Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Schiedam

For one person, living is cheaper in Schiedam: $2,499 a month against $3,496 in Amsterdam, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Amsterdam
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$3,496
/mo nomad
Schiedam
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,499
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amsterdam and in Schiedam

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

A single person spends $3,496 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,499 in Schiedam, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $3,496
  • Schiedam $2,499

A couple spends around $5,012 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,684 in Schiedam, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $5,012
  • Schiedam $3,684

A family of three spends $6,528 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,869 in Schiedam, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $6,528
  • Schiedam $4,869

Amsterdam costs about 40% more than Schiedam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Amsterdam and Schiedam sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 158%, Schiedam by 84%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amsterdam
Schiedam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.16 €19.71
$19.36 €17.22
14.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.5 €79.6
$89.1 €79.2
0.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.53 €12.93
$15.23 €13.55
-4.60%
Cappuccino
$4.56 €4.06
$4.13 €3.68
10.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86 €3.43
$3.56 €3.17
8.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 €2.69
$2.86 €2.55
5.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.06 €7.17
$7.19 €6.39
12.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.59 €5.87
$6.80 €6.05
-3.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amsterdam
Schiedam
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 €1.34
$1.35 €1.20
11.85%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 €2.10
$2.15 €1.91
9.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.44 €2.17
$2.41 €2.14
1.24%
Eggs
$5.21 €4.63
$4.51 €4.01
15.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.77 €14.92
$14.61 €12.99
14.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.06 €11.61
$12.87 €11.45
1.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.98 €20.44
$15.85 €14.10
44.98%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 €2.40
$2.64 €2.35
2.27%
Banana (1kg)
$2.87 €2.55
$2.21 €1.96
29.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.69 €2.39
$1.95 €1.74
37.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.96 €3.52
$4.71 €4.19
-15.92%
Potato (1kg)
$2.51 €2.23
$1.35 €1.20
85.93%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 €1.48
$1.33 €1.18
24.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.51 €1.34
$1.11 €0.99
36.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 €1.48
$0.74 €0.66
125.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.36 €12.77
$13.34 €11.86
7.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.66 €7.71
$5.79 €5.15
49.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.61
$1.33 €1.19
36.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 €2.25
$1.96 €1.74
29.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Amsterdam
Schiedam
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.74 €3.33
$2.27 €2.02
64.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$117 €104
$90.9 €80.8
28.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.62 €4.11
$3.33 €2.96
38.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.38 €3.00
$3.36 €2.99
0.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.70 €35.31
$22.43 €19.95
77.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.67 €2.37
$2.36 €2.10
13.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.8K €37.2K
$41.4K €36.9K
0.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K €34.3K
$39.2K €34.9K
-1.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amsterdam
Schiedam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$303 €270
$272 €242
11.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.97 €20.43
$16.73 €14.88
37.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.5 €45.83
$54.7 €48.61
-5.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amsterdam
Schiedam
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.4 €52.0
$27.72 €24.66
110.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.86 €31.90
$23.56 €20.95
52.21%
Cinema Ticket
$16.86 €15.00
$15.46 €13.75
9.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amsterdam
Schiedam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,815 €2,504
$1,767 €1,572
59.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.5K €15.6K
$11.6K €10.3K
51.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amsterdam
Schiedam
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.2 €82.0
$116 €103
-20.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.16 €37.50
$35.86 €31.90
17.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.3 €88.3
$110 €97.9
-9.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 €119
$138 €122
-2.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amsterdam
Schiedam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,654 €2,361
$1,594 €1,418
66.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,967 €1,750
$1,153 €1,026
70.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,963 €3,525
$2,365 €2,103
67.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,158 €2,809
$1,874 €1,667
68.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.5K €9,354
$5,657 €5,031
85.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,700 €5,960
$4,081 €3,630
64.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amsterdam
Schiedam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,677 €4,160
$2,469 €2,196
89.43%
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 19, 2026

Last update for Schiedam: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Amsterdam
$2K
Schiedam
$1.2K 41.4% $814
Groceries & Markets
Amsterdam
$384
Schiedam
$319 17% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amsterdam
$378
Schiedam
$343 9.1% $34
Eating Out
Amsterdam
$357
Schiedam
$325 8.8% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Amsterdam
$166
Schiedam
$180 8.5% $14
Getting Around
Amsterdam
$154
Schiedam
$120 21.8% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Amsterdam
$92
Schiedam
$59 36.4% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,654 in Amsterdam versus $1,594 in Schiedam. 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 89% 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 $89.0 in Amsterdam versus $89.0 in Schiedam. Groceries tell a different story – $384 in Amsterdam vs $319 in Schiedam – so Schiedam wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
🇳🇱 Schiedam
🕒 Local time
18:23 6:23 PM
18:23 6:23 PM
Same time as Amsterdam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
881,933 Capital
78,730
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Amsterdam Schiedam 61 km
From you
  • Amsterdam
  • Schiedam

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 Schiedam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Schiedam cheaper than Amsterdam?
Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 40%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,244 per month in Amsterdam and $3,749 in Schiedam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Schiedam, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 29% less in Schiedam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,815 per month in Amsterdam and $1,767 in Schiedam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 enough to cover costs in Amsterdam or in Schiedam?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,496 in Amsterdam and $2,499 in Schiedam. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Amsterdam or Schiedam more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Schiedam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Amsterdam or Schiedam?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Schiedam. 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.

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