Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Hilversum

For one person, living is cheaper in Hilversum: $2,915 a month against $3,517 in Amsterdam, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Amsterdam outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

170

Cost of Living Index in Amsterdam
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Amsterdam Living Index
140

Cost of Living Index in Hilversum
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Hilversum Living Index

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Amsterdam

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$3,517

/mo nomad

Hilversum

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$2,915

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amsterdam and in Hilversum

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 Hilversum actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,517 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,915 in Hilversum, rent included.

Amsterdam $3,517
Hilversum $2,915

A couple spends around $5,063 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,247 in Hilversum, rent included.

Amsterdam $5,063
Hilversum $4,247

A family of three spends $6,608 per month in Amsterdam vs $5,579 in Hilversum, rent included.

Amsterdam $6,608
Hilversum $5,579

Amsterdam costs about 21% more than Hilversum, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Amsterdam and Hilversum sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 158%, Hilversum by 114%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.34 €20.07

$28.34 €25.46

-21.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 €79.6

$77.5 €69.6

14.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.80 €13.29

$17.08 €15.34

-13.35%

Cappuccino

$4.65 €4.18

$4.29 €3.85

8.39%

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

$3.69 €3.32

$4.02 €3.61

-8.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.60

$3.00 €2.69

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 €7.12

$5.48 €4.92

44.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 €5.87

$5.61 €5.04

16.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 €1.29

$1.68 €1.51

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.15

$2.19 €1.97

9.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 €2.25

$3.10 €2.78

-19.35%

Eggs

$5.15 €4.63

$5.06 €4.54

1.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.90 €15.18

$13.89 €12.48

21.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 €11.44

$14.50 €13.02

-12.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.87 €20.55

$16.70 €15.01

36.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.47

$2.45 €2.20

12.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 €2.46

$2.77 €2.49

-1.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 €2.46

$2.02 €1.82

35.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 €3.47

$4.44 €3.99

-13.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.26

$1.78 €1.59

41.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 €1.48

$2.01 €1.80

-17.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.35

$1.50 €1.35

0.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.52

$1.11 €1.00

52.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 €13.04

$12.17 €10.93

19.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.60 €7.73

$6.72 €6.04

27.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.60

$1.43 €1.28

24.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.25

$2.60 €2.33

-3.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.70 €3.32

$3.61 €3.24

2.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 €105

$67.8 €60.9

71.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 €4.21

$5.57 €5.01

-15.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 €3.08

$3.42 €3.07

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.00 €35.04

$22.70 €20.39

71.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 €2.30

$2.46 €2.21

4.07%

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

$40.6K €36.5K

$41.9K €37.7K

-3.24%

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

$38.9K €34.9K

$42.2K €37.9K

-7.78%

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

$306 €275

$262 €235

17.11%

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

$22.66 €20.35

$29.44 €26.44

-23.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 €47.45

$63.6 €57.2

-16.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 €49.37

$67.5 €60.6

-18.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.66 €32.04

$34.64 €31.12

2.94%

Cinema Ticket

$16.48 €14.81

$16.51 €14.83

-0.18%

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

$2,778 €2,495

$700 €628

296.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €15.2K

$15.5K €14.0K

9.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 €83.3

$112 €101

-17.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.28 €37.08

$47.96 €43.08

-13.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €91.1

$92.2 €82.8

10.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €120

$145 €131

-7.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,642 €2,373

$1,667 €1,497

58.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 €1,787

$1,430 €1,285

39.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,165 €3,741

$2,731 €2,453

52.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,251 €2,920

$2,323 €2,087

39.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K €9,480

$6,907 €6,205

52.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,734 €6,049

$5,239 €4,706

28.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,625 €4,155

$4,008 €3,601

15.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

4.3

-23.26%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: October 27, 2026

Last update for Hilversum: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Amsterdam

$2K 56.6%

Hilversum

$1.4K 49.1% 28.1% $559

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amsterdam

$382 10.9%

Hilversum

$355 12.2% 7.1% $27

Groceries & Markets

Amsterdam

$381 10.8%

Hilversum

$349 12% 8.3% $31

Eating Out

Amsterdam

$358 10.2%

Hilversum

$396 13.6% 10.7% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Amsterdam

$166 4.7%

Hilversum

$179 6.1% 7.6% $13

Getting Around

Amsterdam

$153 4.4%

Hilversum

$105 3.6% 31.5% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Amsterdam

$88 2.5%

Hilversum

$101 3.5% 14.3% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,642 in Amsterdam versus $1,667 in Hilversum. 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 15% 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 in Amsterdam versus $77 in Hilversum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $381 vs $349 – making Hilversum the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇱 Amsterdam

🇳🇱 Hilversum

🕒 Local time

23:57 11:57 PM

Same time as Amsterdam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

881,933 Capital

93,345

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.11 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Hilversum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,276 per month in Amsterdam and $4,372 in Hilversum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hilversum, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,667 there versus $2,642 in Amsterdam.

Public transport costs about 42% less in Hilversum. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,778 per month in Amsterdam and $700 in Hilversum. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Hilversum – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Hilversum. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amsterdam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.