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Amsterdam vs San Antonio

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 San Antonio, TX at a glance — San Antonio, TX is 26% cheaper than Amsterdam, NL overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,250/mo versus $2,100/mo. Top income tax: 37% vs 49.5%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in San Antonio, TX, you'd need

$55,338 / year

San Antonio, TX is 26% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (San Antonio, TX vs Amsterdam, NL)

  • Housing-45%
  • Food & groceries-18%
  • Transport+3%
  • Utilities-19%
  • Healthcare-6%
  • Goods & services-19%

◎ How Amsterdam, NL and San Antonio, TX compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Amsterdam, NLSan Antonio, TX

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

▤ Full comparison

Amsterdam, NLSan Antonio, TX
Cost of living
Overall cost index12794
Housing16591
Food11292
Transport9598
Utilities12299
Healthcare10094
Goods & services11694
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$2,100/mo$1,250/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,500/mo$1,000/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$4,000/mo$2,200/mo
Buy price / m² centre$9,000$3,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$787$1,067
Inexpensive meal$20$15
Monthly transit pass$100$38
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 spaces9025
Time zoneUTC+1UTC-6
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)7558
Safety index6855
Healthcare index8074
Pollution index4045
Internet speed160 Mbps200 Mbps
Walkability9037
Public transport8838
Family-friendly7064
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance—$450/mo
Life expectancy82 yr✓79 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+4 °C+11 °C
July avg+18 °C+30 °C
Sunny days / year60220
Rainfall / year840 mm810 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 San Antonio — in your currency

AmsterdamSan Antonio
1-bed rent, city centre$2,100$1,250
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,500$1,000
Inexpensive meal$20$15
Monthly transit pass$100$38
Utilities (monthly)$200$170

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 San Antonio

Big, affordable and rich in Tex-Mex culture with no state income tax — hot and car-oriented.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-6
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 11°C · ☀ 30°C · 220 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Pearl · Southtown · Alamo Heights

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Amsterdam to San Antonio: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Amsterdam to San Antonio, your cost of living will be roughly 26% cheaper. San Antonio’s cost-of-living index is 94 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 San Antonio?

San Antonio is about 26% cheaper than Amsterdam overall — its cost-of-living index is 94 versus 127 for Amsterdam.

Which is more expensive, Amsterdam or San Antonio?

Amsterdam is more expensive than San Antonio. Its cost-of-living index is 127 vs 94 (US = 100) — about 35% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Amsterdam or San Antonio?

Rent is cheaper in San Antonio — about $1,250/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,100 in Amsterdam.

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Amsterdam is worth about $55,338 in San Antonio. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Amsterdam or San Antonio?

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.