Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Den Helder

For one person, living is cheaper in Den Helder: $2,036 a month against $3,592 in Amsterdam, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Amsterdam, Netherlands
Den Helder, Netherlands
Amsterdam
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$3,592
/mo nomad
Den Helder
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,036
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amsterdam and in Den Helder

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

A single person spends $3,592 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,036 in Den Helder, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $3,592
  • Den Helder $2,036

A couple spends around $5,063 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,065 in Den Helder, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $5,063
  • Den Helder $3,065

A family of three spends $6,533 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,094 in Den Helder, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $6,533
  • Den Helder $4,094

Amsterdam costs about 76% more than Den Helder, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Amsterdam and Den Helder sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 166%, Den Helder by 51%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amsterdam
Den Helder
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.72 €20.23
$19.51 €17.38
16.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.7 €79.9
$52.3 €46.55
71.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.38 €12.81
$8.20 €7.30
75.37%
Cappuccino
$4.65 €4.14
$3.72 €3.32
25.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88 €3.46
$3.05 €2.72
27.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 €2.65
$2.98 €2.65
-0.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.68 €6.84
$5.18 €4.61
48.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.80 €6.05
$5.13 €4.57
32.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amsterdam
Den Helder
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.14 €1.02
32.46%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 €2.11
$1.28 €1.14
84.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.50 €2.23
$0.85 €0.76
194.12%
Eggs
$5.39 €4.80
$4.13 €3.68
30.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.70 €14.87
$9.82 €8.74
70.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.89 €11.48
$14.46 €12.88
-10.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.63 €21.04
$15.99 €14.24
47.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 €2.46
$2.72 €2.42
1.47%
Banana (1kg)
$2.81 €2.51
$1.96 €1.74
43.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.76 €2.46
$1.25 €1.12
120.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.89 €3.47
$4.21 €3.75
-7.60%
Potato (1kg)
$2.43 €2.16
$1.42 €1.26
71.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 €1.52
$1.05 €0.93
62.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.01 €0.90
45.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$0.76 €0.67
121.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.38 €12.80
$13.47 €11.99
6.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.52 €7.58
$7.20 €6.41
18.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$1.32 €1.18
31.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 €2.34
$2.57 €2.29
2.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Amsterdam
Den Helder
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.71 €3.31
$9.65 €8.60
-61.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$118 €105
$155 €138
-23.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.71 €4.19
$3.95 €3.52
19.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.44 €3.06
$3.23 €2.88
6.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$59.6 €53.0
$37.42 €33.32
59.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.66 €2.37
$2.38 €2.12
11.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.4K €36.8K
$41.2K €36.7K
0.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K €34.4K
$40.0K €35.6K
-3.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amsterdam
Den Helder
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$298 €265
$203 €181
46.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.21 €20.67
$15.46 €13.76
50.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.9 €47.14
$20.27 €18.05
161.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amsterdam
Den Helder
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.4 €47.53
$24.05 €21.41
122.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.92 €31.98
$19.46 €17.32
84.58%
Cinema Ticket
$16.96 €15.10
$14.32 €12.75
18.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amsterdam
Den Helder
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,797 €2,491
$2,843 €2,532
-1.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.0K €20.5K
$6,144 €5,471
275.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amsterdam
Den Helder
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.8 €83.6
$114 €101
-17.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.27 €37.64
$47.77 €42.54
-11.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.3 €87.5
$117 €104
-15.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 €118
$137 €122
-2.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amsterdam
Den Helder
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,678 €2,384
$879 €783
204.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,065 €1,839
$767 €683
169.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,084 €3,637
$1,810 €1,612
125.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,160 €2,813
$1,319 €1,174
139.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.4K €9,304
$2,895 €2,578
260.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,719 €5,982
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amsterdam
Den Helder
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,789 €4,264
$2,466 €2,195
94.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.3
2.8
17.86%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: November 1, 2026

Last update for Den Helder: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Amsterdam
$2.1K
Den Helder
$767 62.9% $1.3K
Groceries & Markets
Amsterdam
$385
Den Helder
$291 24.4% $94
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amsterdam
$374
Den Helder
$239 36.2% $135
Eating Out
Amsterdam
$360
Den Helder
$286 20.7% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Amsterdam
$165
Den Helder
$187 13.1% $22
Getting Around
Amsterdam
$155
Den Helder
$214 37.8% $59
Sport & Entertainment
Amsterdam
$87
Den Helder
$53 39.6% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,678 in Amsterdam versus $879 in Den Helder. 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 94% higher in Amsterdam. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90 in Amsterdam versus $52 in Den Helder. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $291 – making Den Helder the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
🇳🇱 Den Helder
🕒 Local time
11:07 11:07 AM
11:07 11:07 AM
Same time as Amsterdam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
881,933 Capital
56,296
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Amsterdam Den Helder 66 km
From you
  • Amsterdam
  • Den Helder

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 Den Helder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Den Helder cheaper than Amsterdam?
Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,388 per month in Amsterdam and $3,054 in Den Helder. 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 Den Helder, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $879 there versus $2,678 in Amsterdam.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 24% less in Amsterdam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,797 per month in Amsterdam and $2,843 in Den Helder. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Amsterdam or in Den Helder?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Den Helder, where all-in costs run around $2,036, than in Amsterdam at $3,592. In Den Helder it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amsterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Amsterdam or in Den Helder?
It depends on your priorities. Amsterdam has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,036 in Den Helder to $3,592 in Amsterdam. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Amsterdam or Den Helder?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Den Helder. If higher salaries 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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