Cost of Living Comparison Between Geleen and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Geleen and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,418 per month in Geleen vs $2,934 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,514 per month in Geleen vs $4,269 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,611 per month in Geleen vs $5,603 in Rotterdam, rent included.

Geleen is about 18% cheaper than Rotterdam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Geleen and Rotterdam sit above the global median – Geleen by 82%, Rotterdam by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.11 €14.81

$23.40 €20.26

-26.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 €70.3

$93.7 €81.1

-13.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.48 €10.81

$14.17 €12.27

-11.93%

Cappuccino

$3.97 €3.44

$4.33 €3.75

-8.31%

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

$3.18 €2.75

$3.67 €3.18

-13.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.02

$2.99 €2.59

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 €5.38

$6.90 €5.98

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 €4.63

$5.69 €4.93

-6.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.09

$1.35 €1.17

-7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.40 €2.08

-12.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 €2.84

$3.16 €2.74

3.48%

Eggs

$4.63 €4.01

$5.33 €4.62

-13.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.68

$13.56 €11.74

-0.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.38 €13.32

$13.82 €11.97

11.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.16 €14.86

$17.34 €15.02

-1.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.98

$2.71 €2.35

-15.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.21

$2.46 €2.13

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 €1.63

$2.09 €1.81

-9.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 €3.69

$4.04 €3.50

5.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.98 €1.71

5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.82

$1.91 €1.66

9.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.37 €1.19

-10.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 €0.66

$1.17 €1.01

-35.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 €12.62

$14.10 €12.21

3.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 €6.01

$6.69 €5.80

3.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.53 €1.32

-1.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.41

$2.73 €2.36

1.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 €3.12

$4.67 €4.05

-22.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.0 €80.6

$90.1 €78.0

3.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 €3.05

$5.15 €4.46

-31.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 €1.88

$2.07 €1.79

4.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.05 €25.16

$20.70 €17.93

40.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 €1.92

$2.32 €2.01

-4.31%

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

$37.2K €32.2K

$40.3K €34.9K

-7.82%

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

$32.9K €28.5K

$35.1K €30.4K

-6.26%

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

$197 €171

$285 €247

-30.73%

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

$24.93 €21.59

$24.60 €21.30

1.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.30 €34.90

$57.4 €49.70

-29.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.86 €35.38

$45.72 €39.59

-10.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.89 €19.83

$28.97 €25.09

-20.99%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 €12.84

$17.32 €15.00

-14.38%

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

$1,589 €1,376

$2,278 €1,973

-30.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,324 €5,477

$13.8K €12.0K

-54.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.7 €64.7

$92.4 €80.0

-19.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.72 €32.67

$50.5 €43.77

-25.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$129 €112

-8.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €114

$182 €157

-27.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,399 €1,211

$1,750 €1,516

-20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 €998

$1,438 €1,245

-19.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,258 €1,955

$2,899 €2,510

-22.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 €1,519

$2,304 €1,995

-23.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,555 €4,810

$5,985 €5,183

-7.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,717 €4,085

$4,046 €3,504

16.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,477 €3,877

$4,037 €3,496

10.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

4.08

6.13%

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

Last update for Geleen: July 25, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,399 in Geleen versus $1,750 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 11% higher in Geleen, 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 $81.0 in Geleen versus $94.0 in Rotterdam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $346 – making Geleen 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

Geleen vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,626 per month in Geleen and $4,401 in Rotterdam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 3% less in Geleen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,589 per month in Geleen and $2,278 in Rotterdam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,418 in Geleen and $2,934 in Rotterdam. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Geleen – 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 Geleen. 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.