CostTrek

✦ Compare

Seattle vs Amsterdam

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 Amsterdam, NL, you'd need

$74,437 / year

Amsterdam, NL is 1% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Amsterdam, NL vs Seattle, WA)

  • Housing0%
  • Food & groceries0%
  • Transport-18%
  • Utilities+27%
  • Healthcare-14%
  • Goods & services+2%

â–¤ Full comparison

Seattle, WAAmsterdam, NL
Cost of living
Overall cost index128127
Housing165165
Food112112
Transport11695
Utilities96122
Healthcare116100
Goods & services114116
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$2,100/mo$2,100/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,650/mo$1,500/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$4,200/mo$4,000/mo
Buy price / m² centre$9,500$9,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$781$787
Inexpensive meal$20$20
Monthly transit pass$99$100
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)37%49.5%
VAT / sales tax0%21%
Social security (employee)7.7%—
Corporate tax21%25.8%
Capital gains20%—
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$4,300/mo$3,100/mo
Minimum wage$1,257/mo$2,100/mo
GDP per capita$82,000$61,000
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyNativeHigh
Coworking spaces7090
Time zoneUTC-8UTC+1
Quality of life
Safety index5268
Healthcare index8080
Pollution index3040
Internet speed200 Mbps160 Mbps
Walkability7490
Public transport7088
Family-friendly6270
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$450/mo—
Life expectancy79 yr82 yr
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+5 °C+4 °C
July avg+19 °C+18 °C
Sunny days / year15260
Rainfall / year950 mm840 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1.5 h1 h

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

? Frequently asked questions

Is Seattle cheaper than Amsterdam?

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

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Seattle is worth about $74,437 in Amsterdam. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Seattle or Amsterdam?

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

â—· More comparisons from Seattle

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