Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Geleen Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Geleen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,445 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,421 in Geleen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,033 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,478 in Geleen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,621 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,534 in Geleen, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 42% more than Geleen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Amsterdam and Geleen sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 157%, Geleen by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.06 €19.74

$17.05 €14.60

35.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 €95.9

$81.7 €70.0

37.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.28 €13.08

$12.55 €10.74

21.75%

Cappuccino

$4.88 €4.18

$3.92 €3.36

24.49%

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

$3.52 €3.01

$3.20 €2.74

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 €2.82

$2.30 €1.97

43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.04 €6.03

$6.21 €5.32

13.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 €6.06

$5.59 €4.79

26.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.27 €1.09

15.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 €2.11

$2.17 €1.86

13.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 €2.19

$3.33 €2.85

-23.42%

Eggs

$5.15 €4.41

$4.45 €3.81

15.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.85 €12.71

$13.65 €11.68

8.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.45 €12.37

$15.68 €13.42

-7.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.42 €14.05

$16.90 €14.46

-2.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 €2.47

$2.27 €1.94

27.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.12

$2.55 €2.18

-3.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 €1.84

$1.97 €1.69

9.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 €3.97

$4.23 €3.62

9.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

$2.00 €1.71

-2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.73

$2.11 €1.81

-4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.20 €1.02

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.04

$0.81 €0.69

50.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.64 €12.53

$14.54 €12.44

0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.08 €6.06

$7.23 €6.19

-2.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.43

$1.50 €1.28

11.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 €2.64

$2.73 €2.34

13.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.81 €3.26

$3.53 €3.02

7.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €101

$94.2 €80.6

25.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.09

$3.42 €2.93

39.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 €2.71

$2.23 €1.91

42.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.8 €54.6

$29.43 €25.19

116.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.93

$2.22 €1.90

1.35%

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

$42.8K €36.6K

$37.5K €32.1K

14.21%

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

$37.8K €32.3K

$32.4K €27.7K

16.76%

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

$301 €258

$198 €169

52.27%

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

$21.48 €18.38

$25.15 €21.53

-14.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 €44.82

$40.35 €34.54

29.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 €53.3

$40.22 €34.43

54.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.06 €33.44

$23.52 €20.13

66.07%

Cinema Ticket

$17.53 €15.00

$14.97 €12.82

17.10%

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

$2,851 €2,440

$1,585 €1,357

79.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K €18.4K

$6,424 €5,499

234.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.6

$73.6 €63.0

40.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.66 €41.65

$37.90 €32.44

28.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €108

$121 €104

4.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €116

$129 €111

4.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 €2,028

$1,410 €1,207

68.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,000 €1,712

$1,193 €1,022

67.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,193 €3,590

$2,314 €1,981

81.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,024 €2,589

$1,723 €1,475

75.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K €9,383

$5,509 €4,715

98.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,353 €6,294

$5,161 €4,417

42.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,125 €4,387

$4,634 €3,966

10.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

4.33

-7.16%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: April 25, 2026

Last update for Geleen: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,369 in Amsterdam versus $1,410 in Geleen. 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 11% 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 $82.0 in Geleen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $343 – making Geleen 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 Geleen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $3,631 in Geleen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 25% less in Geleen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,851 per month in Amsterdam and $1,585 in Geleen. 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 Geleen, where all-in costs run around $2,421, than in Amsterdam at $3,445. In Geleen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amsterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Geleen – 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 Geleen. 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.