Popular cities
Amsterdam vs Paris cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ณ๐ฑ Amsterdam
๐ซ๐ท Paris
At a glance
- Where Paris is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (29%โ), Transit (25%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (25%โ)
- Where Amsterdam is clearly cheaper: Cocktail & wine (38%โ), Scooter rental (32%โ), Street food (25%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Amsterdam is easier to travel (1.4 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: language โ Amsterdam 1 vs Paris 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Amsterdam | Paris | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 20$23.3 | โฌ 17$19.8 | Paris โ15% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 6$6.98 | โฌ 8$9.3 | Amsterdam โ25% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 40$46.5 | โฌ 35$40.7 | Paris โ12% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 4.2$4.88 | โฌ 4.5$5.23 | Amsterdam โ7% |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 6.5$7.56 | โฌ 7.5$8.72 | Amsterdam โ13% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 8$9.3 | โฌ 13$15.1 | Amsterdam โ38% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 1.8$2.09 | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | Paris โ17% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 2.2$2.56 | โฌ 2$2.33 | Paris โ9% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 18$20.9 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Paris โ17% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 12$14 | โฌ 9$10.5 | Paris โ25% |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 3.4$3.95 | โฌ 2.55$2.97 | Paris โ25% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 13$15.1 | โฌ 19$22.1 | Amsterdam โ32% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 165$192 | โฌ 160$186 | similar |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 1,900$2,209 | โฌ 1,350$1,570 | Paris โ29% |
| Laundry | โฌ 4$4.65 | โฌ 3.5$4.07 | Paris โ12% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 15$17.4 | โฌ 15$17.4 | similar |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 30$34.9 | โฌ 25$29.1 | Paris โ17% |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 80$93 | โฌ 75$87.2 | Paris โ6% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 50$58.1 | โฌ 40$46.5 | Paris โ20% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 25$29.1 | โฌ 20$23.3 | Paris โ20% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Amsterdam or Paris?
Paris is 16% cheaper than Amsterdam. Daily budget $378 vs $347; a month $7,747 vs $5,975.
Which is easier to travel, Amsterdam or Paris?
Amsterdam is easier: Amsterdam 1.4/5 vs Paris 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Amsterdam and Paris?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Amsterdam is about $7,747 and Paris about $5,975 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.