Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Best Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Best

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,445 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,269 in Best, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,033 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,161 in Best, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,621 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,053 in Best, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 52% more than Best, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Amsterdam and Best sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 157%, Best by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.06 €19.74

$21.00 €17.98

9.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 €95.9

$92.3 €79.0

21.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.28 €13.08

$11.77 €10.08

29.82%

Cappuccino

$4.88 €4.18

$3.50 €2.99

39.43%

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

$3.52 €3.01

$3.16 €2.71

11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 €2.82

$2.78 €2.38

18.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.04 €6.03

$5.11 €4.37

37.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 €6.06

$5.92 €5.06

19.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.14 €0.97

28.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 €2.11

$2.02 €1.73

21.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 €2.19

$3.30 €2.83

-22.73%

Eggs

$5.15 €4.41

$4.62 €3.96

11.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.85 €12.71

$13.33 €11.41

11.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.45 €12.37

$16.34 €13.99

-11.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.42 €14.05

$16.78 €14.36

-2.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 €2.47

$2.16 €1.85

33.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.12

$2.60 €2.23

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 €1.84

$1.95 €1.67

10.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 €3.97

$3.82 €3.27

21.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

$2.12 €1.81

-7.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.73

$2.03 €1.74

-0.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.24 €1.06

8.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.04

$0.53 €0.45

130.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.64 €12.53

$10.31 €8.82

42.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.08 €6.06

$5.99 €5.12

18.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.43

$1.55 €1.32

7.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 €2.64

$2.70 €2.31

14.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.81 €3.26

$2.56 €2.19

48.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €101

$72.6 €62.1

62.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.09

$3.42 €2.92

39.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 €2.71

$2.10 €1.80

50.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.8 €54.6

$28.85 €24.69

121.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.93

$2.27 €1.95

-0.88%

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

$42.8K €36.6K

$25.6K €21.9K

66.92%

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

$37.8K €32.3K

$27.3K €23.3K

38.53%

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

$301 €258

$168 €144

78.69%

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

$21.48 €18.38

$22.43 €19.20

-4.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 €44.82

$46.39 €39.71

12.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 €53.3

$29.78 €25.49

109.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.06 €33.44

$21.45 €18.36

82.10%

Cinema Ticket

$17.53 €15.00

$14.90 €12.75

17.65%

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

$2,851 €2,440

$1,157 €991

146.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K €18.4K

$5,044 €4,317

325.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.6

$64.2 €55.0

61.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.66 €41.65

$30.90 €26.45

57.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €108

$86.3 €73.9

46.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €116

$67.7 €57.9

99.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 €2,028

$1,830 €1,567

29.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,000 €1,712

$1,111 €951

80.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,193 €3,590

$2,585 €2,213

62.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,024 €2,589

$1,425 €1,220

112.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K €9,383

$5,423 €4,642

102.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,353 €6,294

$4,559 €3,903

61.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,125 €4,387

$4,325 €3,702

18.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

3.5

14.86%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: April 25, 2026

Last update for Best: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,369 in Amsterdam versus $1,830 in Best. 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 19% 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 $112 in Amsterdam versus $92.0 in Best. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $336 – making Best 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 Best: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 52%, 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 $5,168 per month in Amsterdam and $3,403 in Best. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 62% less in Best. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,851 per month in Amsterdam and $1,157 in Best. 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 $3,445 in Amsterdam and $2,269 in Best. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Best – 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 Best. 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.