Should you visit Edinburgh or Amsterdam?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Edinburgh and Amsterdam can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the moderately sized capital of Scotland. It is a medieval city that has managed to perfect the combination of Georgian architecture and medieval relics with a cosmopolitan population and avant-garde atmosphere. The city's population is quite young, in large part because of the University of Edinburgh. This youthful vibe gives this city a lot of vitality. There's a thriving nightlife, many restaurants, theatres, galleries and museums.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital, and most popular tourist destination in the Netherlands. There are over one million residents in the metro area. Amsterdam is most famous for its canals that criss cross across the city, but it also has a rich history, interesting culture, and liberal vibe that appeal to all types of travelers. The architecture, bridges, and cycling culture help this metropolitan area maintain its small town vibe, despite being the largest city in the country as well as the financial center.
Which city is cheaper, Amsterdam or Edinburgh?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Edinburgh is £115, while the average daily cost in Amsterdam is £114. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Edinburgh and Amsterdam in more detail.
Accommodation
Travelers usually pay around £120 for a double occupancy room in Edinburgh If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
A hotel room in Amsterdam is about £132 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
Food in Edinburgh costs travelers about £31 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
In Amsterdam travelers spend around £28 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Edinburgh £31
Amsterdam £28
Typical Food prices in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Scottish Classic Desserts private cooking class with professional chef:
$66
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Discover Royal Mile-Old Town & ENJOY Indian Dinner ~ Walking Tour!:
$79
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3-Hour Guided Secret Food Tour:
$82
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Vegetarian/Vegan Curry Cooking Class – pure comfort food for the soul!:
$97
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Curry Around The World Cooking Class:
$97
-
Scottish Storytelling 3 Course Dinner and Whisky:
$104
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Private Tour: Secret Food Tours Edinburgh:
$106
-
Relaxing Handmade Pasta with meal and wine - Safe Cooking Class:
$110
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Vegetarian/Vegan Curry Private Cooking Class with professional chef:
$116
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"Curry Around The World" Private Cooking Class with professional chef:
$116
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Private Food Tour with a Local Expert including 10 Tastings in Edinburgh:
$136
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Handmade Pasta Cooking Class & Dinner with professional chef for private groups:
$137
Typical Food prices in Amsterdam
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Amsterdam:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Amsterdam
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Amsterdam.
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Live online cooking class from Classic European 2-course meal:
$23
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Three course lunch/dinner voucher:
$42
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Withlocals the 10 Tastings: Amsterdam's Favourite Private Food Tour with a Local:
$50
-
Private Pizza Canal Cruise Amsterdam:
$62
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Dinner with an Amsterdam artist on the river:
$62
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Amsterdam Nightlife Ticket & VIP Dinner at Hard Rock Café:
$63
-
Amsterdam Small Group Food Tour:
$69
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Food Tour in the Albert Cuyp Market Amsterdam:
$73
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Delicious Dutch Dinner in an Amsterdam Canalhouse:
$75
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The Pizzaboat Amsterdam Min. 8 pax:
$75
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Small-Group Guided Sunset Canoe Tour in Waterland with Dinner:
$76
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Joy of Life - Bistro Dinner on an Amsterdam Canal:
$84
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Edinburgh than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend £13 on transportation in Edinburgh on average per day.
The average price of local transportation around Amsterdam is £14 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Edinburgh:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Edinburgh
Also for Edinburgh, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Airport Transfer:
$70
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Airport Transfers:
$75
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Airport Transfers , Edinburgh to Aberdeen , or Aberdeen to Edinburgh:
$538
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Arrival Private Transfer Edinburgh Airport EDI to Edinburgh City by Luxury Car:
$84
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Arrival Private Transfer Edinburgh Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Business Car:
$77
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Arrival Private Transfer Edinburgh Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Luxury Van:
$84
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Arrival Private Transfers from Edinburgh Airport EDI to Edinburgh City:
$93
-
Arrival Private Transfers from Edinburgh Airport EDI to Edinburgh City:
$80
-
Central Edinburgh Hotels to Edinburgh Airport Transfers 1-3 pax:
$105
-
Departure Private Transfer Edinburg City to Glasgow GLA Airport by Business Car:
$154
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Departure Private Transfer Edinburgh City to Edinburgh Airport EDI by Luxury Van:
$84
-
Departure Private Transfer Edinburgh City to Glasgow GLA Airport by Luxury Car:
$196
Typical Local Transportation prices in Amsterdam
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Amsterdam:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Amsterdam
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Amsterdam:
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VIP Local Transfer inside Amsterdam:
$81
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VIP Amsterdam Airport Departure Transfer:
$67
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VIP Amsterdam Airport Departure Transfer:
$61
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Ultra - Amsterdam Private Transfer from Cruise Port to Amsterdam City Centre:
$9.55
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Ultra - Amsterdam Private Transfer from City Centre to Amsterdam Cruise Port:
$9.55
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Ultra - Amsterdam Private Airport Transfer City Center to Schiphol Airport AMS:
$73
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Transfer in Private Vehicle from Amsterdam City to Airport:
$34
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Transfer in Private Minivan from Amsterdam City to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport:
$46
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Taxi Transfer from cruise port terminal in Amsterdam to hotel in Amsterdam:
$56
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Schiphol Airport Transfer - Amsterdam City Center:
$135
-
Roundtrip Transfer Schiphol - Amsterdam:
$104
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Roundtrip Private Transfer Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam:
$101
Is it cheaper to fly into Edinburgh or Amsterdam?
