Amsterdam ($55/sqft, 7.2% vacancy) and Brussels ($35/sqft, 8.2% vacancy) compete on different axes: Amsterdam on talent depth and Brussels on rent and tax.
Amsterdam ($55/sqft, 7.2% vacancy) and Brussels ($35/sqft, 8.2% vacancy) compete on different axes: Amsterdam on talent depth and Brussels on rent and tax.
| Metric | Amsterdam | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Region | EMEA | EMEA |
| Country | Netherlands | Belgium |
| Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $55 | $35 |
| Class A rent (local) | 50 EUR | 32 EUR |
| Vacancy | 7.2% | 8.2% |
| Trend | rising | flat |
| Prime yield | 4.5% | 5.4% |
| Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $940 | $580 |
| Submarkets covered | 4 | 5 |
| Corporate tax | 25.8% | 25% |
| Metric | Amsterdam | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Typical term | 7 yrs | 9 yrs |
| Typical rent-free | 12 mos | 8 mos |
| Lease norms | Dutch leases run 5-10 years with break rights. Rent indexed to CPI annually. Servicekosten (operating expenses) billed separately. Bank guarantees of 3-6 months standard. | Net leases. 9-year terms with break options at years 3 and 6 (Belgian 3/6/9 standard). Free rent of 6-12 months and TI of €60-€100/sqm typical. |
| Tax note | Headline corporate tax 25.8% (19% on first €200k). Innovation Box and participation exemption regimes are meaningful. | 25% Belgian corporate income tax. Notional Interest Deduction and innovation income deduction available. SME rate of 20% on first €100k for qualifying small companies. |
| Metric | Amsterdam | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Talent index (0–100) | 86 | 84 |
| Talent note | Strong English-fluent professional talent pool. Average all-in compensation indexes 86. | Deepest multilingual professional talent pool in the EU — French, Dutch, English, and German fluency is standard. Strong EU institutional, regulatory, lobbying, and trade association talent. |
Amsterdam: Schiphol Airport is 7 minutes by direct train from Zuidas. Strong S-Bahn equivalent (Sprinter / Intercity) coverage.
Brussels: STIB Metro (4 lines), tram, and bus. SNCB national rail anchors regional and EU-wide connectivity. Brussels Airport (BRU) is connected via SNCB rail (~17 minutes to Brussels-Central).
Brussels is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis.
Amsterdam has the deeper talent index (86/100 vs 84/100).
Brussels has the lower headline corporate tax (25% vs 25.8%). Local incentives can change the effective rate materially.
Amsterdam typical term is 7 years with 12 months free; Brussels runs 9 years with 8 months free.
Amsterdam: Schiphol Airport is 7 minutes by direct train from Zuidas. Strong S-Bahn equivalent (Sprinter / Intercity) coverage. Brussels: STIB Metro (4 lines), tram, and bus. SNCB national rail anchors regional and EU-wide connectivity. Brussels Airport (BRU) is connected via SNCB rail (~17 minutes to Brussels-Central).
Score Amsterdam, Brussels and up to two more markets side-by-side on Class A rent, vacancy, talent, corporate tax, and premium flex pricing — all in USD.
Reviewed by Samuel Okafor — EMEA contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.