---
title: "Amsterdam vs Leiden for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/amsterdam-vs-leiden
description: "Under balanced weights Leiden edges it, 72 to 70, winning 3 of the 9 factors. Amsterdam is stronger on nothing outright; Leiden on cost of living. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Amsterdam vs Leiden for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Leiden edges it, 72 to 70, winning 3 of the 9 factors. Amsterdam is stronger on nothing outright; Leiden on cost of living. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Amsterdam | Leiden | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 10 | 21 | Leiden |
| Safety | 81 | 81 | tie |
| Healthcare | 86 | 86 | tie |
| Internet | 79 | 87 | Leiden |
| Visa ease | 61 | 61 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 96 | 91 | Amsterdam |
| Climate | 33 | 33 | tie |
| Air quality | 91 | 93 | Leiden |
| Quality of life | 96 | 96 | tie |

## Cost

| Metric | Amsterdam | Leiden | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $3,591 | $2,750 | Leiden |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $2,327 | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Amsterdam | Leiden | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 0.66 | 0.66 | tie |
| Political stability (0–100) | 75 | 75 | tie |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 85 | 85 | tie |
| Life expectancy | 81.1 yrs | 81.1 yrs | tie |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Amsterdam | Leiden | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 63.4 Mbps | 90.8 Mbps | Leiden |
| Upload | 19.3 Mbps | 39.1 Mbps | Leiden |

## Visa

| Metric | Amsterdam | Leiden | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data | — |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, EU passport | unlimited | unlimited | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Amsterdam | Leiden | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 289 | 289 | tie |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 5 | 5 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 5 | 4 | Amsterdam |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Amsterdam | Leiden | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 4 | 4 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 8.9 µg/m³ | 8.3 µg/m³ | Leiden |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Amsterdam or Leiden?

Leiden is cheaper: about $2,750 per month versus $3,591 for one person.

### Is Amsterdam or Leiden safer?

Amsterdam scores higher on safety (81 vs 81), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Amsterdam or Leiden?

Leiden: a measured median of 90.8 Mbps versus 63.4 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Amsterdam](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/amsterdam) · [Leiden](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/leiden). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Starlink availability map.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/amsterdam-vs-leiden