Cost of Living · NL vs AU
🇳🇱 Amsterdam vs 🇦🇺 Sydney: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,837 in Netherlands vs $2,238 in Australia — 21.82% more expensive.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Australia
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: 6.55%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): 6.59%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): 6.59%
Closest to Netherlands prices
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: +25.05%
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: +25.05%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: +25.04%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Netherlands | Australia | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $1,287 | $1,610 (2,498 AUD) | +25.05% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $1,030 | $1,288 (1,998 AUD) | +25.04% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $2,354 | $2,943 (4,568 AUD) | +25.05% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $14.14 | $16.85 (26 AUD) | +19.17% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $58.92 | $70.23 (109 AUD) | +19.2% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $8.83 | $10.36 (16 AUD) | +17.33% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.92 | $1.05 (2 AUD) | +14.13% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.68 | $3.05 (5 AUD) | +13.81% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $2.85 | $3.24 (5 AUD) | +13.68% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $8.39 | $9.53 (15 AUD) | +13.59% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $3.36 | $3.81 (6 AUD) | +13.39% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $4.03 | $4.58 (7 AUD) | +13.65% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $10.07 | $11.44 (18 AUD) | +13.6% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.68 | $1.91 (3 AUD) | +13.69% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $4.71 | $5.62 (9 AUD) | +19.32% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $7.33 | $7.81 (12 AUD) | +6.55% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $3.93 | $4.68 (7 AUD) | +19.08% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.93 | $2.19 (3 AUD) | +13.47% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $52.20 | $61.23 (95 AUD) | +17.3% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $2.21 | $2.59 (4 AUD) | +17.19% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $3.14 | $3.75 (6 AUD) | +19.43% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.41 | $1.69 (3 AUD) | +19.86% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.87 | $0.93 (1 AUD) | +6.9% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $161 | $188 (292 AUD) | +17.31% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $56.21 | $65.94 (102 AUD) | +17.31% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $36.14 | $42.39 (66 AUD) | +17.29% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $39.28 | $46.82 (73 AUD) | +19.2% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $11.00 | $13.11 (20 AUD) | +19.18% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $23.57 | $28.09 (44 AUD) | +19.18% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $50.38 | $53.70 (83 AUD) | +6.59% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $82.44 | $87.87 (136 AUD) | +6.59% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $196 | $234 (363 AUD) | +19.2% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much more expensive is Australia than Netherlands?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $2,238 in Australia versus $1,837 in Netherlands — 21.82% more. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Australia?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $5.62 in Australia (≈ 8.72 AUD), versus about $4.71 in Netherlands.
- How much is rent in Australia compared to Netherlands?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $1,610/month in Australia versus $1,287/month in Netherlands (+25.05%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.