City comparison
Amsterdam vs Zurich: which is better to live in?
Quick verdict
Amsterdam is the cheaper of the two: our estimate for a single person is about €850 a month less than Zurich, mostly because of rent. Amsterdam has the milder winter (about 7°C vs 4°C average highs in Dec to Feb). They’re in different countries, so visa routes, taxes and healthcare differ too: see below.
Choose Amsterdam for
- English-friendliness
- Walkability
- Beach life
- Culture
- Lower living costs
Choose Zurich for
- Mountains nearby
- Nature & green space
- Calm, slower pace
- Safety
Amsterdam vs Zurich at a glance
| Amsterdam | Zurich | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Netherlands | Switzerland |
| Single budget / month | €3,100 | €3,950 |
| Couple budget / month | €4,500 | €5,900 |
| 1-bed rent, center | €1,900 | €2,200 |
| Winter highs (Dec to Feb) | 7°C / 44°F | 4°C / 40°F |
| Summer highs (Jun to Aug) | 22°C / 71°F | 24°C / 74°F |
| Sunshine (hours/yr) | 1,780 | 1,694 |
| City size | Capital / metropolis | Large city |
| 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 Zurich?
By our estimates, a comfortable mid-range life costs about €3,100 a month for one person in Amsterdam and €3,950 in Zurich, rent included. For a couple it’s €4,500 vs €5,900, and for a family of four €5,850 vs €8,000.
Rent drives most of the gap: a one-bedroom in the center runs about €1,900 in Amsterdam against €2,200 in Zurich, while a monthly transit pass costs €100 vs €90. 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 4°C (40°F) in Zurich. In summer it’s roughly 22°C vs 24°C. Amsterdam gets about 1,780 hours of sunshine a year and Zurich about 1,694.
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 |
1,694 hours of sunshine a year · 1,108 mm of rain a year · Source: MeteoSwiss 1991-2020 normals (Zurich-Fluntern), via the Wikipedia climate table
Monthly temperatures in °C and °F
| Month | Avg high | Avg low |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4°C / 38°F | -1°C / 29°F |
| Feb | 5°C / 41°F | -1°C / 30°F |
| Mar | 10°C / 50°F | 2°C / 35°F |
| Apr | 15°C / 59°F | 5°C / 41°F |
| May | 19°C / 66°F | 9°C / 48°F |
| Jun | 22°C / 72°F | 13°C / 55°F |
| Jul | 24°C / 76°F | 14°C / 58°F |
| Aug | 24°C / 75°F | 14°C / 58°F |
| Sep | 19°C / 66°F | 11°C / 51°F |
| Oct | 14°C / 57°F | 7°C / 45°F |
| Nov | 8°C / 46°F | 3°C / 37°F |
| Dec | 4°C / 39°F | -1°C / 31°F |
Daily life
Amsterdam is a capital / metropolis; Zurich is a large city. 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. Zurich is the most polished city in our set: very safe, immaculate transit, and a lake and the Alps on the doorstep. It is also the most expensive (on our figures rent, health insurance and eating out all rank at the top) and, for non-EU citizens, the job-permit hurdle is real.
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 Zurich: the upsides and downsides
- Very safe, clean and well run
- Excellent trains, trams and buses with one ticket system
- Lake swimming in summer, hiking and skiing within an hour or so
- Downside: Highest costs in the data set, including mandatory health insurance
- Downside: Non-EU citizens need an employer sponsor and a quota-limited permit
Visas and residency
Amsterdam is in Netherlands and Zurich is in Switzerland. 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
- Switzerland B Work Permit (non-EU quotas) - Work permit, open
Read the full guides: living in Amsterdam and living in Zurich.
Related comparisons
- Amsterdam vs Rotterdam
- Dublin vs Amsterdam
- Zurich vs Geneva
- Munich vs Zurich
- Berlin vs Amsterdam
- Amsterdam vs Cork
- Amsterdam vs Geneva
- Amsterdam vs Munich
Costs are our estimates for a comfortable mid-range lifestyle; scores are editorial, relative to the 40 cities we cover. Methodology.