Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Best

For one person, living is cheaper in Best: $2,198 a month against $3,517 in Amsterdam, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 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
106

Cost of Living Index in Best
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Best Living Index

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Amsterdam

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$3,517

/mo nomad

Best

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$2,198

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amsterdam and in Best

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

A single person spends $3,517 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,198 in Best, rent included.

Amsterdam $3,517
Best $2,198

A couple spends around $5,063 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,057 in Best, rent included.

Amsterdam $5,063
Best $3,057

A family of three spends $6,608 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,915 in Best, rent included.

Amsterdam $6,608
Best $3,915

Amsterdam costs about 60% more than Best, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Amsterdam and Best sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 158%, Best by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.34 €20.02

$22.20 €19.89

0.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 €79.4

$85.9 €77.0

3.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.80 €13.26

$12.39 €11.10

19.45%

Cappuccino

$4.65 €4.17

$3.50 €3.14

32.86%

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

$3.69 €3.31

$3.22 €2.89

14.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.60

$2.57 €2.31

12.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 €7.10

$5.68 €5.09

39.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 €5.86

$4.82 €4.32

35.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 €1.29

$1.12 €1.00

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.15

$1.92 €1.72

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 €2.24

$2.14 €1.92

16.82%

Eggs

$5.15 €4.62

$3.18 €2.85

61.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.90 €15.15

$11.09 €9.94

52.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 €11.41

$11.14 €9.98

14.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.87 €20.50

$14.90 €13.35

53.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.46

$1.96 €1.75

40.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 €2.45

$1.58 €1.42

73.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 €2.46

$1.72 €1.54

59.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 €3.46

$5.12 €4.59

-24.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.26

$1.15 €1.03

119.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 €1.48

$1.17 €1.05

41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.35

$1.05 €0.94

43.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.51

$0.78 €0.70

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 €13.01

$11.25 €10.09

29.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.60 €7.71

$5.74 €5.14

49.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.60

$1.43 €1.28

24.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.25

$2.63 €2.36

-4.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.70 €3.31

$2.49 €2.23

48.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 €104

$72.7 €65.1

60.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 €4.20

$3.86 €3.46

21.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 €3.07

$2.84 €2.54

20.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.00 €34.95

$29.53 €26.46

32.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 €2.29

$2.41 €2.16

6.22%

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

$40.6K €36.4K

$26.5K €23.7K

53.29%

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

$38.9K €34.8K

$38.7K €34.7K

0.41%

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

$306 €275

$184 €164

66.95%

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

$22.66 €20.30

$14.85 €13.31

52.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 €47.34

$38.38 €34.39

37.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 €49.25

$40.88 €36.63

34.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.66 €31.96

$25.29 €22.67

41.00%

Cinema Ticket

$16.48 €14.77

$13.55 €12.14

21.62%

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

$2,778 €2,489

$1,260 €1,129

120.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €15.2K

$5,129 €4,596

230.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 €83.1

$51.1 €45.81

81.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.28 €36.99

$33.16 €29.71

24.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €90.9

$72.5 €64.9

39.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €120

$57.8 €51.8

131.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,642 €2,368

$1,534 €1,375

72.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 €1,783

$1,098 €984

81.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,165 €3,732

$1,990 €1,783

109.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,251 €2,913

$1,347 €1,207

141.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K €9,457

$5,622 €5,038

87.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,734 €6,034

$4,407 €3,949

52.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,625 €4,145

$4,005 €3,589

15.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

3.54

-6.78%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: October 27, 2026

Last update for Best: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Amsterdam

$2K 56.6%

Best

$1.1K 50% 44.8% $891

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amsterdam

$382 10.9%

Best

$237 10.8% 38% $145

Groceries & Markets

Amsterdam

$381 10.8%

Best

$280 12.8% 26.4% $100

Eating Out

Amsterdam

$358 10.2%

Best

$318 14.5% 11.1% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Amsterdam

$166 4.7%

Best

$97 4.4% 41.9% $70

Getting Around

Amsterdam

$153 4.4%

Best

$101 4.6% 34.3% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Amsterdam

$88 2.5%

Best

$68 3.1% 22.7% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,642 in Amsterdam versus $1,534 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 15% 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 $89 in Amsterdam versus $86 in Best. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $381 vs $280 – making Best the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇱 Amsterdam

🇳🇱 Best

🕒 Local time

14:03 2:03 PM

Same time as Amsterdam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

881,933 Capital

29,988

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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From you

Amsterdam
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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 Best: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 60%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,276 per month in Amsterdam and $3,298 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,534 there versus $2,642 in Amsterdam.

Public transport costs about 38% less in Best. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,778 per month in Amsterdam and $1,260 in Best. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Best, where all-in costs run around $2,198, than in Amsterdam at $3,517. In Best it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amsterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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 cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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