Cost of Living Comparison Between Gouda and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Gouda and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,527 per month in Gouda vs $2,957 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,956 per month in Gouda vs $4,244 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,386 per month in Gouda vs $5,531 in Rotterdam, rent included.

Gouda is about 15% cheaper than Rotterdam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Gouda and Rotterdam sit above the global median – Gouda by 89%, Rotterdam by 121%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.52 €15.07

$23.59 €20.29

-25.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.4 €75.1

$91.1 €78.4

-4.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.12 €12.15

$14.07 €12.10

0.36%

Cappuccino

$4.32 €3.71

$4.42 €3.80

-2.26%

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

$3.48 €2.99

$3.66 €3.15

-4.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.48

$2.86 €2.46

1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 €5.93

$6.89 €5.92

0.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.07

$5.90 €5.08

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.12

$1.34 €1.15

-2.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.34 €2.01

-8.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 €2.60

$3.26 €2.81

-7.36%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$5.17 €4.45

-4.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 €12.61

$13.68 €11.76

7.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.31 €13.17

$14.30 €12.30

7.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 €14.64

$16.86 €14.50

0.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.58 €2.22

-9.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.19

$2.47 €2.12

3.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.99 €1.71

-0.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 €3.50

$3.91 €3.36

4.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.01 €1.73

-0.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 €1.69

$1.99 €1.71

-1.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.37 €1.18

-12.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$1.17 €1.01

-25.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.07 €11.24

$13.68 €11.77

-4.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 €5.97

$7.39 €6.35

-6.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.59 €1.36

-3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 €2.17

$2.68 €2.31

-5.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 €3.05

$4.76 €4.09

-25.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.3 €79.4

$91.0 €78.2

1.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 €4.11

$5.08 €4.37

-5.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 €1.74

$2.06 €1.77

-1.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.18 €30.27

$21.01 €18.07

67.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 €2.00

$2.32 €2.00

0.43%

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

$29.5K €25.4K

$40.1K €34.5K

-26.50%

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

$28.5K €24.5K

$36.2K €31.2K

-21.21%

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

$237 €204

$288 €248

-17.74%

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

$21.57 €18.55

$24.70 €21.24

-12.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.08 €39.64

$57.6 €49.54

-20.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 €53.1

$46.03 €39.59

34.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.39 €9.80

$28.08 €24.15

-59.44%

Cinema Ticket

$13.94 €11.99

$17.42 €14.98

-19.98%

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

$2,090 €1,798

$2,223 €1,912

-5.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.7K

$14.0K €12.1K

13.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €96.6

$94.5 €81.3

18.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.10 €40.52

$50.5 €43.40

-6.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €96.7

$127 €110

-11.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 €132

$182 €157

-15.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 €1,585

$1,774 €1,526

3.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 €977

$1,486 €1,279

-23.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,895 €2,490

$2,869 €2,468

0.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,338 €2,011

$2,285 €1,965

2.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,717 €4,918

$6,223 €5,353

-8.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,199 €4,472

$3,977 €3,421

30.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,525 €3,032

$4,139 €3,561

-14.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

-1.96%

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

Last update for Gouda: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,843 in Gouda versus $1,774 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 17% 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 $87.0 in Gouda versus $91.0 in Rotterdam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $347 – making Gouda 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

Gouda vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rotterdam costs about 17% more than Gouda, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,791 per month in Gouda and $4,435 in Rotterdam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gouda, 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 $87.0 in Gouda and $91.0 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 $2,527 in Gouda and $2,957 in Rotterdam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,527 in Gouda and $2,957 in Rotterdam. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gouda costs $2,527 versus $2,957 in Rotterdam. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Gouda. 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.