Amsterdam ($55/sqft, 7.2% vacancy) and London ($121/sqft, 8.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Amsterdam on rent and tax and London on talent depth.
Amsterdam ($55/sqft, 7.2% vacancy) and London ($121/sqft, 8.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Amsterdam on rent and tax and London on talent depth.
| Metric | Amsterdam | London |
|---|---|---|
| Region | EMEA | EMEA |
| Country | Netherlands | United Kingdom |
| Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $55 | $121 |
| Class A rent (local) | 50 EUR | 95 GBP |
| Vacancy | 7.2% | 8.6% |
| Trend | rising | rising |
| Prime yield | 4.5% | 4.5% |
| Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $940 | $1,380 |
| Submarkets covered | 4 | 7 |
| Corporate tax | 25.8% | 25% |
| Metric | Amsterdam | London |
|---|---|---|
| Typical term | 7 yrs | 10 yrs |
| Typical rent-free | 12 mos | 24 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. | London leases are predominantly Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI). Tenant pays service charge and is responsible for dilapidations on lease end. Rent reviews to open-market rent every 5 years are standard. Rent-free periods of 18-30 months on a 10-year term are typical, with 'capped' rent-free for break-clause certainty. Personal guarantees are uncommon for institutional tenants; rent deposits are common for younger covenants. |
| Tax note | Headline corporate tax 25.8% (19% on first €200k). Innovation Box and participation exemption regimes are meaningful. | UK corporation tax is 25% (19% small profits rate). Business rates are a major occupancy cost — ~50% of rateable value annually, levied separately from rent and service charge. |
| Metric | Amsterdam | London |
|---|---|---|
| Talent index (0–100) | 86 | 96 |
| Talent note | Strong English-fluent professional talent pool. Average all-in compensation indexes 86. | Largest financial-services and technology talent pool in EMEA. Average all-in compensation indexes 96 vs. New York's 100. |
Amsterdam: Schiphol Airport is 7 minutes by direct train from Zuidas. Strong S-Bahn equivalent (Sprinter / Intercity) coverage.
London: The Elizabeth Line transformed cross-London commute times. Heathrow to Liverpool Street is 35 minutes; Paddington to Canary Wharf is 17 minutes. Crossrail-adjacent assets command a measurable rent premium.
Amsterdam is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis.
London has the deeper talent index (96/100 vs 86/100).
London 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; London runs 10 years with 24 months free.
Amsterdam: Schiphol Airport is 7 minutes by direct train from Zuidas. Strong S-Bahn equivalent (Sprinter / Intercity) coverage. London: The Elizabeth Line transformed cross-London commute times. Heathrow to Liverpool Street is 35 minutes; Paddington to Canary Wharf is 17 minutes. Crossrail-adjacent assets command a measurable rent premium.
Score Amsterdam, London 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.