Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lelystad and Rotterdam

For one person, living is cheaper in Lelystad: $1,710 a month against $3,153 in Rotterdam, rent and utilities included – about $17,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

82

Cost of Living Index in Lelystad
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Lelystad Living Index
150

Cost of Living Index in Rotterdam
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Rotterdam Living Index

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Lelystad

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$1,710

/mo nomad

Rotterdam

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$3,153

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lelystad and in Rotterdam

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lelystad and in Rotterdam actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,710 per month in Lelystad vs $3,153 in Rotterdam, rent included.

Lelystad $1,710
Rotterdam $3,153

A couple spends around $2,651 per month in Lelystad vs $4,381 in Rotterdam, rent included.

Lelystad $2,651
Rotterdam $4,381

A family of three spends $3,592 per month in Lelystad vs $5,609 in Rotterdam, rent included.

Lelystad $3,592
Rotterdam $5,609

Lelystad is about 46% cheaper than Rotterdam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lelystad and Rotterdam sit above the global median – Lelystad by 26%, Rotterdam by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.27 €19.95

$20.81 €18.65

7.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.4 €73.8

$85.2 €76.3

-3.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.37 €11.99

$13.66 €12.24

-2.12%

Cappuccino

$4.10 €3.68

$4.31 €3.86

-4.87%

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

$2.60 €2.33

$3.79 €3.39

-31.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €2.09

$3.44 €3.09

-32.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 €4.66

$6.93 €6.21

-24.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 €4.04

$6.05 €5.42

-25.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.13

$1.42 €1.28

-11.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 €1.46

$2.44 €2.18

-33.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 €2.15

$2.84 €2.55

-15.49%

Eggs

$4.60 €4.12

$5.27 €4.72

-12.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 €6.09

$12.09 €10.83

-43.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.20 €12.72

$13.32 €11.93

6.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 €14.85

$18.92 €16.95

-12.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 €1.89

$3.43 €3.07

-38.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.21

$2.50 €2.24

-1.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 €1.64

$2.54 €2.28

-27.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 €3.17

$3.39 €3.03

4.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 €1.56

$1.68 €1.50

3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 €1.56

$1.52 €1.36

14.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.14

$1.51 €1.35

-15.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.72

$1.29 €1.16

-37.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.44 €8.46

$14.39 €12.90

-34.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.85 €6.14

$6.82 €6.11

0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.15

$1.52 €1.37

-15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 €2.17

$2.58 €2.32

-6.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.27 €5.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 €99.2

$111 €99.3

-0.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 €3.33

$4.58 €4.10

-18.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.35

$3.45 €3.09

-23.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.07 €23.36

$67.3 €60.3

-61.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 €1.95

$2.56 €2.29

-14.84%

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

$33.6K €30.1K

$41.3K €37.0K

-18.81%

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

$39.4K €35.3K

$39.9K €35.7K

-1.26%

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

$242 €217

$305 €273

-20.71%

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

$14.72 €13.19

$21.41 €19.19

-31.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 €28.94

$55.8 €49.95

-42.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.75 €38.31

$45.35 €40.64

-5.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.35 €26.30

Cinema Ticket

$13.62 €12.21

$15.68 €14.05

-13.14%

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

$2,725 €2,442

$2,793 €2,503

-2.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,152 €7,305

$12.5K €11.2K

-34.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.9 €83.3

$92.9 €83.2

0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.39 €43.37

$39.70 €35.58

21.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 €84.0

$108 €96.8

-13.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €103

$141 €127

-18.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 €599

$2,068 €1,853

-67.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 €401

$1,684 €1,509

-73.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 €1,192

$3,183 €2,853

-58.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 €690

$2,398 €2,149

-67.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,140 €5,502

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,198 €3,762

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,420 €2,168

$3,933 €3,525

-38.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.23

3.49

-7.45%

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

Last update for Lelystad: October 25, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lelystad

$447 26.2%

Rotterdam

$1.7K 53.4% 276% $1.2K

Eating Out

Lelystad

$322 18.8%

Rotterdam

$335 10.6% 3.9% $13

Groceries & Markets

Lelystad

$297 17.4%

Rotterdam

$346 11% 16.6% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lelystad

$289 16.9%

Rotterdam

$382 12.1% 32.3% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Lelystad

$158 9.2%

Rotterdam

$172 5.5% 9% $14

Getting Around

Lelystad

$128 * 7.5%

Rotterdam

$158 5% 23.6% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Lelystad

$70 4.1%

Rotterdam

$77 2.4% 9.6% $6.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $668 in Lelystad versus $2,068 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 63% 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 $82 in Lelystad versus $85 in Rotterdam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $346 – making Lelystad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇱 Lelystad

🇳🇱 Rotterdam

🕒 Local time

06:20 6:20 AM

Same time as Lelystad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

78,598

572,392

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Lelystad Rotterdam 95 km

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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

Lelystad vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rotterdam costs about 84% more than Lelystad, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,565 per month in Lelystad and $4,729 in Rotterdam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lelystad, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $668 there versus $2,068 in Rotterdam.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82 in Lelystad and $85 in Rotterdam. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Rotterdam, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lelystad, where all-in costs run around $1,710, than in Rotterdam at $3,153. In Lelystad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Rotterdam has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,710 in Lelystad to $3,153 in Rotterdam. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Lelystad. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rotterdam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.