Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Alkmaar Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Alkmaar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,110 in Rotterdam versus $2,509 in Alkmaar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,402 in Rotterdam versus $3,682 in Alkmaar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,694 in Rotterdam versus $4,855 in Alkmaar.

Living in Rotterdam is roughly 24% more expensive than in Alkmaar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 126% above, Alkmaar 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.52 €22.82

$31.09 €26.75

-14.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.3 €81.2

$91.2 €78.4

3.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.00 €12.05

$15.35 €13.21

-8.79%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €3.87

$4.06 €3.49

10.84%

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

$3.94 €3.39

$3.33 €2.87

18.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 €3.11

$2.61 €2.24

38.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.22 €6.22

$5.85 €5.03

23.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 €5.17

$4.56 €3.92

31.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.43 €1.23

11.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 €2.06

$2.41 €2.07

-0.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 €2.54

$3.55 €3.06

-16.62%

Eggs

$5.67 €4.88

$5.02 €4.32

12.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.70 €10.93

$14.74 €12.68

-13.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.81 €11.88

$15.61 €13.43

-11.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.92 €17.14

$17.56 €15.11

13.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.68 €2.30

26.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 €2.34

$2.60 €2.23

4.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.93 €1.66

36.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 €3.00

$4.24 €3.65

-17.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

$2.02 €1.74

-2.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$2.21 €1.91

-30.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.32 €1.14

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.89 €0.76

60.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.05 €12.95

$13.33 €11.47

12.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 €5.89

$7.46 €6.42

-8.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.35 €1.16

14.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.37 €2.04

10.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.78 €4.12

$2.30 €1.98

107.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 €99.9

$60.3 €51.9

92.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 €4.23

$2.99 €2.57

64.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 €3.01

$1.70 €1.46

105.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$68.9 €59.3

$25.80 €22.20

167.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.62 €2.25

$2.36 €2.03

11.02%

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

$42.7K €36.7K

$43.1K €37.1K

-0.97%

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

$41.0K €35.3K

$40.8K €35.1K

0.32%

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

$306 €263

$256 €220

19.37%

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

$22.36 €19.24

$21.60 €18.59

3.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 €48.93

$47.30 €40.70

20.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.50 €42.59

$47.42 €40.81

4.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.92 €25.75

$6.31 €5.43

374.17%

Cinema Ticket

$16.20 €13.94

$15.68 €13.49

3.32%

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

$2,820 €2,426

$756 €650

273.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.4K

$2,487 €2,140

433.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 €83.4

$119 €103

-18.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.59 €34.92

$46.75 €40.22

-13.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €98.5

$115 €98.6

-0.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 €126

$123 €106

19.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,638

$799 €688

138.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 €1,342

$1,034 €890

50.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,304 €2,843

$2,921 €2,514

13.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,402 €2,067

$1,653 €1,422

45.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,232 €5,363

$5,206 €4,480

19.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,161 €3,580

$4,312 €3,710

-3.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 €3,663

$3,370 €2,900

26.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

-12.75%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: September 1, 2026

Last update for Alkmaar: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,904 in Rotterdam and $799 in Alkmaar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rotterdam pays 26% 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: $94.0 in Rotterdam vs $91.0 in Alkmaar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $358 per month, with Alkmaar cheaper across the board.

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 Alkmaar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alkmaar wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Rotterdam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alkmaar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Rotterdam, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,904 in Rotterdam versus $799 in Alkmaar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Alkmaar runs roughly 93% less than in Rotterdam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,820 in Rotterdam versus $756 in Alkmaar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,509 in Alkmaar versus $3,110 in Rotterdam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alkmaar but tight or insufficient in Rotterdam. The gap between the two cities makes Alkmaar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alkmaar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,509 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alkmaar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Rotterdam and Alkmaar 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 Alkmaar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.