Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Nijmegen Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Nijmegen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,564 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,527 in Nijmegen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,989 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,784 in Nijmegen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,414 per month in Amsterdam vs $5,040 in Nijmegen, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 41% more than Nijmegen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Amsterdam and Nijmegen sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 161%, Nijmegen by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.51 €21.36

$25.76 €22.45

-4.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.5 €81.5

$96.9 €84.5

-3.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.27 €13.31

$13.78 €12.01

10.81%

Cappuccino

$4.64 €4.04

$4.41 €3.85

5.22%

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

$3.85 €3.35

$3.92 €3.42

-1.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 €2.77

$2.80 €2.44

13.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 €6.54

$5.66 €4.93

32.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.27 €5.47

$5.92 €5.16

5.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.39

$1.53 €1.33

4.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 €2.15

$2.06 €1.79

19.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 €2.28

$2.34 €2.04

11.97%

Eggs

$5.12 €4.47

$5.45 €4.75

-6.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.31 €15.09

$13.35 €11.64

29.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.96 €12.17

$14.67 €12.78

-4.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.26 €19.40

$16.31 €14.22

36.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 €2.64

$2.86 €2.49

5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 €2.49

$2.58 €2.25

10.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$2.02 €1.76

21.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 €3.55

$5.45 €4.75

-25.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.15

$2.14 €1.86

14.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.46

$2.48 €2.16

-32.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.31 €1.14

16.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.62

$0.74 €0.64

151.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.15 €13.21

$14.47 €12.61

4.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 €7.85

$7.32 €6.38

22.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.48 €1.29

19.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 €2.20

$2.63 €2.30

-4.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 €3.50

$3.53 €3.08

13.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 €106

$146 €127

-16.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 €4.27

$4.05 €3.53

20.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 €2.98

$3.17 €2.77

7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.93 €35.67

$46.09 €40.18

-11.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.60 €2.26

$2.40 €2.09

8.33%

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

$43.6K €38.0K

$42.7K €37.2K

2.08%

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

$39.8K €34.7K

$39.9K €34.8K

-0.08%

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

$304 €265

$292 €255

4.03%

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

$23.40 €20.40

$23.66 €20.63

-1.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 €45.84

$45.79 €39.91

14.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.9

$31.45 €27.41

103.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.06 €31.44

$25.74 €22.44

40.09%

Cinema Ticket

$17.19 €14.99

$16.42 €14.31

4.69%

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

$2,840 €2,475

$2,859 €2,492

-0.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K €15.1K

$17.5K €15.3K

-0.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 €87.6

$101 €88.2

-0.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.58 €34.51

$46.13 €40.21

-14.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.4

$112 €97.4

-7.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €116

$174 €151

-23.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 €2,318

$1,513 €1,319

75.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,948 €1,699

$1,074 €936

81.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,053 €3,533

$2,467 €2,150

64.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,033 €2,644

$1,723 €1,502

75.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K €9,223

$5,641 €4,918

87.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,847 €5,968

$4,276 €3,728

60.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,759 €4,149

$3,549 €3,094

34.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.33

-16.75%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: September 14, 2026

Last update for Nijmegen: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,660 in Amsterdam versus $1,513 in Nijmegen. 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 34% 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 $94.0 in Amsterdam versus $97.0 in Nijmegen. Groceries tell a different story – $394 in Amsterdam vs $347 in Nijmegen – so Nijmegen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Nijmegen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,346 per month in Amsterdam and $3,790 in Nijmegen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 20% less in Nijmegen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,840 per month in Amsterdam and $2,859 in Nijmegen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,564 in Amsterdam and $2,527 in Nijmegen. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Nijmegen – 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 Nijmegen. 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.