Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Hengelo

For one person, living is cheaper in Hengelo: $2,186 a month against $3,496 in Amsterdam, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Amsterdam
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$3,496
/mo nomad
Hengelo
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,186
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amsterdam and in Hengelo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Amsterdam and in Hengelo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,496 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,186 in Hengelo, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $3,496
  • Hengelo $2,186

A couple spends around $5,012 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,524 in Hengelo, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $5,012
  • Hengelo $3,524

A family of three spends $6,528 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,862 in Hengelo, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $6,528
  • Hengelo $4,862

Amsterdam costs about 60% more than Hengelo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Amsterdam and Hengelo sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 158%, Hengelo by 61%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amsterdam
Hengelo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.16 €19.71
$22.67 €20.16
-2.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.5 €79.6
$83.3 €74.1
7.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.53 €12.93
$13.26 €11.79
9.58%
Cappuccino
$4.56 €4.06
$4.01 €3.57
13.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86 €3.43
$3.81 €3.39
1.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 €2.69
$2.86 €2.55
5.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.06 €7.17
$6.27 €5.58
28.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.59 €5.87
$6.49 €5.78
1.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amsterdam
Hengelo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 €1.34
$1.34 €1.20
12.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 €2.10
$2.46 €2.18
-4.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.44 €2.17
$2.64 €2.35
-7.58%
Eggs
$5.21 €4.63
$4.34 €3.86
20.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.77 €14.92
$14.05 €12.50
19.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.06 €11.61
$13.81 €12.29
-5.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.98 €20.44
$14.57 €12.96
57.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 €2.40
$2.82 €2.51
-4.26%
Banana (1kg)
$2.87 €2.55
$2.23 €1.98
28.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.69 €2.39
$2.13 €1.89
26.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.96 €3.52
$3.66 €3.26
8.20%
Potato (1kg)
$2.51 €2.23
$1.87 €1.66
34.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 €1.48
$1.88 €1.67
-11.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.51 €1.34
$1.21 €1.07
24.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 €1.48
$0.70 €0.63
138.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.36 €12.77
$13.87 €12.34
3.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.66 €7.71
$6.58 €5.86
31.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.61
$1.36 €1.21
33.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 €2.25
$2.68 €2.39
-5.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Amsterdam
Hengelo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.74 €3.33
$5.12 €4.55
-26.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$117 €104
$90.1 €80.2
29.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.62 €4.11
$3.62 €3.22
27.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.38 €3.00
$2.58 €2.29
31.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.70 €35.31
$44.23 €39.34
-10.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.67 €2.37
$2.53 €2.25
5.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.8K €37.2K
$41.1K €36.6K
1.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K €34.3K
$38.6K €34.4K
-0.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amsterdam
Hengelo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$303 €270
$268 €238
13.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.97 €20.43
$21.74 €19.34
5.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.5 €45.83
$48.06 €42.75
7.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amsterdam
Hengelo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.4 €52.0
$29.68 €26.40
96.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.86 €31.90
$23.66 €21.04
51.56%
Cinema Ticket
$16.86 €15.00
$15.93 €14.17
5.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amsterdam
Hengelo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,815 €2,504
$1,222 €1,087
130.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.5K €15.6K
$7,960 €7,081
120.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amsterdam
Hengelo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.2 €82.0
$94.1 €83.7
-2.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.16 €37.50
$44.61 €39.68
-5.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.3 €88.3
$93.0 €82.7
6.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 €119
$125 €111
7.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amsterdam
Hengelo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,654 €2,361
$1,300 €1,156
104.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,967 €1,750
$836 €743
135.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,963 €3,525
$2,399 €2,134
65.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,158 €2,809
$1,867 €1,660
69.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.5K €9,354
$5,317 €4,729
97.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,700 €5,960
$4,422 €3,934
51.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amsterdam
Hengelo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,677 €4,160
$2,639 €2,348
77.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.3
4.2
-21.43%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: October 19, 2026

Last update for Hengelo: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Amsterdam
$2K
Hengelo
$836 57.5% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Amsterdam
$384
Hengelo
$323 15.8% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amsterdam
$378
Hengelo
$338 10.6% $40
Eating Out
Amsterdam
$357
Hengelo
$340 4.6% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Amsterdam
$166
Hengelo
$160 3.1% $5.1
Getting Around
Amsterdam
$154
Hengelo
$127 17.2% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Amsterdam
$92
Hengelo
$62 33.2% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,654 in Amsterdam versus $1,300 in Hengelo. 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 77% 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 $89.0 in Amsterdam versus $83.0 in Hengelo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $323 – making Hengelo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
🇳🇱 Hengelo
🕒 Local time
22:23 10:23 PM
22:23 10:23 PM
Same time as Amsterdam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
881,933 Capital
81,140
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Amsterdam Hengelo 130 km
From you
  • Amsterdam
  • Hengelo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Hengelo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hengelo cheaper than Amsterdam?
Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 60%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,244 per month in Amsterdam and $3,279 in Hengelo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hengelo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 30% less in Hengelo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,815 per month in Amsterdam and $1,222 in Hengelo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Amsterdam or in Hengelo?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Hengelo, where all-in costs run around $2,186, than in Amsterdam at $3,496. In Hengelo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amsterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Amsterdam or Hengelo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Hengelo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Amsterdam or Hengelo?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Hengelo. 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.

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