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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,564 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,226 in Haarlem, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,989 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,520 in Haarlem, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,414 per month in Amsterdam vs $5,813 in Haarlem, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 10% more than Haarlem, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Amsterdam and Haarlem sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 161%, Haarlem by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.51 €21.36

$29.45 €25.67

-16.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.5 €81.5

$104 €90.8

-10.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.27 €13.31

$14.09 €12.29

8.37%

Cappuccino

$4.64 €4.04

$4.51 €3.93

2.88%

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

$3.85 €3.35

$4.21 €3.67

-8.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 €2.77

$3.47 €3.03

-8.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 €6.54

$7.75 €6.76

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.27 €5.47

$5.65 €4.92

10.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.39

$1.46 €1.27

9.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 €2.15

$2.95 €2.57

-16.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 €2.28

$2.74 €2.39

-4.38%

Eggs

$5.12 €4.47

$5.05 €4.40

1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.31 €15.09

$14.27 €12.44

21.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.96 €12.17

$13.35 €11.64

4.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.26 €19.40

$22.41 €19.54

-0.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 €2.64

$2.96 €2.58

2.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 €2.49

$2.51 €2.18

13.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$1.90 €1.66

28.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 €3.55

$5.30 €4.62

-23.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.15

$1.96 €1.71

25.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.46

$2.36 €2.06

-29.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.31 €1.14

16.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.62

$1.08 €0.94

72.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.15 €13.21

$14.39 €12.54

5.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 €7.85

$7.88 €6.87

14.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.59 €1.38

11.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 €2.20

$2.45 €2.14

2.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 €3.50

$2.86 €2.49

40.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 €106

$83.6 €72.8

45.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 €4.27

$6.54 €5.70

-25.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 €2.98

$2.57 €2.24

33.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.93 €35.67

$26.56 €23.15

54.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.60 €2.26

$2.45 €2.14

6.12%

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

$43.6K €38.0K

$43.0K €37.5K

1.35%

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

$39.8K €34.7K

$41.1K €35.8K

-2.94%

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

$304 €265

$254 €221

19.78%

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

$23.40 €20.40

$24.07 €20.98

-2.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 €45.84

$61.6 €53.7

-14.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.9

$58.1 €50.7

10.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.06 €31.44

$29.20 €25.46

23.49%

Cinema Ticket

$17.19 €14.99

$16.88 €14.72

1.84%

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

$2,840 €2,475

$2,731 €2,381

3.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K €15.1K

$7,053 €6,148

145.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 €87.6

$88.9 €77.5

13.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.58 €34.51

$65.9 €57.5

-39.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.4

$103 €89.5

0.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €116

$151 €132

-12.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 €2,318

$2,017 €1,758

31.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,948 €1,699

$1,744 €1,520

11.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,053 €3,533

$3,031 €2,642

33.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,033 €2,644

$2,366 €2,063

28.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K €9,223

$7,910 €6,895

33.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,847 €5,968

$5,893 €5,137

16.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,759 €4,149

$4,200 €3,661

13.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.33

3.81

-12.60%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: September 14, 2026

Last update for Haarlem: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,660 in Amsterdam versus $2,017 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 13% 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 $104 in Haarlem. Groceries tell a different story – $394 in Amsterdam vs $373 in Haarlem – so Haarlem 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 10%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $4,840 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 46% less in Haarlem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,840 per month in Amsterdam and $2,731 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 $3,564 in Amsterdam and $3,226 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.