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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,110 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,621 in Apeldoorn, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,402 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,795 in Apeldoorn, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,694 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,969 in Apeldoorn, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 19% more than Apeldoorn, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rotterdam and Apeldoorn sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 126%, Apeldoorn by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.52 €22.82

$22.29 €19.18

18.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.3 €81.2

$85.3 €73.4

10.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.00 €12.05

$13.99 €12.03

0.07%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €3.87

$4.68 €4.03

-3.85%

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

$3.94 €3.39

$3.69 €3.18

6.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 €3.11

$3.55 €3.05

1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.22 €6.22

$7.02 €6.04

2.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 €5.17

$5.65 €4.86

6.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.42 €1.22

11.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 €2.06

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 €2.54

$3.24 €2.79

-8.64%

Eggs

$5.67 €4.88

$5.34 €4.59

6.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.70 €10.93

$14.23 €12.25

-10.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.81 €11.88

$15.21 €13.09

-9.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.92 €17.14

$17.93 €15.43

11.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.82 €2.43

20.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 €2.34

$2.62 €2.26

3.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.19 €1.88

20.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 €3.00

$4.44 €3.82

-21.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

$2.01 €1.73

-2.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$2.35 €2.02

-34.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.30 €1.12

18.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.87 €0.74

64.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.05 €12.95

$14.64 €12.60

2.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 €5.89

$7.41 €6.37

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.46 €1.26

5.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.60 €2.24

1.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.78 €4.12

$4.27 €3.67

11.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 €99.9

$70.9 €61.0

63.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 €4.23

$8.69 €7.48

-43.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 €3.01

$1.97 €1.70

77.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$68.9 €59.3

$23.59 €20.30

192.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.62 €2.25

$2.42 €2.08

8.26%

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

$42.7K €36.7K

$42.5K €36.6K

0.42%

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

$41.0K €35.3K

$40.8K €35.1K

0.47%

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

$306 €263

$321 €277

-4.94%

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

$22.36 €19.24

$28.26 €24.32

-20.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 €48.93

$55.0 €47.29

3.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.50 €42.59

$34.42 €29.62

43.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.92 €25.75

$41.58 €35.78

-28.04%

Cinema Ticket

$16.20 €13.94

$16.59 €14.28

-2.35%

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

$2,820 €2,426

$1,296 €1,115

117.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.4K

$6,290 €5,413

110.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 €83.4

$79.7 €68.6

21.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.59 €34.92

$40.21 €34.60

0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €98.5

$91.5 €78.7

25.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 €126

$106 €91.5

37.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,638

$1,000 €860

90.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 €1,342

$1,227 €1,056

27.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,304 €2,843

$1,603 €1,380

106.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,402 €2,067

$1,759 €1,514

36.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,232 €5,363

$4,649 €4,001

34.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,161 €3,580

$3,788 €3,260

9.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 €3,663

$3,304 €2,843

28.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

3.95

-11.65%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: September 1, 2026

Last update for Apeldoorn: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,904 in Rotterdam versus $1,000 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 29% 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 $94.0 in Rotterdam versus $85.0 in Apeldoorn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $359 – 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 19%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,664 per month in Rotterdam and $3,932 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 $94.0 in Rotterdam and $85.0 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 $3,110 in Rotterdam and $2,621 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 $2,621, than in Rotterdam at $3,110. 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.