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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,543 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,397 in Zwolle, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,055 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,454 in Zwolle, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,567 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,512 in Zwolle, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 48% more than Zwolle, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Amsterdam and Zwolle sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 164%, Zwolle by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.95 €19.77

$17.57 €15.13

30.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 €94.0

$86.8 €74.7

25.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.93 €12.86

$11.75 €10.12

27.06%

Cappuccino

$4.98 €4.29

$3.86 €3.32

29.02%

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

$3.38 €2.91

$3.46 €2.98

-2.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 €2.84

$2.86 €2.46

15.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 €5.95

$6.19 €5.33

11.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 €5.93

$4.57 €3.94

50.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.19 €1.02

23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.41 €2.08

1.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.99 €2.58

-13.38%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.57

$4.54 €3.91

16.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.77 €12.72

$13.63 €11.74

8.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.48 €12.47

$16.15 €13.91

-10.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 €14.27

$17.16 €14.78

-3.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$1.97 €1.70

43.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.20

$2.57 €2.21

-0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 €1.90

$1.87 €1.61

17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 €4.20

$3.66 €3.15

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.94 €1.67

5.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.15 €1.85

-2.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.24 €1.07

9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$0.79 €0.68

46.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.36 €12.37

$13.21 €11.37

8.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 €6.47

$7.03 €6.05

6.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.39 €1.20

26.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.65

$2.59 €2.23

18.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 €3.36

$6.04 €5.20

-35.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €102

$116 €99.9

1.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.11

$3.76 €3.24

26.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 €2.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.2 €56.1

$27.53 €23.70

136.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.20 €1.90

4.09%

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

$43.5K €37.4K

$40.0K €34.4K

8.72%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$40.3K €34.7K

-4.06%

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

$304 €262

$287 €247

6.03%

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

$21.92 €18.87

$26.72 €23.01

-17.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 €44.87

$45.89 €39.51

13.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 €54.7

$39.92 €34.38

59.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.68 €34.17

$22.75 €19.59

74.42%

Cinema Ticket

$17.14 €14.76

$16.13 €13.89

6.26%

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

$2,862 €2,464

$1,610 €1,386

77.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K €18.1K

$9,391 €8,087

123.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.6

$96.9 €83.5

4.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.40 €42.54

$60.9 €52.5

-18.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €105

$86.2 €74.2

41.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$130 €112

5.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 €2,049

$1,029 €886

131.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 €1,687

$1,021 €879

91.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,236 €3,647

$1,837 €1,582

130.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,031 €2,610

$1,535 €1,322

97.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,579

$5,905 €5,085

88.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,621 €6,563

$4,664 €4,016

63.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,906 €4,225

$3,203 €2,758

53.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

4.39

-8.43%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zwolle: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,380 in Amsterdam versus $1,029 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 $109 in Amsterdam versus $87.0 in Zwolle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $341 – 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 48%, 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 $5,314 per month in Amsterdam and $3,596 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 2% less in Zwolle. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,862 per month in Amsterdam and $1,610 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 $2,397, than in Amsterdam at $3,543. 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.