Cost of Living · NL vs US
🇳🇱 Amsterdam vs 🇺🇸 New York: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,837 in Netherlands vs $2,410 in United States — 31.2% more expensive.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in United States
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: 9.14%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): 9.17%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): 9.17%
Closest to Netherlands prices
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: +35.96%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: +35.96%
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: +35.96%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Netherlands | United States | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $1,287 | $1,750 | +35.96% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $1,030 | $1,400 | +35.96% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $2,354 | $3,200 | +35.96% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $14.14 | $18.00 | +27.3% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $58.92 | $75.00 | +27.29% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $8.83 | $11.00 | +24.58% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.92 | $1.10 | +19.57% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.68 | $3.20 | +19.4% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $2.85 | $3.40 | +19.3% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $8.39 | $10.00 | +19.19% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $3.36 | $4.00 | +19.05% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $4.03 | $4.80 | +19.11% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $10.07 | $12.00 | +19.17% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.68 | $2.00 | +19.05% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $4.71 | $6.00 | +27.39% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $7.33 | $8.00 | +9.14% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $3.93 | $5.00 | +27.23% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.93 | $2.30 | +19.17% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $52.20 | $65.00 | +24.52% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $2.21 | $2.75 | +24.43% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $3.14 | $4.00 | +27.39% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.41 | $1.80 | +27.66% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.87 | $0.95 | +9.2% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $161 | $200 | +24.53% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $56.21 | $70.00 | +24.53% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $36.14 | $45.00 | +24.52% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $39.28 | $50.00 | +27.29% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $11.00 | $14.00 | +27.27% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $23.57 | $30.00 | +27.28% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $50.38 | $55.00 | +9.17% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $82.44 | $90.00 | +9.17% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $196 | $250 | +27.3% |
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 United States than Netherlands?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $2,410 in United States versus $1,837 in Netherlands — 31.2% more. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in United States?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $6.00 in United States, versus about $4.71 in Netherlands.
- How much is rent in United States compared to Netherlands?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $1,750/month in United States versus $1,287/month in Netherlands (+35.96%). 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.