Cost of Living Comparison Between Nijmegen and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Nijmegen and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,658 in Nijmegen versus $2,957 in Rotterdam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,917 in Nijmegen versus $4,244 in Rotterdam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,177 in Nijmegen versus $5,531 in Rotterdam.

Living in Nijmegen costs roughly 10% less than in Rotterdam, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nijmegen 98% above, Rotterdam 121% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 €21.79

$23.59 €20.31

7.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 €88.2

$91.1 €78.5

12.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.70 €13.52

$14.07 €12.12

11.58%

Cappuccino

$4.51 €3.89

$4.42 €3.80

2.04%

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

$3.89 €3.35

$3.66 €3.15

6.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.40

$2.86 €2.47

-2.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 €4.96

$6.89 €5.93

-16.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 €5.54

$5.90 €5.08

8.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.34 €1.15

-6.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.34 €2.01

-7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 €2.82

$3.26 €2.81

0.61%

Eggs

$4.84 €4.17

$5.17 €4.45

-6.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.43

$13.68 €11.78

-2.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.50 €14.21

$14.30 €12.31

15.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.35 €14.08

$16.86 €14.52

-3.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 €2.10

$2.58 €2.22

-5.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 €2.26

$2.47 €2.13

6.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.99 €1.71

-5.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 €3.24

$3.91 €3.37

-3.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.01 €1.73

1.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.99 €1.71

11.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.37 €1.18

-10.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.17 €1.01

-29.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.05 €12.10

$13.68 €11.78

2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 €6.39

$7.39 €6.36

0.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.59 €1.37

-5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.68 €2.31

-1.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.25 €2.80

$4.76 €4.10

-31.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$175 €151

$91.0 €78.3

92.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 €6.66

$5.08 €4.38

52.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 €2.34

$2.06 €1.77

32.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.70 €40.21

$21.01 €18.09

122.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.32 €2.00

-0.43%

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

$34.7K €29.9K

$40.1K €34.5K

-13.51%

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

$36.1K €31.1K

$36.2K €31.2K

-0.23%

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

$278 €239

$288 €248

-3.64%

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

$29.10 €25.06

$24.70 €21.27

17.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.08 €39.68

$57.6 €49.60

-20.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.81 €34.28

$46.03 €39.63

-13.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.88 €5.07

$28.08 €24.18

-79.06%

Cinema Ticket

$16.57 €14.27

$17.42 €15.00

-4.88%

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

$2,853 €2,457

$2,223 €1,914

28.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K €14.9K

$14.0K €12.1K

22.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$94.5 €81.4

7.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.59 €40.98

$50.5 €43.45

-5.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €98.3

$127 €110

-10.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 €150

$182 €157

-4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 €1,222

$1,774 €1,528

-20.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 €949

$1,486 €1,280

-25.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,395 €2,063

$2,869 €2,470

-16.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 €1,463

$2,285 €1,967

-25.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,695 €5,765

$6,223 €5,359

7.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,557 €3,924

$3,977 €3,424

14.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,398 €2,926

$4,139 €3,564

-17.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

4.08

12.25%

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

Last update for Nijmegen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,419 in Nijmegen and $1,774 in Rotterdam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rotterdam pays 22% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $102 in Nijmegen vs $91.0 in Rotterdam. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $347, with Nijmegen cheaper for home cooking.

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

Nijmegen vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nijmegen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Rotterdam earns 22% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,419 in Nijmegen versus $1,774 in Rotterdam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nijmegen – a meal for two runs $102 versus $91.0 in Rotterdam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,658 per month in Nijmegen versus $2,957 in Rotterdam – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Nijmegen is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Nijmegen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rotterdam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nijmegen and Rotterdam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Nijmegen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.