✦ Compare
Amsterdam vs
Mexico City
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 Mexico City, MX at a glance — Mexico City, MX is 49% cheaper than Amsterdam, NL overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $800/mo versus $2,100/mo. Top income tax: 35% vs 49.5%.
To keep the same standard of living in Mexico City, MX, you'd need
$38,026 / year
Mexico City, MX is 49% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Mexico City, MX vs Amsterdam, NL)
- Housing-64%
- Food & groceries-42%
- Transport-47%
- Utilities-34%
- Healthcare-35%
- Goods & services-40%
Median 1-bed rent
$2,100 /mo
Amsterdam, NL overview →
Median 1-bed rent
$800 /mo
Mexico City, MX overview →
◎ How Amsterdam, NL and Mexico City, MX compare
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
▤ Full comparison
| Amsterdam, NL | Mexico City, MX | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 127 | 64 |
| Housing | 165 | 60 |
| Food | 112 | 65 |
| Transport | 95 | 50 |
| Utilities | 122 | 80 |
| Healthcare | 100 | 65 |
| Goods & services | 116 | 70 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $2,100/mo | $800/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $1,500/mo | $550/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $4,000/mo | $1,600/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $9,000 | $3,200 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $787 | $1,553 |
| Inexpensive meal | $20 | $5 |
| Monthly transit pass | $100 | $20 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 49.5% | 35% |
| VAT / sales tax | 21% | 16% |
| Corporate tax | 25.8% | 30% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $3,100/mo | $700/mo |
| Minimum wage | $2,710/mo✓ | $420/mo |
| GDP per capita | $73,684✓ | $13,889✓ |
| Inflation (annual) | 3.3%✓ | 3.8%✓ |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | Yes |
| English proficiency | High | Low |
| Coworking spaces | 90 | 70 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 | UTC-6 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Quality of life (overall) | 75 | 56 |
| Safety index | 68 | 40 |
| Healthcare index | 80 | 68 |
| Pollution index | 40 | 75 |
| Internet speed | 160 Mbps | 80 Mbps |
| Walkability | 90 | 68 |
| Public transport | 88 | 70 |
| Family-friendly | 70 | 60 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Use caution |
| Health insurance | — | $80/mo |
| Life expectancy | 82 yr✓ | 75 yr✓ |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | Moderate |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +4 °C | +14 °C |
| July avg | +18 °C | +17 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 60 | 240 |
| Rainfall / year | 840 mm | 850 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Netherlands vs Mexico. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
✓ = official statistics (Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →
Cost of living: Amsterdam vs Mexico City — in your currency
Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).
Good to know before you move to Amsterdam
Compact, bike-first and very English-friendly — a favourite expat landing pad, if you can win the tight housing lottery.
- Currency
- Euro (€ EUR)
- Languages
- Dutch
- Time zone
- UTC+1
- Internet
- 160 Mbps
- English
- Widely spoken
- Safety
- 68/100
- Climate
- ❄ 4°C · ☀ 18°C · 60 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- F · 230V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Jordaan · De Pijp · Oost
Good to know before you move to Mexico City
A vast, vibrant capital with a perfect spring-like climate — a top nomad pick, though air and traffic bite.
- Currency
- Mexican peso ($ MXN)
- Languages
- Spanish
- Time zone
- UTC-6
- Internet
- 80 Mbps
- English
- Rarely spoken
- Safety
- 40/100
- Climate
- ❄ 14°C · ☀ 17°C · 240 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Bottled recommended
- Power
- A/B · 127V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Roma · Condesa · Polanco
Plan your move to Amsterdam
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsPlanetofhotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- Tours & ticketsTiqets
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Flight compensationAirHelp
Sponsored
Plan your move to Mexico City
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsPlanetofhotels
- Car rentalLocalrent
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Amsterdam to Mexico City: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Amsterdam to Mexico City, your cost of living will be roughly 49% cheaper. Mexico City’s cost-of-living index is 64 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 Mexico City?
Mexico City is about 49% cheaper than Amsterdam overall — its cost-of-living index is 64 versus 127 for Amsterdam.
Which is more expensive, Amsterdam or Mexico City?
Amsterdam is more expensive than Mexico City. Its cost-of-living index is 127 vs 64 (US = 100) — about 98% higher.
Is rent cheaper in Amsterdam or Mexico City?
Rent is cheaper in Mexico City — about $800/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,100 in Amsterdam.
How much do you need to earn in Mexico City to live like in Amsterdam?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Amsterdam is worth about $38,026 in Mexico City. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Amsterdam or Mexico City?
Mexico has the lower top income-tax rate — 35% 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.