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Western Europe30% Higher than the US

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Estimated monthly cost

$5,740

Local average wage

$4,819

what locals earn — not what you need

Monthly cost breakdown

1-bed apartment (city center)$2,666
1-bed apartment (outside center)$1,974
Utilities (monthly)$307
Internet$53
Mobile plan$23
Monthly transit pass$120
Meal, inexpensive restaurant$24
Meal for two, mid-range$92
Cappuccino$5
Domestic draft beer (1 pint)$8

Source: Numbeo, in USD, fetched 2026-09-15. These are raw market prices — see the estimate box for how they roll up into a monthly budget.

Amsterdam vs. a mid-size US city

Amsterdam$5,740
US baseline$4,420

Baseline is $4,420/mo — the median of 4 mid-size US metros run through this exact same budget model, so both bars are measured the same way.

How we estimate $5,740/mo

One person living a modest Western lifestyle in Amsterdam — not a local subsistence budget. Prices are real Numbeo data; the assumptions on top of them are listed at the bottom.

Housing

1-bed, city centre$2,666
1-bed, outside centre$1,974
Rent used (centre + 15% furnished)$3,065

Living costs

Utilities(electric, water, gas, refuse)$307
Internet(60 Mbps+ broadband)$53
Mobile plan(10GB+ data)$23
Groceries(basket for one, +25% pantry staples)$208
Eating out(30 meals @ $24 + 1 nicer dinner)$816
Getting around(transit pass + 8 taxi trips)$293
Leisure(gym + 2 cinema)$98

Health cover

International health insurance(age 55, mid-tier, excludes US coverage)$350

An estimate, not a scraped price — premiums swing hard with age and plan. Budget more if you're over 60 or want US coverage included.

Subtotal$5,214
+10% buffer(clothing, household, pharmacy, haircuts)$521
Estimated total$5,740/mo

Still excluded: visa and residency fees, flights, shipping your belongings, and one-time setup costs — these vary far too much by nationality and route to average. See the country guide for those.

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