Cost of Living: Amsterdam vs Brighton (2026)

Netherlands vs United Kingdom — relocation comparison

Your passport:

Livability Score

Amsterdam

Brighton

$2,602/mo

Rent

1BR centre

$1,894/mo

5 yr

PR path

5 yr

30% Ruling (expatriateregeling)

Tax breaks

Open incentive regimes for newcomers

4-year FIG regime (Foreign Income and Gains)

Freelance setup

ZZP'er

VAT-free under €20k
5.3% social
€1200/yr accountant

WiseStripe

Sole Trader

VAT-free under €105k
9% social
€600/yr accountant

WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRBrighton is 27% cheaper on rent ($1,894/mo vs $2,602/mo). Both countries will let you complain about the government in public — and mean it.

Too close to call — 69 vs 65. Amsterdam has a slight edge, but Brighton might suit you better depending on your priorities.

How the livability score breaks down

Amsterdam

Brighton

3.8/25

💰 Affordability

10.6/25

14.3/15

🔒 Violent Crime

13.9/15

7.4/10

🛡️ Perceived Safety

6.1/10

9.2/15

⚡ Internet

5.3/15

13.5/15

🗳️ Democracy

12.8/15

9.1/10

🗣️ English

10/10

7.7/10

☀️ Climate

7.4/10

6.7/10

📊 Stability

6.7/10

9.8/10

🚗 Road Safety

4.3/10

8/10

🕊️ Geopolitical Safety

7.5/10

Verdict delivered. Your move.

The winner's file

🇳🇱 Amsterdam

Full profile. Verify before you pack.

Due diligence

🇬🇧 Brighton

Every verdict deserves an appeal.

Plot twist

London vs Brighton

Someone else's dilemma, equally unsolvable.

Household

Amsterdam

Metric

Brighton

$937/mo

🛒

Living costs (no rent)

lower is better

$859/mo✓

$10,705

🧳

Cost to land

lower is better

—

✓89 / 100

🛡️

Settler safety

higher is better

81 / 100

✓0.7 / 100k

🔒

Homicides

lower is better

1.1 / 100k

3.4 / 100k

🚗

Road deaths

lower is better

—

✓74 / 100

🚨

Safety Index

higher is better

61 / 100

68°F

☀️

Summer high

personal taste

68°F

34°F

❄️

Winter low

personal taste

39°F

122 Mbps

⚡

Internet speed

higher is better

—

11.2 μg/m³

🌬️

Air quality (PM2.5)

lower is better

—

86 / 100

🏥

Healthcare

higher is better

—

✓9.0 / 10

🗳️

Democracy

higher is better

8.5 / 10

✓7.5 / 9

🤝

Migrant acceptance

higher is better

6.6 / 9

✓59 / 100

🏳️‍🌈

Rainbow Index

higher is better

52 / 100

76/100

🗣️

Street English

higher is better

100/100✓

✓$86k

💼

GDP per capita (PPP)

higher is better

$62k

3.3% · Boringly steady

📈

Inflation

lower is better

3.3% · Boringly steady

94/100 — Reliable

⚡

Grid reliability

higher is better

—

✓97/100

🗽

Freedom House

higher is better

92/100

See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · Gallup · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated May 2026

💰

Cost of Living

Brighton

$709/mo cheaper on rent alone

🔒

Safety

Amsterdam

0.7 homicides per 100k

🗳️

Democracy

Amsterdam

9.0/10 EIU index

Sun

How much sky you actually get

44% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

Sky clear

avg daytime

36% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

7.7h

Shortest day

Dec

8.0h

16.8h

Longest day

Jun

16.4h

Sun clocks out before 5pm in both cities come December. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

stable →

Democracy trend

improving ↑

Inflation trend

—

fintechlogisticssemiconductorsagri-food-tech

Industries

—

hub

Startup ecosystem

—

Moderate

🇺🇸 Your visa

Moderate

Easy

EU visa

Moderate

Complex

RU visa

Complex

Easy

UA visa

Moderate

✅ Partner can work immediately

Spouse works

—

Recognized

geregistreerd partnerschap / samenwonend

Partner pathway

Recognized (2+ yr)

unmarried partner / civil partnership

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request

Abortion access

Broad social grounds

24 wk

Gestational limit

24 wk

On request up to 24 weeks. 5-day reflection period removed in 2023.

Requires two doctors' approval under Abortion Act 1967, but broadly available up to 24 weeks.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Legal

Marriage

Legal

Joint adoption

Adoption

Joint adoption

Yes

Job protection

Yes

Hate crime law

Yes

Amsterdam vs Brighton — Common Questions

Is Amsterdam cheaper than Brighton?▾

Brighton is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1894/month there vs $2602/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Amsterdam or Brighton?▾

Amsterdam is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Amsterdam has a rate of 0.73 per 100,000 and Brighton has 1.12 per 100,000.

Should I move to Amsterdam or Brighton?▾

Too close to call — 69 vs 65. Amsterdam has a slight edge, but Brighton might suit you better depending on your priorities. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Amsterdam or Brighton?▾

Amsterdam: Netherlands Highly Skilled Migrant (complex process, Up to 5 years). Brighton: no specific remote work visa. See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Can I live in Amsterdam or Brighton without speaking the local language?▾

Brighton is easier for street-level English (100/100) than Amsterdam (76/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

What's the cost of rent in Amsterdam vs Brighton?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1894/month in Brighton, $2602/month in Amsterdam (Numbeo). That's 27% cheaper rent in Brighton.