Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Spakenburg

For one person, living is cheaper in Spakenburg: $2,623 a month against $3,517 in Amsterdam, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Amsterdam, Netherlands
Spakenburg, Netherlands
Amsterdam
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$3,517
/mo nomad
Spakenburg
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,623
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amsterdam and in Spakenburg

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

A single person spends $3,517 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,623 in Spakenburg, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $3,517
  • Spakenburg $2,623

A couple spends around $5,063 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,716 in Spakenburg, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $5,063
  • Spakenburg $3,716

A family of three spends $6,608 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,809 in Spakenburg, rent included.

  • Amsterdam $6,608
  • Spakenburg $4,809

Amsterdam costs about 34% more than Spakenburg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Amsterdam and Spakenburg sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 158%, Spakenburg by 93%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amsterdam
Spakenburg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.34 €20.02
$22.41 €20.08
-0.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.6 €79.4
$82.9 €74.3
6.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.80 €13.26
$13.44 €12.04
10.12%
Cappuccino
$4.65 €4.17
$3.94 €3.53
18.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 €3.31
$3.73 €3.34
-1.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 €2.60
$3.09 €2.77
-6.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.92 €7.10
$6.52 €5.84
21.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.54 €5.86
$6.13 €5.49
6.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amsterdam
Spakenburg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 €1.29
$1.19 €1.07
21.01%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 €2.15
$1.58 €1.42
51.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.50 €2.24
$2.48 €2.22
0.81%
Eggs
$5.15 €4.62
$5.00 €4.48
3.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.90 €15.15
$12.69 €11.37
33.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.73 €11.41
$14.12 €12.65
-9.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.87 €20.50
$18.69 €16.75
22.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 €2.46
$2.02 €1.81
36.14%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 €2.45
$2.47 €2.21
10.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.74 €2.46
$1.82 €1.63
50.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.86 €3.46
$4.14 €3.71
-6.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.52 €2.26
$1.66 €1.49
51.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.65 €1.48
$1.93 €1.73
-14.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.30 €1.16
16.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 €1.51
$0.77 €0.69
119.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.52 €13.01
$13.79 €12.36
5.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.60 €7.71
$6.71 €6.01
28.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 €1.60
$1.40 €1.25
27.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.25
$2.61 €2.34
-3.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Amsterdam
Spakenburg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.70 €3.31
$3.70 €3.32
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$117 €104
$90.7 €81.3
28.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.69 €4.20
$3.73 €3.34
25.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.42 €3.07
$2.71 €2.43
26.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.00 €34.95
$29.06 €26.04
34.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.56 €2.29
$2.50 €2.24
2.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.6K €36.4K
$41.1K €36.8K
-1.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.9K €34.8K
$39.2K €35.1K
-0.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amsterdam
Spakenburg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$306 €275
$246 €221
24.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.66 €20.30
$21.65 €19.40
4.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.8 €47.34
$48.56 €43.51
8.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amsterdam
Spakenburg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.0 €49.25
$41.35 €37.06
32.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.66 €31.96
$23.47 €21.03
51.94%
Cinema Ticket
$16.48 €14.77
$14.91 €13.36
10.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amsterdam
Spakenburg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,778 €2,489
$2,320 €2,079
19.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.0K €15.2K
$8,155 €7,308
107.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amsterdam
Spakenburg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.7 €83.1
$95.2 €85.3
-2.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.28 €36.99
$45.06 €40.37
-8.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €90.9
$89.1 €79.9
13.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 €120
$124 €111
8.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amsterdam
Spakenburg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,642 €2,368
$1,279 €1,146
106.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,989 €1,783
$1,291 €1,157
54.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,165 €3,732
$1,674 €1,500
148.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,251 €2,913
$1,829 €1,639
77.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.6K €9,457
$4,386 €3,931
140.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,734 €6,034
$3,721 €3,334
80.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amsterdam
Spakenburg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,625 €4,145
$2,976 €2,667
55.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.3
3.23
2.17%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: October 27, 2026

Last update for Spakenburg: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Amsterdam
$2K
Spakenburg
$1.3K 35.1% $699
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amsterdam
$382
Spakenburg
$316 17.2% $66
Groceries & Markets
Amsterdam
$381
Spakenburg
$324 14.9% $57
Eating Out
Amsterdam
$358
Spakenburg
$339 5.3% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Amsterdam
$166
Spakenburg
$159 4.3% $7.2
Getting Around
Amsterdam
$153
Spakenburg
$123 19.8% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Amsterdam
$88
Spakenburg
$71 19.1% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,642 in Amsterdam versus $1,279 in Spakenburg. 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 55% higher in Amsterdam. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Amsterdam versus $83 in Spakenburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $381 vs $324 – making Spakenburg the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
🇳🇱 Spakenburg
🕒 Local time
02:24 2:24 AM
02:24 2:24 AM
Same time as Amsterdam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
881,933 Capital
4,375
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Amsterdam Spakenburg 36 km
From you
  • Amsterdam
  • Spakenburg

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 Spakenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Spakenburg cheaper than Amsterdam?
Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 34%, 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 $5,276 per month in Amsterdam and $3,935 in Spakenburg. 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 Spakenburg, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,279 there versus $2,642 in Amsterdam.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 22% less in Spakenburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,778 per month in Amsterdam and $2,320 in Spakenburg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Amsterdam or in Spakenburg?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Spakenburg, where all-in costs run around $2,623, than in Amsterdam at $3,517. In Spakenburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amsterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Amsterdam or Spakenburg more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Spakenburg – 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 Spakenburg?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Spakenburg. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amsterdam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Amsterdam vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?