Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Haarlem Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Haarlem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,544 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,910 in Haarlem, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,091 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,294 in Haarlem, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,639 per month in Amsterdam vs $5,678 in Haarlem, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 22% more than Haarlem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Amsterdam and Haarlem sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 166%, Haarlem by 118%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.42 €20.43

$29.19 €25.47

-19.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 €97.7

$106 €92.3

5.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.93 €13.03

$14.03 €12.24

6.41%

Cappuccino

$4.99 €4.36

$4.31 €3.76

15.78%

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

$3.57 €3.11

$4.07 €3.55

-12.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 €2.89

$3.45 €3.01

-4.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 €6.17

$6.81 €5.94

3.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 €6.17

$5.63 €4.91

25.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.33

$1.42 €1.23

7.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 €2.06

$2.59 €2.26

-8.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 €2.25

$3.08 €2.69

-16.23%

Eggs

$5.32 €4.64

$4.76 €4.15

11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 €12.95

$14.05 €12.26

5.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.70 €12.83

$15.53 €13.55

-5.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.47 €14.37

$18.62 €16.24

-11.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 €2.55

$2.55 €2.23

14.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 €2.18

$2.58 €2.25

-3.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$1.95 €1.70

13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 €4.06

$3.93 €3.43

18.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$2.11 €1.84

-7.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.85

$1.95 €1.70

8.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.18

$1.21 €1.06

11.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.03

$0.90 €0.78

31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.64 €12.77

$14.21 €12.40

3.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 €5.99

$7.96 €6.95

-13.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.46

$1.55 €1.35

7.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.61

$2.46 €2.14

21.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.85 €3.36

$3.27 €2.85

17.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €103

$115 €100

2.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 €4.12

$5.75 €5.01

-17.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 €2.73

$2.48 €2.17

25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 €56.0

$26.35 €22.99

143.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 €2.03

$2.27 €1.98

2.64%

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

$43.5K €37.9K

$40.6K €35.4K

6.99%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$38.9K €33.9K

-2.51%

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

$305 €266

$239 €209

27.49%

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

$21.74 €18.97

$28.87 €25.19

-24.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 €45.05

$57.3 €49.97

-9.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 €55.6

$42.05 €36.69

51.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.18 €34.18

$24.76 €21.60

58.24%

Cinema Ticket

$17.41 €15.19

$16.52 €14.42

5.39%

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

$2,828 €2,467

$2,768 €2,415

2.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K €18.4K

$6,321 €5,515

233.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 €87.4

$99.9 €87.2

0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.52 €42.33

$53.9 €47.02

-9.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €107

$116 €101

5.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €120

$159 €138

-13.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,359 €2,058

$1,720 €1,501

37.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 €1,691

$1,378 €1,202

40.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,161 €3,630

$2,538 €2,215

63.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,106 €2,710

$2,117 €1,847

46.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K €9,622

$8,064 €7,036

36.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,399 €6,456

$6,129 €5,348

20.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,709 €4,108

$4,121 €3,596

14.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

4.28

-6.07%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: June 13, 2026

Last update for Haarlem: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,359 in Amsterdam versus $1,720 in Haarlem. 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 14% 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 $106 in Haarlem. Groceries tell a different story – $357 in Amsterdam vs $357 in Haarlem – so Amsterdam wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Haarlem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 22%, 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 $5,316 per month in Amsterdam and $4,366 in Haarlem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 2% less in Haarlem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,828 per month in Amsterdam and $2,768 in Haarlem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,544 in Amsterdam and $2,910 in Haarlem. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Haarlem – 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 Haarlem. 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.