD

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Amsterdam Bakersfield, CA 8,850 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Amsterdam
Bakersfield, CA

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 Bakersfield, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 23%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,276 per month in Amsterdam and $4,282 in Bakersfield, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bakersfield, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,536 there versus $2,642 in Amsterdam.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Bakersfield, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,778 per month in Amsterdam and $1,501 in Bakersfield, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,517 in Amsterdam and $2,855 in Bakersfield, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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