Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Zwolle Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Zwolle

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,523 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,415 in Zwolle, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,953 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,459 in Zwolle, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,382 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,502 in Zwolle, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 46% more than Zwolle, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Amsterdam and Zwolle sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 156%, Zwolle by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.07 €20.75

$17.19 €14.82

40.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 €79.4

$83.3 €71.8

10.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.82 €12.77

$12.43 €10.72

19.23%

Cappuccino

$4.69 €4.05

$4.02 €3.47

16.67%

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

$3.87 €3.33

$3.74 €3.22

3.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 €2.82

$3.15 €2.72

3.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.75 €6.68

$6.49 €5.60

19.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 €5.58

$5.74 €4.95

12.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.15 €1.00

39.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 €2.16

$2.41 €2.07

4.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 €2.32

$2.58 €2.23

4.26%

Eggs

$5.23 €4.51

$4.59 €3.96

13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.43 €15.02

$13.60 €11.73

28.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.64 €11.76

$14.33 €12.36

-4.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.31 €19.23

$16.78 €14.47

32.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 €2.62

$1.90 €1.64

59.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.46 €2.12

15.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 €2.20

$1.95 €1.68

30.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 €3.57

$3.88 €3.34

6.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$1.74 €1.50

49.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.97 €1.70

-11.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.24 €1.07

17.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.63

$0.78 €0.67

142.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.40 €13.27

$14.35 €12.37

7.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.46 €8.16

$6.85 €5.90

38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.46 €1.26

28.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 €2.19

$2.89 €2.49

-12.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.88 €3.34

$6.42 €5.53

-39.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$123 €106

$93.3 €80.4

31.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 €4.20

$3.89 €3.35

25.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.85 €2.45

22.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.27 €34.72

$46.62 €40.19

-13.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.27 €1.96

14.10%

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

$43.4K €37.4K

$42.6K €36.7K

1.84%

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

$40.8K €35.2K

$40.3K €34.7K

1.33%

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

$306 €264

$251 €216

22.11%

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

$23.72 €20.45

$21.82 €18.81

8.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 €46.01

$46.42 €40.02

14.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 €55.5

$42.42 €36.57

51.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.19 €31.20

$25.17 €21.70

43.78%

Cinema Ticket

$17.28 €14.90

$16.14 €13.91

7.06%

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

$2,852 €2,459

$1,624 €1,400

75.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K €15.5K

$8,399 €7,240

114.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.3 €84.8

$98.4 €84.9

-0.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.11 €33.71

$52.9 €45.56

-26.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €90.8

$93.0 €80.2

13.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €119

$129 €111

7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,624 €2,262

$1,054 €908

148.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,918 €1,653

$1,038 €895

84.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,071 €3,509

$1,866 €1,609

118.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,992 €2,579

$1,507 €1,299

98.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K €9,258

$5,554 €4,787

93.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,015 €6,047

$4,684 €4,038

49.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,814 €4,150

$3,150 €2,716

52.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.33

3.21

3.74%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: September 7, 2026

Last update for Zwolle: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,624 in Amsterdam versus $1,054 in Zwolle. 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 53% 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 $92.0 in Amsterdam versus $83.0 in Zwolle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $329 – making Zwolle 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 Zwolle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 46%, 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 $5,285 per month in Amsterdam and $3,623 in Zwolle. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 31% less in Zwolle. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,852 per month in Amsterdam and $1,624 in Zwolle. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Zwolle, where all-in costs run around $2,415, than in Amsterdam at $3,523. In Zwolle it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amsterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zwolle – 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 Zwolle. 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.