Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Apeldoorn Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Apeldoorn

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,914 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,622 in Apeldoorn, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,233 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,697 in Apeldoorn, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,553 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,772 in Apeldoorn, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 11% more than Apeldoorn, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rotterdam and Apeldoorn sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 118%, Apeldoorn by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.60 €20.67

$21.11 €18.49

11.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 €79.9

$80.0 €70.1

13.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.92 €12.19

$13.08 €11.46

6.42%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.82

$4.34 €3.80

0.46%

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

$3.49 €3.06

$3.42 €3.00

2.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.57

$3.34 €2.92

-12.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 €6.21

$6.00 €5.26

18.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 €5.08

$5.27 €4.61

10.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.29 €1.13

3.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.10

$2.51 €2.20

-4.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 €2.83

$3.20 €2.80

0.94%

Eggs

$5.23 €4.58

$4.88 €4.28

7.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.74 €12.03

$13.27 €11.62

3.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.23 €12.46

$15.43 €13.51

-7.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.89 €14.79

$16.90 €14.80

-0.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.29

$2.30 €2.01

13.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 €2.14

$2.51 €2.20

-2.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.10 €1.84

-0.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 €3.54

$4.02 €3.52

0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.83

$2.11 €1.85

-0.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$2.32 €2.03

-14.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.21 €1.06

9.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.03

$0.77 €0.67

51.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.65 €11.95

$14.63 €12.81

-6.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.01 €6.14

$7.09 €6.21

-1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.57 €1.37

-2.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.38

$2.64 €2.31

2.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.70 €4.12

$4.20 €3.68

11.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €79.7

$92.4 €80.9

-1.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.26 €4.61

$3.85 €3.37

36.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.57 €2.25

-20.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.21 €18.57

$22.79 €19.96

-6.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.96

$2.22 €1.95

0.90%

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

$40.4K €35.4K

$34.1K €29.9K

18.43%

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

$35.5K €31.1K

$35.4K €31.0K

0.42%

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

$285 €250

$268 €234

6.47%

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

$23.95 €20.97

$25.00 €21.90

-4.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 €48.87

$54.2 €47.45

2.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.62 €39.96

$35.00 €30.65

30.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.20 €24.70

$41.61 €36.45

-32.23%

Cinema Ticket

$17.01 €14.90

$16.40 €14.37

3.72%

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

$2,268 €1,986

$1,858 €1,628

22.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.2K

$6,139 €5,376

127.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 €82.2

$90.9 €79.6

3.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 €44.48

$38.39 €33.62

32.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €111

$99.7 €87.3

26.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 €155

$114 €99.5

56.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 €1,540

$983 €861

78.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 €1,272

$1,206 €1,056

20.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,834 €2,482

$1,643 €1,439

72.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 €2,017

$1,720 €1,507

33.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,997 €5,252

$4,501 €3,942

33.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,900 €3,416

$3,752 €3,286

3.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,092 €3,584

$3,240 €2,838

26.30%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Apeldoorn: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,758 in Rotterdam versus $983 in Apeldoorn. 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 26% 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 $80.0 in Apeldoorn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $345 – making Apeldoorn 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 Apeldoorn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 11%, 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 $4,371 per month in Rotterdam and $3,934 in Apeldoorn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Rotterdam and $80.0 in Apeldoorn. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,914 in Rotterdam and $2,622 in Apeldoorn. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Apeldoorn, where all-in costs run around $2,622, than in Rotterdam at $2,914. In Apeldoorn it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Apeldoorn – 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 Apeldoorn. 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.