Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Heerlen Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Heerlen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,543 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,257 in Heerlen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,055 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,459 in Heerlen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,567 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,661 in Heerlen, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 57% more than Heerlen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Amsterdam and Heerlen sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 164%, Heerlen by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.95 €19.75

$23.24 €19.99

-1.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 €93.9

$86.4 €74.3

26.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.93 €12.84

$14.13 €12.15

5.66%

Cappuccino

$4.98 €4.29

$3.78 €3.25

31.75%

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

$3.38 €2.91

$2.84 €2.44

19.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 €2.83

$2.06 €1.78

59.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 €5.95

$6.26 €5.39

10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 €5.92

$3.87 €3.33

77.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.21 €1.04

21.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.50 €2.15

-2.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.93 €2.52

-11.60%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.56

$4.00 €3.44

32.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.77 €12.71

$11.88 €10.22

24.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.48 €12.45

$14.48 €12.46

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 €14.25

$17.50 €15.06

-5.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.34 €2.01

20.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.20

$2.53 €2.18

0.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 €1.90

$2.00 €1.72

10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 €4.19

$4.50 €3.87

8.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.00 €1.72

2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.08 €1.79

0.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.30 €1.11

4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$0.78 €0.67

48.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.36 €12.35

$14.10 €12.13

1.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 €6.47

$7.03 €6.05

6.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.49 €1.28

18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.65

$2.65 €2.28

16.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 €3.36

$3.80 €3.27

2.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €101

$87.3 €75.1

35.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.11

$7.65 €6.58

-37.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 €2.59

$2.52 €2.17

19.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.2 €56.0

$57.4 €49.37

13.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.27 €1.95

0.88%

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

$43.5K €37.4K

$30.4K €26.2K

42.95%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$30.0K €25.8K

28.69%

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

$304 €261

$212 €183

43.20%

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

$21.92 €18.85

$29.59 €25.45

-25.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 €44.83

$52.4 €45.06

-0.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 €54.7

$36.96 €31.79

71.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.68 €34.13

$28.77 €24.75

37.92%

Cinema Ticket

$17.14 €14.74

$13.69 €11.78

25.20%

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

$2,862 €2,462

$1,073 €923

166.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K €18.1K

$11.7K €10.0K

80.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.5

$104 €89.6

-2.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.40 €42.49

$53.1 €45.68

-6.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €105

$97.9 €84.2

24.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$159 €137

-13.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 €2,047

$1,031 €887

130.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 €1,685

$891 €767

119.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,236 €3,644

$1,974 €1,698

114.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,031 €2,608

$1,680 €1,445

80.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,569

$4,056 €3,489

174.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,621 €6,556

$2,943 €2,531

158.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,906 €4,220

$3,338 €2,871

46.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

4.32

-6.94%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Heerlen: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,380 in Amsterdam versus $1,031 in Heerlen. 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 47% 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 $86.0 in Heerlen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $334 – making Heerlen 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 Heerlen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 57%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $3,385 in Heerlen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 35% less in Heerlen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,862 per month in Amsterdam and $1,073 in Heerlen. 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 Heerlen, where all-in costs run around $2,257, than in Amsterdam at $3,543. In Heerlen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amsterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Heerlen – 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 Heerlen. 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.