Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,438 per month in Dublin vs $2,966 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,013 per month in Dublin vs $4,283 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,588 per month in Dublin vs $5,599 in Rotterdam, rent included.

Dublin costs about 16% more than Rotterdam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Dublin and Rotterdam sit above the global median – Dublin by 155%, Rotterdam by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.08 €19.64

$23.40 €19.92

-1.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €88.0

$92.6 €78.8

11.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.55 €10.68

$13.64 €11.61

-7.99%

Cappuccino

$4.73 €4.02

$4.47 €3.81

5.82%

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

$2.60 €2.22

$3.65 €3.10

-28.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 €1.87

$2.89 €2.46

-23.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 €6.92

$6.89 €5.86

18.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 €6.02

$5.87 €5.00

20.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 €1.41

$1.36 €1.16

22.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 €1.88

$2.40 €2.05

-7.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.70

$3.16 €2.69

-37.03%

Eggs

$4.65 €3.96

$5.30 €4.51

-12.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 €9.42

$13.86 €11.79

-20.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.38 €9.68

$14.35 €12.21

-20.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 €11.94

$16.84 €14.33

-16.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 €2.73

$2.71 €2.31

18.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 €1.83

$2.46 €2.09

-12.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 €2.52

$2.07 €1.76

43.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 €4.68

$3.89 €3.31

41.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.88

$2.01 €1.71

9.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 €1.51

$1.98 €1.69

-10.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.10

$1.36 €1.16

-5.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.76

$1.12 €0.95

84.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.79 €17.69

$14.09 €11.99

47.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 €11.77

$7.34 €6.24

88.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 €3.00

$1.51 €1.29

133.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 €3.40

$2.63 €2.24

51.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.94

$4.50 €3.83

-49.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.3 €81.9

$89.6 €76.2

7.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 €4.47

$5.14 €4.37

2.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 €1.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.26 €32.56

$21.13 €17.98

81.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.77

$2.24 €1.91

-7.14%

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

$43.1K €36.7K

$40.4K €34.4K

6.74%

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

$39.6K €33.7K

$36.3K €30.9K

9.06%

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

$280 €238

$280 €239

-0.20%

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

$23.70 €20.17

$24.54 €20.88

-3.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 €49.61

$56.3 €47.94

3.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 €50.7

$46.78 €39.81

27.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.90 €18.63

$28.36 €24.13

-22.78%

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 €12.95

$17.18 €14.62

-11.41%

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

$1,346 €1,145

$2,246 €1,911

-40.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,758 €8,304

$13.9K €11.8K

-29.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €91.3

$91.8 €78.2

16.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.50 €41.27

$50.2 €42.74

-3.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €99.1

$128 €109

-9.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €109

$177 €151

-27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,381 €2,027

$1,757 €1,495

35.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,955 €1,664

$1,451 €1,235

34.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,022 €3,423

$2,820 €2,400

42.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,388 €2,883

$2,323 €1,977

45.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,860 €6,689

$6,081 €5,175

29.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,983 €5,092

$4,185 €3,561

42.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,204 €3,577

$4,260 €3,625

-1.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.08

-0.98%

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

Last update for Dublin: April 13, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,381 in Dublin versus $1,757 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 reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Dublin versus $93 in Rotterdam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $348 – making Rotterdam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dublin vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,438 in Dublin, $2,966 in Rotterdam – roughly 16% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,157 per month in Dublin and $4,449 in Rotterdam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Dublin and $93.0 in Rotterdam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,438 in Dublin and $2,966 in Rotterdam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,438 in Dublin and $2,966 in Rotterdam. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Dublin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,966 in Rotterdam to $3,438 in Dublin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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