Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Sandefjord Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Sandefjord

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,543 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,391 in Sandefjord, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,055 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,522 in Sandefjord, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,567 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,654 in Sandefjord, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 48% more than Sandefjord, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Amsterdam and Sandefjord sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 164%, Sandefjord by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.95 €19.75

$19.02 NOK 177

20.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 €93.9

$103 NOK 953

6.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.93 €12.84

$13.53 NOK 126

10.35%

Cappuccino

$4.98 €4.29

$5.03 NOK 46.71

-0.99%

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

$3.38 €2.91

$2.47 NOK 22.96

36.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 €2.83

$2.13 NOK 19.83

54.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 €5.95

$9.37 NOK 87.1

-26.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 €5.92

$10.15 NOK 94.3

-32.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$2.20 NOK 20.41

-33.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.11

$3.02 NOK 28.06

-18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.80 NOK 26.02

-7.50%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.56

$3.69 NOK 34.31

43.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.77 €12.71

$11.51 NOK 107

28.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.48 €12.45

$16.60 NOK 154

-12.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 €14.25

$35.29 NOK 328

-53.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.71 NOK 25.16

4.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.20

$2.23 NOK 20.69

14.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 €1.90

$2.35 NOK 21.80

-6.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 €4.19

$3.67 NOK 34.11

32.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.11 NOK 19.57

-3.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.22 NOK 20.62

-5.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$2.64 NOK 24.56

-48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.90 NOK 17.61

-38.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.36 €12.35

$14.49 NOK 135

-0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 €6.47

$13.56 NOK 126

-44.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.70 NOK 34.41

-52.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.65

$4.23 NOK 39.33

-27.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 €3.36

$4.95 NOK 45.96

-21.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €101

$71.8 NOK 667

64.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.11

$10.06 NOK 93.5

-52.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 €2.59

$1.40 NOK 13.01

115.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.2 €56.0

$63.4 NOK 589

2.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.21 NOK 20.49

3.62%

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

$43.5K €37.4K

$35.6K NOK 330.9K

22.04%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$35.8K NOK 332.4K

8.04%

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

$304 €261

$220 NOK 2,039

38.45%

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

$21.92 €18.85

$42.75 NOK 397

-48.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 €44.83

$38.61 NOK 359

34.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 €54.7

$47.95 NOK 445

32.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.68 €34.13

$35.33 NOK 328

12.31%

Cinema Ticket

$17.14 €14.74

$12.87 NOK 120

33.18%

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

$2,862 €2,462

$287 NOK 2,662

898.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K €18.1K

$4,768 NOK 44.3K

340.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.5

$103 NOK 954

-0.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.40 €42.49

$46.87 NOK 435

5.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €105

$99.9 NOK 928

22.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$140 NOK 1,305

-2.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 €2,047

$1,205 NOK 11.2K

97.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 €1,685

$970 NOK 9,011

101.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,236 €3,644

$1,447 NOK 13.4K

192.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,031 €2,608

$1,256 NOK 11.7K

141.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,569

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,621 €6,556

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,906 €4,220

$4,123 NOK 38.3K

19.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

4.38

-8.22%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sandefjord: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,380 in Amsterdam versus $1,205 in Sandefjord. 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 19% 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 $109 in Amsterdam versus $103 in Sandefjord. Groceries tell a different story – $359 in Amsterdam vs $454 in Sandefjord – so Amsterdam 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 Sandefjord: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 48%, 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 $5,314 per month in Amsterdam and $3,587 in Sandefjord. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 64% less in Sandefjord. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,862 per month in Amsterdam and $287 in Sandefjord. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,543 in Amsterdam and $2,391 in Sandefjord. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Sandefjord – 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 Sandefjord. 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.