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Amsterdam vs Seattle

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

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Seattle, WA, you'd need

$75,567 / year

Seattle, WA is 1% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Seattle, WA vs Amsterdam, NL)

  • Housing0%
  • Food & groceries0%
  • Transport+22%
  • Utilities-21%
  • Healthcare+16%
  • Goods & services-2%

â–¤ Full comparison

Amsterdam, NLSeattle, WA
Cost of living
Overall cost index127128
Housing165165
Food112112
Transport95116
Utilities12296
Healthcare100116
Goods & services116114
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$2,100/mo$2,100/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,500/mo$1,650/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$4,000/mo$4,200/mo
Buy price / m² centre$9,000$9,500
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$787$781
Inexpensive meal$20$20
Monthly transit pass$100$99
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$2,100/mo$1,257/mo
GDP per capita$61,000$82,000
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyHighNative
Coworking spaces9070
Time zoneUTC+1UTC-8
Quality of life
Safety index6852
Healthcare index8080
Pollution index4030
Internet speed160 Mbps200 Mbps
Walkability9074
Public transport8870
Family-friendly7062
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance—$450/mo
Life expectancy82 yr79 yr
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+4 °C+5 °C
July avg+18 °C+19 °C
Sunny days / year60152
Rainfall / year840 mm950 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.

? Frequently asked questions

Is Amsterdam cheaper than Seattle?

Seattle is about 1% more expensive than Amsterdam overall — its cost-of-living index is 128 versus 127 for Amsterdam.

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Amsterdam is worth about $75,567 in Seattle. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Amsterdam or Seattle?

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

â—· More comparisons from Amsterdam

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