Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Purmerend Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Purmerend

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,550 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,478 in Purmerend, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,106 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,489 in Purmerend, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,662 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,499 in Purmerend, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 43% more than Purmerend, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Amsterdam and Purmerend sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 167%, Purmerend by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.76 €19.84

$17.43 €15.20

30.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 €94.3

$52.8 €46.05

104.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.50 €13.51

$13.37 €11.65

15.93%

Cappuccino

$4.96 €4.33

$4.00 €3.48

24.00%

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

$3.52 €3.07

$3.39 €2.96

3.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 €2.76

$2.64 €2.30

19.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 €6.22

$6.36 €5.54

12.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 €6.23

$5.50 €4.80

29.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.33

$1.28 €1.12

19.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.10

$2.21 €1.92

8.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.32

$3.14 €2.74

-15.29%

Eggs

$5.24 €4.57

$4.69 €4.08

11.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.19 €13.24

$13.96 €12.17

8.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.41 €12.56

$15.39 €13.42

-6.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.73 €14.59

$17.12 €14.92

-2.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 €2.48

$2.40 €2.09

18.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 €2.23

$2.57 €2.24

-0.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 €1.87

$1.89 €1.65

13.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 €4.01

$4.00 €3.49

15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.10 €1.83

-5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.00 €1.74

2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.12

$1.27 €1.11

1.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.07

$0.81 €0.70

51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.67 €12.79

$14.02 €12.22

4.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 €7.00

$7.14 €6.23

12.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.47 €1.28

19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.59

$2.63 €2.30

12.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 €3.33

$3.63 €3.17

5.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 €99.9

$93.1 €81.2

23.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 €3.96

$4.35 €3.79

4.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 €2.73

$2.36 €2.06

32.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 €55.9

$28.80 €25.11

122.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.23 €1.94

-1.35%

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

$42.7K €37.2K

$35.3K €30.8K

20.73%

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

$38.5K €33.6K

$36.6K €31.9K

5.18%

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

$300 €262

$259 €226

15.87%

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

$22.21 €19.36

$25.22 €21.98

-11.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 €44.66

$47.33 €41.26

8.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 €54.7

$40.31 €35.14

55.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.71 €34.62

$23.61 €20.58

68.19%

Cinema Ticket

$17.17 €14.97

$15.94 €13.90

7.72%

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

$2,866 €2,499

$1,995 €1,739

43.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K €18.7K

$7,831 €6,827

173.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 €87.5

$94.1 €82.1

6.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.62 €43.26

$47.07 €41.03

5.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €107

$105 €91.5

17.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €122

$134 €117

4.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,355 €2,053

$1,445 €1,259

63.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 €1,684

$1,163 €1,014

66.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,200 €3,662

$2,266 €1,975

85.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,017 €2,630

$1,768 €1,541

70.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K €9,230

$5,360 €4,673

97.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,050 €6,146

$4,518 €3,938

56.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,638 €4,044

$4,060 €3,539

14.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

4.03

-0.25%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: July 26, 2026

Last update for Purmerend: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,355 in Amsterdam versus $1,445 in Purmerend. 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 14% 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 $108 in Amsterdam versus $53.0 in Purmerend. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $343 – making Purmerend 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 Purmerend: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,325 per month in Amsterdam and $3,717 in Purmerend. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 23% less in Purmerend. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,866 per month in Amsterdam and $1,995 in Purmerend. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Purmerend, where all-in costs run around $2,478, than in Amsterdam at $3,550. In Purmerend it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amsterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Purmerend – 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 Purmerend. 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.