Prices for flights to both Amsterdam and Edinburgh change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Edinburgh, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of £16 per day, per person.
Amsterdam's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around £25 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Typical Entertainment prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Edinburgh's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Harry Potter’s Explore the magic of the city on an audio walking tour:
$5.99
-
John Knox House Museum Ticket:
$6.91
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Edinburgh Audio Tour: Discover its History and Secrets:
$8.26
-
Edinburgh Royal Mile (New Self Guided Tour):
$8.26
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Edinburgh Queen's Gallery Holyroodhouse Entrance Ticket:
$9.95
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Gilmerton Cove Guided Tour:
$10
-
Early Evening Underground Ghost Tour:
$12
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Afternoon Underground Ghost Tour:
$12
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Self-Guided City Experience:
$12
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Edinburgh Secrets of the Royal Mile Walking Tour:
$13
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Murder and Mystery Walking Tour of Edinburgh:
$14
-
Ghost and Gore Walking Tour of Edinburgh:
$14
Typical Entertainment prices in Amsterdam
Here are a few typical costs in Amsterdam for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Amsterdam
Here are a few actual costs in Amsterdam for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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1 hour Amsterdam City Tour in Pedicab:
$87
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1,5 hours Amsterdam Rickshaw Tour:
$174
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1.5 Hour Walking Tour of Amsterdam’s Red Light District with a Local:
$41
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1.5-hour Amsterdam Bubbly Bike tour:
$757
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2 Hours Private Walking Tour of the Highlights of Amsterdam:
$81
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2 hours Amsterdam City Tour in Pedicab:
$162
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2-Day Nightclub Admission Ticket: Best Nightlife in Amsterdam:
$13
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2-Hour Private Anne Frank Walking Tour with Drink:
$162
-
2-Hour Private Custom Amsterdam Walking Tour With A Local Guide:
$70
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2-Hour Private Walking Tour:
$306
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2-Hour Semi Private All-Inclusive Cruise on our Boutique Style boats:
$79
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2.5 hours Amsterdam Pedicab Tour:
$249
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Edinburgh spend on average £12 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Amsterdam may vary from person to person, on average a person spends £16 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typical Alcohol prices in Edinburgh
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Edinburgh from other travelers:
Sample the Local Flavors in Edinburgh
Also in Edinburgh, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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4-Hour Pub Crawl with Free Shots & Discounts:
$9.68
-
3-Hour Alternative Pub Crawl:
$11
-
4-Hour Pub Crawl with Free Drinks & Specials:
$17
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The Orange Pub Crawl - Edinburgh:
$18
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Edinburgh Brewery Tour:
$22
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Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour:
$24
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Rosslyn Chapel, Scottish Borders & Glenkinchie Distillery:
$51
-
Loch Lomond, Stirling, and Glengoyne Distillery Tour from Edinburgh:
$52
-
Rosslyn Chapel, Scottish Borders & Glenkinchie Distillery from Edinburgh:
$54
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Stirling, Distillery, St.Andrews & Italian Tour Guide:
$62
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Loch Ness, Highlands & Whisky Distillery Tour from Edinburgh:
$63
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Loch Ness, Highlands and Whisky Distillery Day Tour from Edinburgh:
$66
Sample the Local Flavors in Amsterdam
Also in Amsterdam, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Distillery Tour & Tasting:
$22
-
Amsterdam Bar Crawl:
$27
-
Amsterdam Shared Bar Crawl:
$31
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Private Amsterdam Red Light District and pub tour:
$61
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4 hour Amsterdam Brewery Tour:
$81
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High Class Culinary Lunch in Amsterdam - Self-Guided Food & Wine Tour:
$102
-
Drew's 3-Hour Amsterdam Brewery and Bar Tour to Top Rated Bars:
$106
-
Discover 3 gastronomic restaurants in Amsterdam - self-guided food & wine tour:
$129
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Experience 4 Culinary Restaurants in Amsterdam Self-Guided Food & Wine Tour:
$152
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Amsterdam Bachelor Party Bar Crawl:
$488
When comparing the travel costs between Edinburgh and Amsterdam, we can see that Edinburgh is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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