Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Leiden

For one person, living is cheaper in Leiden: $2,807 a month against $3,517 in Amsterdam, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

170

Cost of Living Index in Amsterdam
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Amsterdam Living Index
136

Cost of Living Index in Leiden
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Leiden Living Index

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Amsterdam

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$3,517

/mo nomad

Leiden

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$2,807

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amsterdam and in Leiden

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

A single person spends $3,517 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,807 in Leiden, rent included.

Amsterdam $3,517
Leiden $2,807

A couple spends around $5,063 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,042 in Leiden, rent included.

Amsterdam $5,063
Leiden $4,042

A family of three spends $6,608 per month in Amsterdam vs $5,276 in Leiden, rent included.

Amsterdam $6,608
Leiden $5,276

Amsterdam costs about 25% more than Leiden, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Amsterdam and Leiden sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 158%, Leiden by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.34 €20.01

$19.86 €17.78

12.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 €79.3

$89.2 €79.9

-0.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.80 €13.25

$13.25 €11.87

11.70%

Cappuccino

$4.65 €4.16

$3.84 €3.44

21.09%

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

$3.69 €3.31

$3.61 €3.23

2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.59

$3.03 €2.72

-4.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 €7.10

$7.59 €6.80

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 €5.85

$5.08 €4.55

28.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 €1.29

$1.22 €1.09

18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.15

$2.16 €1.94

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 €2.24

$2.42 €2.16

3.31%

Eggs

$5.15 €4.62

$4.78 €4.28

7.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.90 €15.14

$14.70 €13.16

14.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 €11.40

$14.41 €12.90

-11.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.87 €20.49

$16.09 €14.41

42.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.46

$2.93 €2.62

-6.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 €2.45

$2.41 €2.16

13.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 €2.46

$1.96 €1.75

39.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 €3.46

$4.85 €4.34

-20.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.26

$1.79 €1.60

40.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 €1.48

$1.94 €1.74

-14.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.35

$1.32 €1.18

14.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.51

$0.76 €0.68

122.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 €13.00

$13.22 €11.84

9.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.60 €7.70

$6.82 €6.11

26.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.60

$1.49 €1.33

19.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.24

$2.64 €2.37

-4.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.70 €3.31

$2.84 €2.54

30.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 €104

$128 €115

-9.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 €4.20

$3.41 €3.05

37.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 €3.07

$3.38 €3.02

1.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.00 €34.93

$22.64 €20.27

72.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 €2.29

$2.46 €2.20

4.07%

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

$40.6K €36.3K

$41.2K €36.9K

-1.51%

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

$38.9K €34.8K

$39.8K €35.7K

-2.34%

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

$306 €274

$280 €251

9.47%

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

$22.66 €20.29

$15.19 €13.61

49.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 €47.31

$49.70 €44.51

6.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 €49.23

$43.84 €39.26

25.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.66 €31.94

$11.43 €10.24

211.99%

Cinema Ticket

$16.48 €14.76

$14.57 €13.04

13.11%

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

$2,778 €2,488

$2,842 €2,546

-2.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €15.2K

$12.9K €11.5K

31.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 €83.0

$116 €104

-19.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.28 €36.97

$48.35 €43.30

-14.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €90.8

$118 €106

-14.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €120

$140 €125

-4.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,642 €2,366

$1,760 €1,576

50.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 €1,782

$1,382 €1,238

43.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,165 €3,730

$2,687 €2,407

55.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,251 €2,911

$2,126 €1,904

52.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K €9,452

$7,824 €7,007

34.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,734 €6,031

$5,723 €5,125

17.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,625 €4,142

$4,103 €3,675

12.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

2.8

17.86%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: October 27, 2026

Last update for Leiden: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Amsterdam

$2K 56.6%

Leiden

$1.4K 49.2% 30.5% $607

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amsterdam

$382 10.9%

Leiden

$345 12.3% 9.7% $37

Groceries & Markets

Amsterdam

$381 10.8%

Leiden

$338 12.1% 11.2% $43

Eating Out

Amsterdam

$358 10.2%

Leiden

$319 11.4% 10.8% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Amsterdam

$166 4.7%

Leiden

$190 6.8% 14.2% $24

Getting Around

Amsterdam

$153 4.4%

Leiden

$160 5.7% 4.3% $6.6

Sport & Entertainment

Amsterdam

$88 2.5%

Leiden

$73 2.6% 17% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,642 in Amsterdam versus $1,760 in Leiden. 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 $89 in Amsterdam versus $89 in Leiden. Groceries tell a different story – $381 in Amsterdam vs $338 in Leiden – so Leiden wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇳🇱 Amsterdam

🇳🇱 Leiden

🕒 Local time

21:56 9:56 PM

Same time as Amsterdam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

881,933 Capital

127,089

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Amsterdam Leiden 36 km

From you

Amsterdam
Leiden

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 Leiden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 25%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,276 per month in Amsterdam and $4,210 in Leiden. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Leiden, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,760 there versus $2,642 in Amsterdam.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Amsterdam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Amsterdam, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,517 in Amsterdam and $2,807 in Leiden. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Leiden costs $2,807 versus $3,517 in Amsterdam. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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