Cost of Living Comparison Between Purmerend and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Purmerend and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,478 per month in Purmerend vs $2,934 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,489 per month in Purmerend vs $4,269 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,499 per month in Purmerend vs $5,603 in Rotterdam, rent included.

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

Both Purmerend and Rotterdam sit above the global median – Purmerend by 86%, Rotterdam by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 €15.20

$23.40 €20.40

-25.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 €46.05

$93.7 €81.7

-43.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.37 €11.65

$14.17 €12.35

-5.65%

Cappuccino

$4.00 €3.48

$4.33 €3.77

-7.62%

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

$3.39 €2.96

$3.67 €3.20

-7.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 €2.30

$2.99 €2.60

-11.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.36 €5.54

$6.90 €6.02

-7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 €4.80

$5.69 €4.96

-3.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.12

$1.35 €1.17

-5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 €1.92

$2.40 €2.09

-7.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 €2.74

$3.16 €2.76

-0.63%

Eggs

$4.69 €4.08

$5.33 €4.65

-12.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 €12.17

$13.56 €11.82

2.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.39 €13.42

$13.82 €12.05

11.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.12 €14.92

$17.34 €15.12

-1.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 €2.09

$2.71 €2.36

-11.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 €2.24

$2.46 €2.14

4.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 €1.65

$2.09 €1.83

-9.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 €3.49

$4.04 €3.52

-0.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.98 €1.72

6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.74

$1.91 €1.67

4.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.37 €1.19

-7.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.70

$1.17 €1.02

-30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 €12.22

$14.10 €12.29

-0.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.14 €6.23

$6.69 €5.83

6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.53 €1.33

-3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.30

$2.73 €2.38

-3.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.63 €3.17

$4.67 €4.07

-22.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.1 €81.2

$90.1 €78.6

3.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 €3.79

$5.15 €4.49

-15.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.06

$2.07 €1.80

14.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.80 €25.11

$20.70 €18.05

39.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 €1.94

$2.32 €2.02

-3.88%

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

$35.3K €30.8K

$40.3K €35.2K

-12.36%

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

$36.6K €31.9K

$35.1K €30.6K

4.23%

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

$259 €226

$285 €248

-8.93%

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

$25.22 €21.98

$24.60 €21.45

2.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.33 €41.26

$57.4 €50.0

-17.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.31 €35.14

$45.72 €39.86

-11.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.61 €20.58

$28.97 €25.26

-18.50%

Cinema Ticket

$15.94 €13.90

$17.32 €15.10

-7.97%

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

$1,995 €1,739

$2,278 €1,986

-12.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,831 €6,827

$13.8K €12.1K

-43.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.1 €82.1

$92.4 €80.6

1.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.07 €41.03

$50.5 €44.06

-6.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €91.5

$129 €113

-18.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €117

$182 €158

-26.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 €1,259

$1,750 €1,526

-17.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 €1,014

$1,438 €1,253

-19.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 €1,975

$2,899 €2,527

-21.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,768 €1,541

$2,304 €2,009

-23.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,360 €4,673

$5,985 €5,218

-10.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,518 €3,938

$4,046 €3,528

11.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,060 €3,539

$4,037 €3,519

0.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.03

4.08

-1.23%

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

Last update for Purmerend: July 25, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,445 in Purmerend versus $1,750 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 1% higher in Purmerend, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Purmerend versus $94.0 in Rotterdam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $346 – making Purmerend 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

Purmerend vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,478 in Purmerend, $2,934 in Rotterdam – roughly 18% apart. Rotterdam costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,717 per month in Purmerend and $4,401 in Rotterdam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 3% less in Purmerend. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,995 per month in Purmerend and $2,278 in Rotterdam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Purmerend, where all-in costs run around $2,478, than in Rotterdam at $2,934. In Purmerend 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 $2,478 in Purmerend to $2,934 in Rotterdam. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Purmerend. 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.