Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Groningen Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Groningen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,543 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,146 in Groningen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,055 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,116 in Groningen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,567 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,086 in Groningen, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 65% more than Groningen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Amsterdam and Groningen sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 164%, Groningen by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.95 €19.77

$17.28 €14.88

32.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 €94.0

$94.1 €81.0

16.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.93 €12.86

$14.13 €12.17

5.66%

Cappuccino

$4.98 €4.29

$3.97 €3.42

25.44%

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

$3.38 €2.91

$2.96 €2.55

14.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 €2.84

$2.72 €2.34

20.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 €5.95

$5.69 €4.90

21.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 €5.93

$4.16 €3.58

65.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.32 €1.14

11.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.07 €1.78

18.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$3.23 €2.78

-19.81%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.57

$4.67 €4.02

13.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.77 €12.72

$13.91 €11.98

6.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.48 €12.47

$15.15 €13.04

-4.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 €14.27

$17.48 €15.05

-5.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.22 €1.91

27.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.20

$2.56 €2.21

-0.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 €1.90

$2.02 €1.74

8.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 €4.20

$3.60 €3.10

35.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.17 €1.87

-5.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.95 €1.68

7.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.30 €1.12

4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$0.74 €0.64

56.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.36 €12.37

$13.63 €11.73

5.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 €6.47

$7.06 €6.08

6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.50 €1.29

17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.65

$2.46 €2.12

25.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 €3.36

$4.00 €3.45

-2.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €102

$67.9 €58.5

73.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.11

$3.67 €3.16

29.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.53 €2.18

19.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.2 €56.1

$30.12 €25.94

116.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.27 €1.96

0.88%

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

$43.5K €37.4K

$29.0K €25.0K

49.86%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$32.8K €28.3K

17.80%

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

$304 €262

$211 €182

43.77%

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

$21.92 €18.87

$21.91 €18.86

0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 €44.87

$46.36 €39.92

12.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 €54.7

$38.44 €33.10

65.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.68 €34.17

$14.13 €12.17

180.82%

Cinema Ticket

$17.14 €14.76

$14.40 €12.40

19.03%

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

$2,862 €2,464

$1,782 €1,535

60.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K €18.1K

$8,651 €7,450

142.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.6

$67.9 €58.4

49.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.40 €42.54

$25.95 €22.35

90.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €105

$86.2 €74.2

41.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$89.4 €77.0

53.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 €2,049

$1,189 €1,024

100.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 €1,687

$899 €774

117.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,236 €3,647

$1,732 €1,491

144.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,031 €2,610

$1,355 €1,167

123.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,579

$5,570 €4,796

99.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,621 €6,563

$4,272 €3,678

78.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,906 €4,225

$2,903 €2,500

69.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

3.64

10.44%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Groningen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,380 in Amsterdam versus $1,189 in Groningen. 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 69% 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 $109 in Amsterdam versus $94.0 in Groningen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $339 – making Groningen 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 Groningen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 65%, 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 $5,314 per month in Amsterdam and $3,218 in Groningen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 74% less in Groningen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,862 per month in Amsterdam and $1,782 in Groningen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Groningen, where all-in costs run around $2,146, than in Amsterdam at $3,543. In Groningen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amsterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Groningen – 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 Groningen. 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.