Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and 's-Hertogenbosch Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and 's-Hertogenbosch

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,957 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,502 in 's-Hertogenbosch, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,244 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,021 in 's-Hertogenbosch, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,531 per month in Rotterdam vs $5,539 in 's-Hertogenbosch, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 18% more than 's-Hertogenbosch, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rotterdam and 's-Hertogenbosch sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 121%, 's-Hertogenbosch by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.59 €20.31

$25.22 €21.71

-6.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €78.5

$85.7 €73.8

6.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.12

$11.35 €9.77

23.96%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.80

$3.92 €3.37

12.76%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$3.31 €2.85

10.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.47

$2.95 €2.54

-3.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$5.67 €4.88

21.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$4.29 €3.70

37.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.25 €1.07

7.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.12 €1.82

10.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$3.68 €3.17

-11.41%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.45

$4.77 €4.10

8.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.78

$13.80 €11.88

-0.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 €12.31

$17.12 €14.74

-16.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 €14.52

$18.06 €15.55

-6.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.55 €2.20

1.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.63 €2.26

-6.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.18 €1.88

-8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$4.60 €3.96

-15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.12 €1.83

-5.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.24 €1.93

-11.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.31 €1.13

4.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.99 €0.86

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 €11.78

$11.66 €10.04

17.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 €6.36

$7.49 €6.45

-1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.56 €1.35

1.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$3.40 €2.93

-21.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.10

$3.18 €2.74

49.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €78.3

$66.1 €56.9

37.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.38

$3.58 €3.08

41.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.08 €1.79

-0.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 €18.09

$29.96 €25.80

-29.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.21 €1.90

4.98%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$33.0K €28.4K

21.70%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$31.5K €27.1K

14.89%

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

$288 €248

$185 €159

55.91%

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

$24.70 €21.27

$24.13 €20.78

2.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.60

$41.11 €35.40

40.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 €39.63

$45.09 €38.82

2.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 €24.18

$15.69 €13.51

78.97%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 €15.00

$14.64 €12.60

18.99%

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

$2,223 €1,914

$2,383 €2,052

-6.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.1K

$6,815 €5,868

106.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.4

$75.2 €64.7

25.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.45

$58.7 €50.5

-14.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$114 €98.2

11.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$186 €160

-2.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 €1,528

$1,643 €1,415

7.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 €1,280

$1,222 €1,053

21.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 €2,470

$2,679 €2,306

7.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,967

$2,525 €2,174

-9.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,359

$6,703 €5,772

-7.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,424

$4,964 €4,275

-19.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,564

$3,761 €3,239

10.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.46

-8.52%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for 's-Hertogenbosch: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,774 in Rotterdam versus $1,643 in 's-Hertogenbosch. 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 10% 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 Rotterdam versus $86.0 in 's-Hertogenbosch. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Rotterdam vs $366 in 's-Hertogenbosch – so Rotterdam wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Rotterdam vs 's-Hertogenbosch: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,957 in Rotterdam, $2,502 in 's-Hertogenbosch – roughly 18% apart. Rotterdam costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,435 per month in Rotterdam and $3,754 in 's-Hertogenbosch. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Rotterdam – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Rotterdam and $86.0 in 's-Hertogenbosch. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,957 in Rotterdam and $2,502 in 's-Hertogenbosch. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Rotterdam has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,502 in 's-Hertogenbosch to $2,957 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 's-Hertogenbosch. 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.