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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,508 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,442 in Geleen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,083 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,548 in Geleen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,657 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,654 in Geleen, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 44% more than Geleen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Amsterdam and Geleen sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 161%, Geleen by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.10 €19.90

$17.63 €15.19

31.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 €93.1

$82.4 €71.0

31.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.51 €13.37

$12.75 €10.98

21.65%

Cappuccino

$4.81 €4.14

$3.89 €3.35

23.65%

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

$3.44 €2.96

$3.17 €2.73

8.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 €2.71

$2.40 €2.07

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 €5.91

$6.10 €5.25

12.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 €6.09

$5.38 €4.63

31.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.27 €1.10

15.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 €2.04

$2.11 €1.82

11.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$3.31 €2.86

-19.94%

Eggs

$5.12 €4.41

$4.62 €3.98

10.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 €12.67

$13.39 €11.54

9.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.55 €12.54

$15.70 €13.53

-7.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.61 €14.31

$17.10 €14.74

-2.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 €2.51

$2.37 €2.04

23.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 €2.24

$2.50 €2.15

4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.96 €1.69

9.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 €4.02

$4.29 €3.70

8.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.04 €1.76

-1.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.12 €1.82

-4.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.22 €1.05

4.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.01

$0.75 €0.65

57.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.56 €12.54

$14.72 €12.68

-1.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.95 €5.99

$7.12 €6.14

-2.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.54 €1.33

11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.69

$2.83 €2.44

10.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 €3.46

$3.64 €3.13

10.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 €98.3

$91.8 €79.1

24.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 €3.90

$3.38 €2.91

34.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 €2.67

$2.13 €1.83

45.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.6 €55.7

$28.46 €24.52

126.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.29 €1.97

-3.06%

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

$42.6K €36.7K

$37.1K €32.0K

14.88%

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

$38.9K €33.5K

$33.2K €28.6K

17.05%

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

$306 €263

$193 €167

57.97%

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

$21.98 €18.93

$25.44 €21.91

-13.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 €45.13

$39.50 €34.03

32.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.6 €54.0

$40.45 €34.85

54.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.96 €33.57

$23.20 €19.99

67.93%

Cinema Ticket

$17.20 €14.82

$14.81 €12.76

16.14%

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

$2,830 €2,438

$1,554 €1,339

82.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K €18.7K

$6,402 €5,516

239.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.9 €86.0

$75.2 €64.8

32.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.14 €41.48

$38.52 €33.19

24.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €109

$119 €103

6.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$129 €111

6.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 €2,018

$1,407 €1,212

66.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,953 €1,683

$1,165 €1,004

67.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,168 €3,591

$2,251 €1,940

85.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,085 €2,658

$1,751 €1,508

76.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K €9,477

$5,595 €4,820

96.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,443 €6,413

$5,194 €4,475

43.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,630 €3,989

$4,701 €4,051

-1.52%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Geleen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,342 in Amsterdam versus $1,407 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 2% higher in Geleen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 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 44%, 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 $5,263 per month in Amsterdam and $3,663 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 24% less in Geleen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,830 per month in Amsterdam and $1,554 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 $2,442, than in Amsterdam at $3,508. 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.