Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Valkenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Valkenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,543 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,592 in Valkenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,055 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,762 in Valkenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,567 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,932 in Valkenburg, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 37% more than Valkenburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Amsterdam and Valkenburg sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 164%, Valkenburg by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.95 €19.77

$25.21 €21.71

-8.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 €94.0

$92.5 €79.7

17.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.93 €12.86

$12.84 €11.06

16.28%

Cappuccino

$4.98 €4.29

$4.30 €3.71

15.81%

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

$3.38 €2.91

$3.48 €3.00

-2.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 €2.84

$2.92 €2.52

12.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 €5.95

$7.12 €6.13

-2.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 €5.93

$5.71 €4.92

20.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.24 €1.07

18.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.33 €2.01

5.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$3.18 €2.74

-18.55%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.57

$4.60 €3.96

15.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.77 €12.72

$13.62 €11.72

8.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.48 €12.47

$16.25 €13.99

-10.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 €14.27

$16.84 €14.50

-1.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.40 €2.07

17.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.20

$2.46 €2.12

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 €1.90

$1.88 €1.62

17.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 €4.20

$3.74 €3.22

30.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.08 €1.79

-1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.96 €1.69

6.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.27 €1.09

7.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$0.82 €0.70

41.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.36 €12.37

$13.90 €11.97

3.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 €6.47

$7.09 €6.10

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.54 €1.33

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.65

$2.68 €2.31

14.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 €3.36

$3.66 €3.15

6.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €102

$91.7 €79.0

28.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.11

$8.00 €6.89

-40.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.20 €1.89

37.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.2 €56.1

$29.41 €25.32

121.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 €1.97

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

$43.5K €37.4K

$34.4K €29.6K

26.49%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$32.3K €27.8K

19.83%

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

$304 €262

$277 €238

9.93%

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

$21.92 €18.87

$25.48 €21.94

-13.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 €44.87

$45.67 €39.33

14.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 €54.7

$39.75 €34.23

59.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.68 €34.17

$22.85 €19.67

73.65%

Cinema Ticket

$17.14 €14.76

$15.28 €13.16

12.17%

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

$2,862 €2,464

$1,583 €1,363

80.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K €18.1K

$7,955 €6,850

163.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.6

$96.0 €82.7

5.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.40 €42.54

$48.13 €41.45

2.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €105

$112 €96.0

9.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$128 €110

7.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 €2,049

$1,434 €1,235

65.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 €1,687

$1,184 €1,019

65.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,236 €3,647

$2,335 €2,011

81.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,031 €2,610

$1,713 €1,475

76.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,579

$4,993 €4,299

122.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,621 €6,563

$4,112 €3,540

85.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,906 €4,225

$2,460 €2,118

99.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

4.34

-7.37%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Valkenburg: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,380 in Amsterdam versus $1,434 in Valkenburg. 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 99% 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 $93.0 in Valkenburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $345 – making Valkenburg 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 Valkenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $3,888 in Valkenburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 29% less in Valkenburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,862 per month in Amsterdam and $1,583 in Valkenburg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,543 in Amsterdam and $2,592 in Valkenburg. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Valkenburg – 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 Valkenburg. 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.