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Amsterdam vs Zurich cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ณ๐ฑ Amsterdam
๐จ๐ญ Zurich
At a glance
- Where Amsterdam is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (57%โ), Cocktail & wine (56%โ), Street food (46%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Amsterdam 2 vs Zurich 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Amsterdam | Zurich | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 20$23.3 | CHF 25$29.4 | Amsterdam โ21% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 6$6.98 | CHF 11$12.9 | Amsterdam โ46% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 40$46.5 | CHF 51$60 | Amsterdam โ22% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 4.2$4.88 | CHF 5$5.88 | Amsterdam โ17% |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 6.5$7.56 | CHF 8$9.41 | Amsterdam โ20% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 8$9.3 | CHF 18$21.2 | Amsterdam โ56% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 1.8$2.09 | CHF 3$3.53 | Amsterdam โ41% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 2.2$2.56 | CHF 3.5$4.12 | Amsterdam โ38% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 18$20.9 | CHF 21$24.7 | Amsterdam โ15% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 12$14 | CHF 20$23.5 | Amsterdam โ41% |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 3.4$3.95 | CHF 4.7$5.53 | Amsterdam โ29% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 13$15.1 | CHF 30$35.3 | Amsterdam โ57% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 165$192 | CHF 220$259 | Amsterdam โ26% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 1,900$2,209 | CHF 2,200$2,588 | Amsterdam โ15% |
| Laundry | โฌ 4$4.65 | CHF 5$5.88 | Amsterdam โ21% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 15$17.4 | CHF 20$23.5 | Amsterdam โ26% |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 30$34.9 | CHF 45$52.9 | Amsterdam โ34% |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 80$93 | CHF 120$141 | Amsterdam โ34% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 50$58.1 | CHF 60$70.6 | Amsterdam โ18% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 25$29.1 | CHF 26$30.6 | Amsterdam โ5% |
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 Zurich?
Amsterdam is 20% cheaper than Zurich. Daily budget $378 vs $491; a month $7,747 vs $9,293.
Which is easier to travel, Amsterdam or Zurich?
About the same: Amsterdam 1.4/5, Zurich 1.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Amsterdam and Zurich?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Amsterdam is about $7,747 and Zurich about $9,293 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.