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Amsterdam vs Denver

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Amsterdam, NL vs Denver, CO at a glance — Denver, CO is 17% cheaper than Amsterdam, NL overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,750/mo versus $2,100/mo. Top income tax: 37% vs 49.5%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Denver, CO, you'd need

$62,346 / year

Denver, CO is 17% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Denver, CO vs Amsterdam, NL)

  • Housing-25%
  • Food & groceries-13%
  • Transport+4%
  • Utilities-28%
  • Healthcare-2%
  • Goods & services-13%

◎ How Amsterdam, NL and Denver, CO compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Amsterdam, NLDenver, CO

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Amsterdam, NLDenver, CO
Cost of living
Overall cost index127106
Housing165123
Food11297
Transport9599
Utilities12288
Healthcare10098
Goods & services116101
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$2,100/mo$1,750/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,500/mo$1,400/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$4,000/mo$3,300/mo
Buy price / m² centre$9,000$5,500
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$787$947
Inexpensive meal$20$18
Monthly transit pass$100$88
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)49.5%37%
VAT / sales tax21%0%
Social security (employee)—7.7%
Corporate tax25.8%21%
Capital gains—20%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$3,100/mo$4,300/mo
Minimum wage$2,710/mo✓$1,257/mo✓
GDP per capita$73,684✓$90,027✓
Inflation (annual)3.3%✓—
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyHighNative
Coworking spaces9050
Time zoneUTC+1UTC-7
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)7563
Safety index6858
Healthcare index8078
Pollution index4045
Internet speed160 Mbps200 Mbps
Walkability9061
Public transport8855
Family-friendly7066
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance—$450/mo
Life expectancy82 yr✓79 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+4 °C-1 °C
July avg+18 °C+23 °C
Sunny days / year60245
Rainfall / year840 mm390 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h1.5 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Netherlands vs United States. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (Eurostat 2026, US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Amsterdam vs Denver — in your currency

AmsterdamDenver
1-bed rent, city centre$2,100$1,750
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,500$1,400
Inexpensive meal$20$18
Monthly transit pass$100$88
Utilities (monthly)$200$150

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Amsterdam

Compact, bike-first and very English-friendly — a favourite expat landing pad, if you can win the tight housing lottery.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
Dutch
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
160 Mbps
English
Widely spoken
Safety
68/100
Climate
❄ 4°C · ☀ 18°C · 60 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Jordaan · De Pijp · Oost

Good to know before you move to Denver

Outdoor-lover's base camp with 300 days of sun and quick mountain access — rents keep rising.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-7
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
58/100
Climate
❄ -1°C · ☀ 23°C · 245 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
RiNo · LoHi · Capitol Hill

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Amsterdam to Denver: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Amsterdam to Denver, your cost of living will be roughly 17% cheaper. Denver’s cost-of-living index is 106 versus 127 for Amsterdam (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Amsterdam cheaper than Denver?

Denver is about 17% cheaper than Amsterdam overall — its cost-of-living index is 106 versus 127 for Amsterdam.

Which is more expensive, Amsterdam or Denver?

Amsterdam is more expensive than Denver. Its cost-of-living index is 127 vs 106 (US = 100) — about 20% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Amsterdam or Denver?

Rent is cheaper in Denver — about $1,750/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,100 in Amsterdam.

How much do you need to earn in Denver to live like in Amsterdam?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Amsterdam is worth about $62,346 in Denver. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Amsterdam or Denver?

United States has the lower top income-tax rate — 37% versus 49.5% in Netherlands.

◷ More comparisons from Amsterdam

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.