Cost of Living Comparison Between Maastricht and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Maastricht and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,615 per month in Maastricht vs $3,110 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,830 per month in Maastricht vs $4,402 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,045 per month in Maastricht vs $5,694 in Rotterdam, rent included.

Maastricht is about 16% cheaper than Rotterdam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maastricht and Rotterdam sit above the global median – Maastricht by 90%, Rotterdam by 126%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.95 €18.01

$26.52 €22.80

-21.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.3 €78.5

$94.3 €81.1

-3.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.93 €11.12

$14.00 €12.04

-7.64%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.82

$4.50 €3.87

-1.33%

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

$4.08 €3.51

$3.94 €3.38

3.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 €2.70

$3.61 €3.10

-13.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.88 €7.63

$7.22 €6.21

22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.07

$6.01 €5.17

-1.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.59 €1.36

-15.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 €2.24

$2.39 €2.05

9.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$2.96 €2.54

-6.42%

Eggs

$4.87 €4.18

$5.67 €4.88

-14.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.15 €13.03

$12.70 €10.92

19.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.54 €12.50

$13.81 €11.87

5.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.81 €14.45

$19.92 €17.13

-15.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$3.39 €2.92

-21.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 €2.15

$2.72 €2.34

-8.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.64 €2.27

-23.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 €3.85

$3.49 €3.00

28.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 €2.15

$1.54 €1.33

62.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.54 €1.33

-8.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.43 €1.23

-39.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.28 €12.27

$15.05 €12.93

-5.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.96 €5.98

$6.84 €5.88

1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 €1.31

$1.54 €1.33

-0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.46

$2.63 €2.26

8.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.12 €2.68

$4.78 €4.11

-34.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.6 €79.6

$116 €99.8

-20.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.47 €9.86

$4.92 €4.23

133.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.46 €2.97

$3.50 €3.01

-1.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.81 €24.77

$68.9 €59.2

-58.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.44 €2.10

$2.62 €2.25

-6.87%

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

$42.4K €36.5K

$42.7K €36.7K

-0.55%

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

$40.2K €34.5K

$41.0K €35.2K

-1.94%

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

$308 €265

$306 €263

0.72%

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

$18.01 €15.48

$22.36 €19.23

-19.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 €43.99

$56.9 €48.89

-10.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.32 €41.54

$49.50 €42.55

-2.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.10 €25.02

$29.92 €25.72

-2.74%

Cinema Ticket

$15.74 €13.53

$16.20 €13.93

-2.84%

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

$1,300 €1,118

$2,820 €2,424

-53.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K €9,800

$13.3K €11.4K

-14.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 €73.7

$97.0 €83.4

-11.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.90 €33.44

$40.59 €34.89

-4.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €100

$114 €98.4

2.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €114

$146 €126

-9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 €1,142

$1,904 €1,637

-30.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 €1,024

$1,560 €1,341

-23.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,188 €1,881

$3,304 €2,840

-33.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,752 €1,506

$2,402 €2,065

-27.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,498 €4,726

$6,232 €5,358

-11.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,726 €3,203

$4,161 €3,577

-10.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,369 €2,897

$4,257 €3,660

-20.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

3.49

26.65%

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

Last update for Maastricht: August 30, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,328 in Maastricht versus $1,904 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 26% 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 $91.0 in Maastricht versus $94.0 in Rotterdam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $361 – making Maastricht 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

Maastricht vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rotterdam costs about 19% more than Maastricht, 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 $3,923 per month in Maastricht and $4,664 in Rotterdam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,615 in Maastricht and $3,110 in Rotterdam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% less in Maastricht. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maastricht, where all-in costs run around $2,615, than in Rotterdam at $3,110. In Maastricht it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maastricht costs $2,615 versus $3,110 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 Maastricht. 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.