Cost of Living Comparison Between Best and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Best and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,305 per month in Best vs $2,891 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,211 per month in Best vs $4,234 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,117 per month in Best vs $5,576 in Rotterdam, rent included.

Best is about 20% cheaper than Rotterdam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Best and Rotterdam sit above the global median – Best by 72%, Rotterdam by 115%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 €17.81

$23.24 €20.02

-11.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.8 €79.9

$92.4 €79.6

0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.84

$14.11 €12.16

-19.06%

Cappuccino

$3.39 €2.92

$4.44 €3.83

-23.65%

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

$3.33 €2.87

$3.64 €3.13

-8.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 €2.39

$2.94 €2.54

-5.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.16 €4.45

$6.79 €5.85

-24.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 €5.09

$5.89 €5.07

0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.29 €1.12

-9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.80

$2.31 €1.99

-9.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 €2.75

$3.14 €2.70

1.59%

Eggs

$4.86 €4.19

$5.26 €4.53

-7.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 €11.48

$13.81 €11.90

-3.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.09 €13.86

$13.85 €11.93

16.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 €14.36

$17.28 €14.89

-3.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.66 €2.30

-21.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.01 €1.73

-2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 €3.17

$4.07 €3.51

-9.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.85

$2.02 €1.74

5.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.02 €1.74

-2.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.36 €1.17

-11.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 €0.45

$1.13 €0.97

-53.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 €9.00

$13.68 €11.79

-23.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.63 €4.85

$7.07 €6.10

-20.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.58 €1.36

-1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$2.68 €2.31

1.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 €2.16

$4.67 €4.02

-46.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 €60.9

$92.3 €79.5

-23.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 €2.96

$5.29 €4.56

-34.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.11 €1.82

0.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.17 €25.13

$21.14 €18.21

37.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.22 €1.91

1.35%

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

$25.2K €21.7K

$40.8K €35.2K

-38.31%

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

$28.0K €24.1K

$35.6K €30.7K

-21.37%

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

$168 €145

$291 €251

-42.17%

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

$22.87 €19.71

$24.60 €21.19

-7.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.00 €39.63

$56.2 €48.43

-18.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.75 €24.78

$45.78 €39.44

-37.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.32 €18.37

$28.43 €24.49

-25.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.67 €12.64

$17.31 €14.92

-15.25%

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

$1,173 €1,011

$2,255 €1,943

-47.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,940 €4,256

$13.7K €11.8K

-63.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 €56.4

$92.3 €79.6

-29.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.81 €26.55

$49.36 €42.53

-37.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 €75.9

$128 €110

-31.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.0 €57.7

$181 €156

-62.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 €1,589

$1,739 €1,498

6.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 €977

$1,465 €1,262

-22.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,559 €2,205

$2,814 €2,425

-9.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 €1,207

$2,300 €1,982

-39.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,137 €4,426

$6,147 €5,296

-16.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,525 €3,899

$3,949 €3,402

14.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,140 €3,567

$4,177 €3,598

-0.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

4.08

-14.22%

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

Last update for Best: June 8, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,844 in Best versus $1,739 in Rotterdam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Rotterdam, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Best versus $92.0 in Rotterdam. Groceries tell a different story – $333 in Best vs $345 in Rotterdam – so Best wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Best vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,458 per month in Best and $4,337 in Rotterdam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Best, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,305 in Best and $2,891 in Rotterdam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Best. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,305 in Best and $2,891 in Rotterdam. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Best – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Best. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rotterdam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.