Cost of Living Comparison Between Enschede and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Enschede and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,392 in Enschede versus $2,957 in Rotterdam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,779 in Enschede versus $4,244 in Rotterdam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,167 in Enschede versus $5,531 in Rotterdam.

Living in Enschede costs roughly 19% less than in Rotterdam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Enschede 78% above, Rotterdam 121% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.29 €16.59

$23.59 €20.29

-18.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 €73.6

$91.1 €78.4

-6.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 €12.11

$14.07 €12.10

0.07%

Cappuccino

$4.00 €3.44

$4.42 €3.80

-9.50%

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

$2.85 €2.45

$3.66 €3.15

-22.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.86 €2.46

-24.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 €6.00

$6.89 €5.92

1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 €5.00

$5.90 €5.08

-1.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.34 €1.15

-5.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.34 €2.01

-1.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 €2.83

$3.26 €2.81

0.61%

Eggs

$4.79 €4.12

$5.17 €4.45

-7.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 €11.07

$13.68 €11.76

-5.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.54 €13.37

$14.30 €12.30

8.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.45 €14.15

$16.86 €14.50

-2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.58 €2.22

-17.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 €2.23

$2.47 €2.12

5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.99 €1.71

-6.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 €3.32

$3.91 €3.36

-1.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.01 €1.73

7.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.99 €1.71

-4.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.37 €1.18

-9.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 €0.67

$1.17 €1.01

-34.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 €12.54

$13.68 €11.77

6.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 €6.26

$7.39 €6.35

-1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.34

$1.59 €1.36

-1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.49

$2.68 €2.31

7.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 €2.65

$4.76 €4.09

-35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 €98.4

$91.0 €78.2

25.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.64

$5.08 €4.37

-16.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.03

$2.06 €1.77

14.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.39 €22.70

$21.01 €18.07

25.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 €1.90

$2.32 €2.00

-4.74%

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

$42.1K €36.2K

$40.1K €34.5K

4.94%

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

$37.0K €31.9K

$36.2K €31.2K

2.29%

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

$260 €224

$288 €248

-9.61%

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

$29.74 €25.58

$24.70 €21.24

20.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.95 €35.23

$57.6 €49.54

-28.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.17 €31.11

$46.03 €39.59

-21.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.10 €6.11

$28.08 €24.15

-74.72%

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 €13.07

$17.42 €14.98

-12.74%

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

$1,087 €935

$2,223 €1,912

-51.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,128 €7,852

$14.0K €12.1K

-34.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.3 €77.7

$94.5 €81.3

-4.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.41 €33.90

$50.5 €43.40

-21.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 €81.6

$127 €110

-25.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 €94.7

$182 €157

-39.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 €1,249

$1,774 €1,526

-18.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 €912

$1,486 €1,279

-28.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,621 €2,254

$2,869 €2,468

-8.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,189 €1,883

$2,285 €1,965

-4.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,773 €4,105

$6,223 €5,353

-23.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,306 €2,844

$3,977 €3,421

-16.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 €2,763

$4,139 €3,561

-22.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

4.08

12.75%

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

Last update for Enschede: May 30, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,452 in Enschede and $1,774 in Rotterdam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rotterdam pays 29% 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: $86.0 in Enschede vs $91.0 in Rotterdam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $347 per month, with Enschede 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

Enschede vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Enschede and Rotterdam differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($2,392 vs $2,957 including rent). Enschede is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Rotterdam earns 29% less. 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: $1,452 in Enschede versus $1,774 in Rotterdam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,392 per month in Enschede versus $2,957 in Rotterdam – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Enschede runs roughly 26% 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. Enschede 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, Enschede 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 Enschede gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.