City comparison
Amsterdam vs Brussels: which is better to live in?
Quick verdict
Brussels is the cheaper of the two: our estimate for a single person is about €850 a month less than Amsterdam, mostly because of rent. They’re in different countries, so visa routes, taxes and healthcare differ too: see below.
Choose Amsterdam for
- Beach life
- Sunny, warm climate
- English-friendliness
- Safety
Choose Brussels for
- Affordability
- Lower living costs
Amsterdam vs Brussels at a glance
| Amsterdam | Brussels | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Netherlands | Belgium |
| Single budget / month | €3,100 | €2,250 |
| Couple budget / month | €4,500 | €3,350 |
| 1-bed rent, center | €1,900 | €1,150 |
| Winter highs (Dec to Feb) | 7°C / 44°F | 7°C / 44°F |
| Summer highs (Jun to Aug) | 22°C / 71°F | 22°C / 72°F |
| Sunshine (hours/yr) | 1,780 | 1,604 |
| City size | Capital / metropolis | Capital / metropolis |
| Coastal | No | No |
| Direct flights to the US | Yes | Yes |
| Affordability | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Sunny, warm climate | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| English-friendliness | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Safety | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Walkability | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Public transport | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Nature & green space | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Beach life | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Mountains nearby | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Culture | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Nightlife | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Family life | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Remote-work scene | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Expat community | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Flights home | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Calm, slower pace | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
Cost of living: Amsterdam or Brussels?
By our estimates, a comfortable mid-range life costs about €3,100 a month for one person in Amsterdam and €2,250 in Brussels, rent included. For a couple it’s €4,500 vs €3,350, and for a family of four €5,850 vs €4,500.
Rent drives most of the gap: a one-bedroom in the center runs about €1,900 in Amsterdam against €1,150 in Brussels, while a monthly transit pass costs €100 vs -. Want to plug in your own lifestyle? Use the cost of living calculator.
Climate and weather
Winters average highs of about 7°C (44°F) in Amsterdam and 7°C (44°F) in Brussels. In summer it’s roughly 22°C vs 22°C. Amsterdam gets about 1,780 hours of sunshine a year and Brussels about 1,604.
1,780 hours of sunshine a year · 850 mm of rain a year · Source: KNMI 1991-2020 normals (Amsterdam Schiphol), via the Wikipedia climate table
Monthly temperatures in °C and °F
| Month | Avg high | Avg low |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6°C / 43°F | 1°C / 34°F |
| Feb | 7°C / 44°F | 1°C / 34°F |
| Mar | 10°C / 50°F | 3°C / 37°F |
| Apr | 14°C / 58°F | 5°C / 41°F |
| May | 18°C / 64°F | 9°C / 47°F |
| Jun | 20°C / 69°F | 11°C / 52°F |
| Jul | 23°C / 73°F | 14°C / 56°F |
| Aug | 22°C / 72°F | 13°C / 56°F |
| Sep | 19°C / 67°F | 11°C / 52°F |
| Oct | 15°C / 58°F | 8°C / 46°F |
| Nov | 10°C / 50°F | 5°C / 40°F |
| Dec | 7°C / 44°F | 2°C / 35°F |
1,604 hours of sunshine a year · 837 mm of rain a year · Source: Uccle 1991-2020 normals (Royal Meteorological Institute) via the Wikipedia climate table
Monthly temperatures in °C and °F
| Month | Avg high | Avg low |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6°C / 43°F | 1°C / 35°F |
| Feb | 7°C / 45°F | 2°C / 35°F |
| Mar | 11°C / 52°F | 4°C / 38°F |
| Apr | 15°C / 59°F | 6°C / 43°F |
| May | 18°C / 65°F | 9°C / 49°F |
| Jun | 21°C / 70°F | 12°C / 54°F |
| Jul | 23°C / 74°F | 14°C / 57°F |
| Aug | 23°C / 73°F | 14°C / 57°F |
| Sep | 20°C / 67°F | 11°C / 52°F |
| Oct | 15°C / 59°F | 8°C / 47°F |
| Nov | 10°C / 50°F | 5°C / 40°F |
| Dec | 7°C / 44°F | 2°C / 36°F |
Daily life
Amsterdam is a capital / metropolis; Brussels is a capital / metropolis. Amsterdam is the most international city in our set: English works nearly everywhere, the cycling is easy, and Schiphol connects you to almost anywhere. The cost is housing: rent is among the highest we cover and finding a flat is competitive. Brussels is the most international city in our set, home to the EU institutions, with French, Dutch and English all in daily use. Rents are moderate for a capital and it is superbly connected, but the weather is grey and the city can feel messy.
Living in Amsterdam: the upsides and downsides
- English works in shops, offices and most municipal services
- Flat, bike-first, compact
- Schiphol nonstops to many US and Canadian cities
- Downside: Rent and housing scarcity, with long waits for mid-priced rentals
- Downside: Rainy, windy, mild weather with limited sunshine
Living in Brussels: the upsides and downsides
- A huge international community and jobs around the EU institutions and NATO
- Moderate rents for a Western European capital
- Eurostar to London in about 2 hours and fast trains to Paris and Amsterdam
- Downside: Grey, rainy weather and short winter days
- Downside: High taxes on salaries
Visas and residency
Amsterdam is in Netherlands and Brussels is in Belgium. The main routes for each:
- Netherlands DAFT Visa (Dutch American Friendship Treaty) - Entrepreneur route, open, €4,500 investment
- Netherlands Highly Skilled Migrant Permit - Work permit, open, €5,942/mo income
- Belgium EU Blue Card - Work permit, open, €4,748/mo income
- Belgium Professional Card (Self-Employed) - Freelance visa, open
- Belgium Single Permit (Highly Skilled Workers) - Work permit, open, €3,703/mo income
Read the full guides: living in Amsterdam and living in Brussels.
Related comparisons
- Amsterdam vs Rotterdam
- Dublin vs Amsterdam
- Berlin vs Amsterdam
- Amsterdam vs Cork
- Amsterdam vs Geneva
- Amsterdam vs Munich
- Amsterdam vs Zurich
- Brussels vs Luxembourg City
- Brussels vs Paris
Costs are our estimates for a comfortable mid-range lifestyle; scores are editorial, relative to the 56 cities we cover. Methodology.