Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Drachten Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Drachten

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,564 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,092 in Drachten, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,989 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,073 in Drachten, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,414 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,055 in Drachten, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 70% more than Drachten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Amsterdam and Drachten sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 161%, Drachten by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.51 €21.36

$25.79 €22.48

-4.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.5 €81.5

$86.6 €75.5

8.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.27 €13.31

$13.68 €11.92

11.62%

Cappuccino

$4.64 €4.04

$4.21 €3.67

10.21%

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

$3.85 €3.35

$3.73 €3.26

3.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 €2.77

$3.21 €2.79

-0.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 €6.54

$5.71 €4.98

31.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.27 €5.47

$5.76 €5.02

8.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.39

$1.16 €1.01

37.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 €2.15

$1.38 €1.20

78.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 €2.28

$1.63 €1.42

60.74%

Eggs

$5.12 €4.47

$5.06 €4.41

1.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.31 €15.09

$13.10 €11.42

32.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.96 €12.17

$13.98 €12.19

-0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.26 €19.40

$12.68 €11.05

75.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 €2.64

$1.97 €1.72

53.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 €2.49

$2.60 €2.27

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$1.87 €1.63

31.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 €3.55

$3.33 €2.90

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.15

$1.77 €1.54

38.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.46

$1.59 €1.38

5.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.28 €1.12

19.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.62

$0.67 €0.58

177.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.15 €13.21

$9.41 €8.20

61.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 €7.85

$6.90 €6.01

30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.50 €1.31

18.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 €2.20

$2.78 €2.43

-9.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 €3.50

$4.02 €3.51

-0.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 €106

$43.89 €38.26

177.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 €4.27

$10.52 €9.17

-53.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 €2.98

$3.25 €2.83

5.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.93 €35.67

$51.5 €44.89

-20.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.60 €2.26

$2.35 €2.05

10.64%

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

$43.6K €38.0K

$42.0K €36.6K

3.74%

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

$39.8K €34.7K

$38.7K €33.8K

2.82%

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

$304 €265

$291 €254

4.22%

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

$23.40 €20.40

$24.91 €21.71

-6.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 €45.84

$51.8 €45.19

1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.9

$57.2 €49.84

12.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.06 €31.44

Cinema Ticket

$17.19 €14.99

$16.47 €14.35

4.37%

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

$2,840 €2,475

$2,457 €2,141

15.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K €15.1K

$27.1K €23.6K

-35.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 €87.6

$60.5 €52.7

66.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.58 €34.51

$45.99 €40.09

-13.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.4

$93.2 €81.3

11.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €116

$137 €119

-2.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 €2,318

$917 €800

189.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,948 €1,699

$749 €653

160.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,053 €3,533

$1,366 €1,190

196.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,033 €2,644

$1,049 €915

189.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K €9,223

$4,589 €4,000

130.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,847 €5,968

$3,414 €2,976

100.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,759 €4,149

$2,694 €2,348

76.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.33

4.3

-22.56%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: September 14, 2026

Last update for Drachten: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,660 in Amsterdam versus $917 in Drachten. 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 77% 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 $94.0 in Amsterdam versus $87.0 in Drachten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 vs $298 – making Drachten 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 Drachten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 70%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,346 per month in Amsterdam and $3,138 in Drachten. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 177% less in Drachten. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,840 per month in Amsterdam and $2,457 in Drachten. 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 Drachten, where all-in costs run around $2,092, than in Amsterdam at $3,564. In Drachten it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amsterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Drachten – 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 Drachten. 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.