Cost of Living Comparison Between Bussum and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Bussum and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,648 in Bussum versus $3,110 in Rotterdam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,911 in Bussum versus $4,402 in Rotterdam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,174 in Bussum versus $5,694 in Rotterdam.

Living in Bussum costs roughly 15% less than in Rotterdam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bussum 93% above, Rotterdam 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.54 €22.04

$26.52 €22.89

-3.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 €74.6

$94.3 €81.4

-8.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.02 €12.10

$14.00 €12.08

0.14%

Cappuccino

$4.08 €3.52

$4.50 €3.88

-9.33%

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

$3.92 €3.38

$3.94 €3.40

-0.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 €2.81

$3.61 €3.12

-9.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 €5.12

$7.22 €6.23

-17.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 €5.03

$6.01 €5.19

-3.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.59 €1.37

-23.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 €1.16

$2.39 €2.06

-43.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.96 €2.55

-15.20%

Eggs

$4.97 €4.29

$5.67 €4.89

-12.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 €11.25

$12.70 €10.96

2.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.18 €14.83

$13.81 €11.91

24.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 €14.91

$19.92 €17.19

-13.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$3.39 €2.93

-41.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.05

$2.72 €2.35

-12.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$2.64 €2.28

-29.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.42

$3.49 €3.01

-19.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.96 €1.69

7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.54 €1.33

6.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.54 €1.33

-12.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.43 €1.24

-44.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.68 €12.67

$15.05 €12.98

-2.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.11 €6.14

$6.84 €5.90

3.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.54 €1.33

-2.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.63

$2.63 €2.27

-28.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 €3.12

$4.78 €4.13

-24.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.3 €80.5

$116 €100

-19.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 €4.08

$4.92 €4.24

-4.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.57 €3.08

$3.50 €3.02

2.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.2 €54.5

$68.9 €59.5

-8.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 €2.05

$2.62 €2.26

-9.54%

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

$41.3K €35.7K

$42.7K €36.8K

-3.13%

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

$24.1K €20.8K

$41.0K €35.4K

-41.19%

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

$287 €248

$306 €264

-6.13%

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

$25.54 €22.03

$22.36 €19.30

14.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 €45.41

$56.9 €49.07

-7.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 €53.2

$49.50 €42.71

24.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.83 €21.43

$29.92 €25.82

-17.01%

Cinema Ticket

$17.73 €15.30

$16.20 €13.98

9.44%

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

$2,440 €2,106

$2,820 €2,433

-13.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,126 €7,012

$13.3K €11.4K

-38.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 €53.5

$97.0 €83.7

-36.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.50 €40.12

$40.59 €35.02

14.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 €80.4

$114 €98.7

-18.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 €127

$146 €126

0.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,693 €1,461

$1,904 €1,643

-11.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 €1,037

$1,560 €1,346

-22.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,425 €2,093

$3,304 €2,851

-26.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 €1,716

$2,402 €2,073

-17.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,240 €5,385

$6,232 €5,377

0.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,535 €5,639

$4,161 €3,590

57.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,814 €4,154

$4,257 €3,673

13.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

3.49

23.21%

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

Last update for Bussum: August 30, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,693 in Bussum and $1,904 in Rotterdam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bussum pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Bussum vs $94.0 in Rotterdam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $361 per month, with Bussum 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

Bussum vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bussum and Rotterdam differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,648 vs $3,110 including rent). Bussum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Bussum, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,693 in Bussum versus $1,904 in Rotterdam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,648 per month in Bussum versus $3,110 in Rotterdam – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bussum runs roughly 24% less than in Rotterdam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bussum 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, Bussum 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 Bussum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.