Cost of Living Comparison Between Haarlem and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Haarlem and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,853 per month in Haarlem vs $2,957 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,192 per month in Haarlem vs $4,244 in Rotterdam, rent included.

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

Haarlem is about 3% cheaper than Rotterdam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Haarlem and Rotterdam sit above the global median – Haarlem by 113%, Rotterdam by 121%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.12 €25.05

$23.59 €20.29

23.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €89.0

$91.1 €78.4

13.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.69 €11.78

$14.07 €12.10

-2.70%

Cappuccino

$4.33 €3.72

$4.42 €3.80

-2.04%

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

$4.00 €3.44

$3.66 €3.15

9.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 €2.86

$2.86 €2.46

16.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 €5.92

$6.89 €5.92

-0.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 €5.11

$5.90 €5.08

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.34 €1.15

4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 €2.29

$2.34 €2.01

13.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.57

$3.26 €2.81

-8.28%

Eggs

$4.73 €4.06

$5.17 €4.45

-8.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 €12.34

$13.68 €11.76

4.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.42 €13.27

$14.30 €12.30

7.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.60 €16.00

$16.86 €14.50

10.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 €2.18

$2.58 €2.22

-1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 €2.20

$2.47 €2.12

3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.99 €1.71

-2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 €3.43

$3.91 €3.36

1.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 €1.74

$2.01 €1.73

1.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.99 €1.71

-6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.37 €1.18

-12.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$1.17 €1.01

-19.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.49 €12.47

$13.68 €11.77

5.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.36 €7.19

$7.39 €6.35

13.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.59 €1.36

-3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.07

$2.68 €2.31

-10.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 €2.66

$4.76 €4.09

-35.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 €98.1

$91.0 €78.2

25.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €4.95

$5.08 €4.37

13.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 €2.25

$2.06 €1.77

27.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.33 €23.51

$21.01 €18.07

30.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 €1.95

$2.32 €2.00

-2.16%

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

$39.9K €34.4K

$40.1K €34.5K

-0.43%

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

$39.2K €33.7K

$36.2K €31.2K

8.18%

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

$243 €209

$288 €248

-15.65%

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

$28.02 €24.10

$24.70 €21.24

13.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 €49.81

$57.6 €49.54

0.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 €35.52

$46.03 €39.59

-10.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.02 €20.66

$28.08 €24.15

-14.46%

Cinema Ticket

$16.70 €14.37

$17.42 €14.98

-4.13%

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

$2,716 €2,336

$2,223 €1,912

22.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,256 €5,382

$14.0K €12.1K

-55.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.1

$94.5 €81.3

7.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 €45.98

$50.5 €43.40

5.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €100

$127 €110

-8.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 €137

$182 €157

-12.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,734 €1,492

$1,774 €1,526

-2.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 €1,185

$1,486 €1,279

-7.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,534 €2,179

$2,869 €2,468

-11.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,129 €1,832

$2,285 €1,965

-6.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,318 €7,155

$6,223 €5,353

33.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,393 €5,499

$3,977 €3,421

60.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,929 €3,380

$4,139 €3,561

-5.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

4.08

4.90%

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

Last update for Haarlem: June 2, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,734 in Haarlem 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 5% 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 $104 in Haarlem versus $91.0 in Rotterdam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $347 – 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

Haarlem vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rotterdam costs about 4% more than Haarlem, 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 $4,280 per month in Haarlem 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 Haarlem, 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 $104 in Haarlem 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 $2,853 in Haarlem 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 $2,853 in Haarlem 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. Haarlem costs $2,853 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 Haarlem. 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.