Cost of Living Comparison Between Arnhem and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Arnhem and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,713 in Arnhem versus $3,110 in Rotterdam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,945 in Arnhem versus $4,402 in Rotterdam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,177 in Arnhem versus $5,694 in Rotterdam.

Living in Arnhem costs roughly 13% less than in Rotterdam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arnhem 97% above, Rotterdam 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.54 €20.23

$26.52 €22.80

-11.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 €78.2

$94.3 €81.1

-3.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.81 €11.87

$14.00 €12.04

-1.36%

Cappuccino

$4.48 €3.85

$4.50 €3.87

-0.44%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 €2.94

$3.94 €3.38

-13.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 €2.32

$3.61 €3.10

-25.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 €4.92

$7.22 €6.21

-20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 €5.14

$6.01 €5.17

-0.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.59 €1.36

-21.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.39 €2.05

-14.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 €2.97

$2.96 €2.54

16.55%

Eggs

$5.36 €4.61

$5.67 €4.88

-5.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 €11.49

$12.70 €10.92

5.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.85 €12.76

$13.81 €11.87

7.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.54 €14.22

$19.92 €17.13

-16.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$3.39 €2.92

-16.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 €2.15

$2.72 €2.34

-8.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$2.64 €2.27

-29.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 €4.74

$3.49 €3.00

57.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.96 €1.68

2.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 €2.20

$1.54 €1.33

66.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.54 €1.33

-16.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.67

$1.43 €1.23

-45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.73 €12.66

$15.05 €12.93

-2.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 €6.46

$6.84 €5.88

9.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.54 €1.33

-2.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.40

$2.63 €2.26

6.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.62 €3.97

$4.78 €4.11

-3.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 €99.3

$116 €99.8

-0.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 €3.58

$4.92 €4.23

-15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 €2.03

$3.50 €3.01

-32.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.82 €29.07

$68.9 €59.2

-50.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.35 €2.02

$2.62 €2.25

-10.31%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$43.3K €37.2K

$42.7K €36.7K

1.47%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$40.8K €35.1K

$41.0K €35.2K

-0.35%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$289 €248

$306 €263

-5.42%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.38 €20.10

$22.36 €19.23

4.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.35 €38.99

$56.9 €48.89

-20.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.15 €37.09

$49.50 €42.55

-12.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 €10.08

$29.92 €25.72

-60.83%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 €12.92

$16.20 €13.93

-7.22%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,288 €1,108

$2,820 €2,424

-54.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,275 €5,395

$13.3K €11.4K

-52.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.2 €85.3

$97.0 €83.4

2.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.25 €26.01

$40.59 €34.89

-25.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €95.9

$114 €98.4

-2.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 €139

$146 €126

10.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 €1,297

$1,904 €1,637

-20.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 €1,036

$1,560 €1,341

-22.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,964

$3,304 €2,840

-30.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 €1,614

$2,402 €2,065

-21.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,379 €4,624

$6,232 €5,358

-13.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,357 €3,745

$4,161 €3,577

4.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,764 €3,236

$4,257 €3,660

-11.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

3.49

13.18%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Arnhem: August 29, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,509 in Arnhem and $1,904 in Rotterdam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rotterdam pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $91.0 in Arnhem vs $94.0 in Rotterdam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $361 per month, with Arnhem cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Arnhem vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arnhem and Rotterdam differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($2,713 vs $3,110 including rent). Arnhem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Rotterdam. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,509 in Arnhem versus $1,904 in Rotterdam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Rotterdam. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Arnhem – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $94.0 in Rotterdam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Arnhem is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Arnhem and Rotterdam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Arnhem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.