Utrecht is about €421 a month cheaper than Amsterdam
For one person renting a 1-bedroom flat, life costs about €2,765 a month in Amsterdam and €2,344 in Utrecht. For a couple in a 2-bedroom flat it's €4,232 and €3,675. Most of the difference is rent: €1,721 against €1,297.
Compare With My Own HouseholdMonthly costs for one person, renting
| Per month | Amsterdam | Utrecht |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | €1,721 | €1,297 |
| Gas and electricity | €106 | €106 |
| Drinking water | €13 | €13 |
| Municipal and water board taxes | €63 | €67 |
| Internet | €45 | €45 |
| Home contents and liability insurance | €15 | €15 |
| Basic health insurance | €159 | €159 |
| Health deductible (eigen risico) | €32 | €32 |
| Groceries and household items | €280 | €280 |
| Mobile phones | €15 | €15 |
| Eating out, clothes, leisure and travel | €300 | €300 |
| Bike upkeep | €15 | €15 |
| Total, one person (1-bedroom flat) | €2,765 | €2,344 |
| Total, couple (2-bedroom flat) | €4,232 | €3,675 |
Balanced lifestyle, getting around by bike, health insurance included. Rents are for new contracts in the free sector. Change any of these in the calculator.
Estimate based on official Belastingdienst and municipal tax rules for 2026, and published rent and price data. Not affiliated with the Dutch government. Your landlord, insurer and municipality decide your actual costs.
Rooms, buying and moving in
| Amsterdam | Utrecht | |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m², new contracts | €28.69 | €21.61 |
| A room in a shared home | €950 | €775 |
| Average home price | €630,621 | €549,113 |
| Property tax (OZB) for owners | 0.0527% of the WOZ value | 0.0806% of the WOZ value |
| Local taxes for a renter, per year | €754 | €804 |
| Moving in: deposit, first rent, furniture, a bike and moving | €10,464 | €9,190 |
Moving-in costs are for one person renting a 1-bedroom flat. Got a job offer? See what you'll take home with the Salary Calculator.
Living in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the most expensive rental market in the Netherlands. New tenants in the unregulated sector paid an average of €28.69 per m² a month in Q2 2026, about 37% above the national average.
Good to know: Childcare is a hidden cost here: about 4 in 5 Amsterdam parents pay more than the €11.23 hourly rate the childcare allowance is based on, and they pay the difference themselves.
Living in Utrecht
Utrecht is in the centre of the country and is the country's main rail hub. New tenants paid €21.61 per m² a month in Q2 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
Good to know: Utrecht raised its waste tax for families by about 12% in 2026, so households of two or more pay noticeably more than a year ago.
