Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Nijmegen

For one person, living is cheaper in Nijmegen: $2,659 a month against $3,517 in Amsterdam, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 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
127

Cost of Living Index in Nijmegen
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Nijmegen Living Index

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Amsterdam

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$3,517

/mo nomad

Nijmegen

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$2,659

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amsterdam and in Nijmegen

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

A single person spends $3,517 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,659 in Nijmegen, rent included.

Amsterdam $3,517
Nijmegen $2,659

A couple spends around $5,063 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,957 in Nijmegen, rent included.

Amsterdam $5,063
Nijmegen $3,957

A family of three spends $6,608 per month in Amsterdam vs $5,254 in Nijmegen, rent included.

Amsterdam $6,608
Nijmegen $5,254

Amsterdam costs about 32% more than Nijmegen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Amsterdam and Nijmegen sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 158%, Nijmegen by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.34 €20.02

$27.61 €24.75

-19.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 €79.4

$100 €89.7

-11.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.80 €13.26

$14.66 €13.14

0.95%

Cappuccino

$4.65 €4.17

$4.25 €3.81

9.41%

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

$3.69 €3.31

$3.75 €3.36

-1.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.60

$2.58 €2.31

12.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 €7.10

$5.72 €5.13

38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 €5.86

$5.97 €5.35

9.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 €1.29

$1.47 €1.32

-2.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.15

$2.13 €1.91

12.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 €2.24

$2.38 €2.13

5.04%

Eggs

$5.15 €4.62

$5.34 €4.79

-3.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.90 €15.15

$13.26 €11.88

27.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 €11.41

$13.94 €12.49

-8.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.87 €20.50

$16.76 €15.02

36.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.46

$2.79 €2.50

-1.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 €2.45

$2.47 €2.21

10.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 €2.46

$2.12 €1.90

29.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 €3.46

$5.27 €4.73

-26.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.26

$2.09 €1.87

20.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 €1.48

$2.34 €2.10

-29.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.35

$1.28 €1.14

17.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.51

$0.81 €0.72

108.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 €13.01

$13.91 €12.47

4.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.60 €7.71

$7.10 €6.36

21.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.60

$1.52 €1.36

17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.25

$2.64 €2.37

-4.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.70 €3.31

$3.37 €3.02

9.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 €104

$140 €125

-16.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 €4.20

$4.04 €3.62

16.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 €3.07

$3.24 €2.90

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.00 €34.95

$44.88 €40.22

-13.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 €2.29

$2.36 €2.11

8.47%

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

$40.6K €36.4K

$41.3K €37.0K

-1.80%

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

$38.9K €34.8K

$39.4K €35.3K

-1.31%

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

$306 €275

$286 €256

7.13%

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

$22.66 €20.30

$22.86 €20.48

-0.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 €47.34

$42.72 €38.28

23.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 €49.25

$32.15 €28.81

70.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.66 €31.96

$24.69 €22.12

44.43%

Cinema Ticket

$16.48 €14.77

$15.89 €14.24

3.71%

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

$2,778 €2,489

$3,160 €2,831

-12.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €15.2K

$16.5K €14.8K

2.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 €83.1

$95.1 €85.3

-2.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.28 €36.99

$43.46 €38.95

-5.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €90.9

$104 €93.3

-2.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €120

$169 €152

-20.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,642 €2,368

$1,638 €1,467

61.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 €1,783

$1,159 €1,039

71.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,165 €3,732

$2,663 €2,386

56.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,251 €2,913

$1,863 €1,669

74.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K €9,457

$6,131 €5,494

72.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,734 €6,034

$4,428 €3,968

52.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,625 €4,145

$3,367 €3,017

37.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

-17.50%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: October 27, 2026

Last update for Nijmegen: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Amsterdam

$2K 56.6%

Nijmegen

$1.2K 43.6% 41.7% $830

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amsterdam

$382 10.9%

Nijmegen

$352 13.2% 7.9% $30

Groceries & Markets

Amsterdam

$381 10.8%

Nijmegen

$343 12.9% 9.9% $38

Eating Out

Amsterdam

$358 10.2%

Nijmegen

$382 14.4% 6.7% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Amsterdam

$166 4.7%

Nijmegen

$185 7% 11.5% $19

Getting Around

Amsterdam

$153 4.4%

Nijmegen

$174 6.5% 13.5% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Amsterdam

$88 2.5%

Nijmegen

$64 2.4% 27.3% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,642 in Amsterdam versus $1,638 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 37% higher in Amsterdam. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Amsterdam versus $100 in Nijmegen. Groceries tell a different story – $381 in Amsterdam vs $343 in Nijmegen – so Nijmegen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇳🇱 Amsterdam

🇳🇱 Nijmegen

🕒 Local time

06:29 6:29 AM

Same time as Amsterdam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

881,933 Capital

177,359

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Amsterdam Nijmegen 88 km

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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 Nijmegen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 32%, 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 $3,988 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,638 there versus $2,642 in Amsterdam.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Amsterdam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,778 per month in Amsterdam and $3,160 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 $3,517 in Amsterdam and $2,659 in Nijmegen. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nijmegen costs $2,659 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 Nijmegen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amsterdam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.