Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Bergen op Zoom Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Bergen op Zoom

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,110 in Rotterdam versus $2,644 in Bergen op Zoom.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,402 in Rotterdam versus $3,755 in Bergen op Zoom.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,694 in Rotterdam versus $4,866 in Bergen op Zoom.

Living in Rotterdam is roughly 18% more expensive than in Bergen op Zoom, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 126% above, Bergen op Zoom 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.52 €22.82

$23.41 €20.14

13.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.3 €81.2

$97.1 €83.6

-2.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.00 €12.05

$13.86 €11.93

1.01%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €3.87

$4.23 €3.64

6.38%

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

$3.94 €3.39

$4.09 €3.52

-3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 €3.11

$3.10 €2.67

16.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.22 €6.22

$6.27 €5.39

15.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 €5.17

$5.85 €5.04

2.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.44 €1.24

10.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 €2.06

$2.20 €1.90

8.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 €2.54

$2.35 €2.02

25.96%

Eggs

$5.67 €4.88

$3.31 €2.85

71.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.70 €10.93

$17.04 €14.66

-25.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.81 €11.88

$13.19 €11.35

4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.92 €17.14

$18.05 €15.54

10.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.81 €2.42

20.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 €2.34

$2.51 €2.16

8.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.98 €1.70

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 €3.00

$3.54 €3.04

-1.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

$2.03 €1.74

-3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$2.36 €2.03

-34.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.29 €1.11

19.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.83 €0.71

72.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.05 €12.95

$14.55 €12.52

3.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 €5.89

$7.26 €6.24

-5.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.50 €1.29

2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.76 €2.37

-4.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.78 €4.12

$5.71 €4.92

-16.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 €99.9

$176 €152

-34.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 €4.23

$4.19 €3.61

17.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 €3.01

$3.02 €2.60

15.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$68.9 €59.3

$30.80 €26.50

123.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.62 €2.25

$2.23 €1.92

17.49%

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

$42.7K €36.7K

$42.4K €36.5K

0.71%

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

$41.0K €35.3K

$39.7K €34.2K

3.22%

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

$306 €263

$186 €160

64.56%

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

$22.36 €19.24

$10.64 €9.15

110.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 €48.93

$43.88 €37.76

29.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.50 €42.59

$29.68 €25.54

66.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.92 €25.75

$37.64 €32.39

-20.51%

Cinema Ticket

$16.20 €13.94

$13.63 €11.72

18.86%

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

$2,820 €2,426

$1,664 €1,432

69.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.4K

$6,897 €5,935

92.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 €83.4

$88.1 €75.8

10.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.59 €34.92

$50.3 €43.30

-19.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €98.5

$93.5 €80.5

22.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 €126

0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,638

$1,388 €1,194

37.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 €1,342

$1,215 €1,046

28.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,304 €2,843

$1,877 €1,615

76.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,402 €2,067

$1,575 €1,356

52.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,232 €5,363

$9,244 €7,955

-32.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,161 €3,580

$7,097 €6,107

-41.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 €3,663

$3,342 €2,876

27.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

3.89

-10.28%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: September 1, 2026

Last update for Bergen op Zoom: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,904 in Rotterdam and $1,388 in Bergen op Zoom. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rotterdam pays 27% 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 $97.0 in Bergen op Zoom. Groceries flip the comparison at $361 vs $338, with Bergen op Zoom cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bergen op Zoom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bergen op Zoom wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Rotterdam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bergen op Zoom the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 27% 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 $1,388 in Bergen op Zoom. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,110 per month in Rotterdam versus $2,644 in Bergen op Zoom – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bergen op Zoom runs roughly 52% less than in Rotterdam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Bergen op Zoom is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bergen op Zoom delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,644 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bergen op Zoom hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Rotterdam and Bergen op Zoom 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 Bergen op Zoom gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.