Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Hilversum Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Hilversum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,476 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,093 in Hilversum, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,057 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,525 in Hilversum, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,639 per month in Amsterdam vs $5,956 in Hilversum, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 12% more than Hilversum, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Amsterdam and Hilversum sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 160%, Hilversum by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.49 €20.57

$28.80 €25.22

-18.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 €97.9

$91.2 €79.8

22.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.07 €13.20

$16.46 €14.42

-8.44%

Cappuccino

$4.73 €4.15

$4.66 €4.08

1.50%

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

$3.45 €3.02

$3.72 €3.26

-7.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 €2.77

$2.96 €2.59

7.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.78 €5.93

$5.95 €5.21

13.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 €6.26

$5.08 €4.45

40.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.36 €1.19

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 €2.16

$2.29 €2.00

7.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 €2.30

$3.63 €3.18

-27.82%

Eggs

$5.39 €4.72

$4.92 €4.31

9.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.78 €12.94

$12.97 €11.36

13.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.29 €12.51

$17.50 €15.33

-18.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.63 €14.57

$17.43 €15.26

-4.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 €2.57

$1.92 €1.68

52.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 €2.26

$2.55 €2.23

1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.92

$1.93 €1.69

13.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 €4.10

$3.85 €3.37

21.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.09 €1.83

-3.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.14 €1.88

-4.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.14

$1.21 €1.06

7.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.07

$0.90 €0.79

36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.37 €12.59

$11.97 €10.49

20.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.03 €7.03

$6.74 €5.90

19.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 €1.47

$1.54 €1.35

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.65

$2.74 €2.40

10.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 €3.52

$4.61 €4.04

-12.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €103

$99.0 €86.7

19.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 €4.17

$5.91 €5.17

-19.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 €2.63

$2.13 €1.86

40.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.1 €57.0

$28.56 €25.01

128.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.03

$2.18 €1.91

6.42%

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

$43.3K €37.9K

$40.5K €35.4K

6.91%

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

$38.8K €33.9K

$39.0K €34.1K

-0.61%

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

$306 €268

$266 €233

14.91%

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

$21.54 €18.86

$29.39 €25.74

-26.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 €45.00

$58.0 €50.8

-11.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 €54.7

$70.1 €61.4

-10.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.70 €33.89

$41.20 €36.08

-6.07%

Cinema Ticket

$17.20 €15.06

$17.66 €15.46

-2.60%

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

$2,848 €2,495

$679 €594

319.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K €18.6K

$7,585 €6,643

179.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.5

$127 €111

-19.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.88 €42.81

$60.9 €53.4

-19.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €111

$134 €117

-5.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €120

$181 €159

-24.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,362 €2,069

$1,762 €1,543

34.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 €1,747

$1,488 €1,303

34.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,197 €3,676

$3,011 €2,637

39.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,107 €2,721

$2,438 €2,135

27.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K €9,376

$6,977 €6,110

53.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,066 €6,188

$5,378 €4,710

31.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,465 €3,910

$3,721 €3,259

19.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

4.5

-10.67%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: July 11, 2026

Last update for Hilversum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,362 in Amsterdam versus $1,762 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 20% 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 $91.0 in Hilversum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $354 – making Hilversum 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 Hilversum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,214 per month in Amsterdam and $4,640 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Hilversum. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,848 per month in Amsterdam and $679 in Hilversum. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,476 in Amsterdam and $3,093 in Hilversum. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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 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 Hilversum. 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.