Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Almere Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Almere

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,909 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,636 in Almere, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,274 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,906 in Almere, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,639 per month in Rotterdam vs $5,176 in Almere, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 10% more than Almere, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rotterdam and Almere sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 117%, Almere by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.74 €19.47

$21.55 €18.44

5.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.5 €79.2

$88.3 €75.5

4.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.69 €11.72

$13.76 €11.78

-0.51%

Cappuccino

$4.37 €3.74

$4.49 €3.84

-2.67%

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

$3.49 €2.99

$3.53 €3.03

-1.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 €2.42

$3.29 €2.82

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 €6.11

$5.96 €5.10

19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.83

$4.53 €3.87

24.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.11

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.08

$2.26 €1.94

7.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 €2.72

$3.35 €2.87

-5.07%

Eggs

$5.08 €4.35

$4.68 €4.01

8.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.07 €12.04

$12.82 €10.97

9.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.88 €11.88

$15.51 €13.27

-10.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 €14.61

$16.93 €14.50

0.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 €2.30

$2.40 €2.06

11.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 €2.09

$2.57 €2.20

-5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.72

$2.11 €1.81

-4.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 €3.39

$4.21 €3.61

-5.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 €1.76

$2.21 €1.89

-6.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.36 €2.02

-17.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.21 €1.04

10.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.00

$0.91 €0.78

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 €11.79

$14.63 €12.52

-5.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 €6.40

$7.57 €6.48

-1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.51 €1.30

4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 €2.31

$2.57 €2.20

4.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.72 €4.04

$3.49 €2.99

35.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.6 €77.6

$99.3 €85.0

-8.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 €4.41

$7.84 €6.71

-34.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 €1.74

$1.79 €1.53

13.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.00 €17.98

$23.26 €19.91

-9.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 €1.93

$2.20 €1.88

2.73%

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

$41.2K €35.3K

$35.1K €30.0K

17.47%

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

$35.7K €30.6K

$35.6K €30.4K

0.42%

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

$286 €245

$270 €232

5.70%

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

$24.41 €20.89

$24.99 €21.40

-2.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 €47.90

$55.3 €47.37

1.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 €39.95

$25.23 €21.60

84.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.02 €24.84

$29.86 €25.56

-2.81%

Cinema Ticket

$17.29 €14.80

$17.60 €15.07

-1.76%

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

$2,270 €1,943

$2,538 €2,173

-10.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K €11.8K

$10.6K €9,055

30.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 €78.6

$79.3 €67.9

15.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 €43.69

$38.78 €33.20

31.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 €111

$98.8 €84.6

31.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$180 €154

$114 €97.4

57.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,724 €1,476

$1,275 €1,092

35.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 €1,233

$1,243 €1,064

15.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,837 €2,429

$2,081 €1,781

36.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 €1,944

$2,139 €1,831

6.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,207 €5,313

$6,070 €5,196

2.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,222 €3,614

$4,432 €3,794

-4.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,095 €3,505

$3,512 €3,007

16.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.36

-6.42%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: April 27, 2026

Last update for Almere: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,724 in Rotterdam versus $1,275 in Almere. 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 17% 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 $93.0 in Rotterdam versus $88.0 in Almere. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $346 – making Almere 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

Rotterdam vs Almere: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,364 per month in Rotterdam and $3,954 in Almere. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 0% more in Rotterdam, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Rotterdam and $88.0 in Almere. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Almere, where all-in costs run around $2,636, than in Rotterdam at $2,909. In Almere it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Almere – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Almere. 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.