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: $2,927 in Rotterdam versus $2,365 in Bergen op Zoom.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,242 in Rotterdam versus $3,353 in Bergen op Zoom.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,557 in Rotterdam versus $4,342 in Bergen op Zoom.

Living in Rotterdam is roughly 24% more expensive than in Bergen op Zoom, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 119% above, Bergen op Zoom 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.49 €20.60

$16.14 €14.15

45.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.9 €81.5

$79.9 €70.0

16.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.03 €12.30

$13.77 €12.08

1.89%

Cappuccino

$4.41 €3.87

$3.03 €2.65

45.54%

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

$3.65 €3.20

$3.07 €2.69

18.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 €2.50

$2.40 €2.10

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 €6.11

$6.13 €5.37

13.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 €5.20

$5.34 €4.68

11.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.12

$1.25 €1.10

2.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 €2.04

$2.07 €1.81

12.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 €2.82

$2.26 €1.98

42.48%

Eggs

$5.24 €4.59

$3.17 €2.78

65.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 €11.92

$10.87 €9.53

25.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.04 €12.31

$13.05 €11.45

7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.31 €15.18

$17.39 €15.25

-0.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.38

$2.28 €2.00

19.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 €2.14

$2.56 €2.24

-4.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.98 €1.73

4.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 €3.49

$3.62 €3.18

9.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$2.15 €1.89

-7.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.75

$2.21 €1.94

-9.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.08 €0.94

27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.02

$0.51 €0.45

127.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.98 €12.26

$9.76 €8.56

43.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.75 €5.92

$7.01 €6.15

-3.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.34 €1.18

14.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.30

$2.74 €2.40

-4.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.68 €4.11

$5.59 €4.90

-16.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.1 €78.1

$94.4 €82.8

-5.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.18 €4.54

$3.95 €3.46

31.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 €1.84

$2.69 €2.36

-21.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.72 €18.17

$28.99 €25.42

-28.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 €2.01

$2.20 €1.93

4.09%

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

$40.1K €35.2K

$42.9K €37.6K

-6.53%

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

$36.1K €31.7K

$38.3K €33.6K

-5.64%

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

$286 €250

$197 €173

44.80%

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

$24.21 €21.23

$10.88 €9.54

122.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 €49.02

$39.84 €34.93

40.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.65 €40.90

$29.87 €26.19

56.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.96 €25.39

$23.09 €20.25

25.42%

Cinema Ticket

$17.62 €15.45

$12.90 €11.31

36.59%

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

$2,258 €1,979

$437 €383

417.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K €12.4K

$6,388 €5,601

120.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.4 €81.9

$75.2 €65.9

24.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.35 €43.27

$47.02 €41.22

4.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 €110

$91.1 €79.9

37.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$183 €161

$134 €117

37.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,764 €1,546

$1,411 €1,237

24.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 €1,298

$1,156 €1,014

28.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,811 €2,465

$2,335 €2,047

20.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 €2,048

$1,738 €1,524

34.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,089 €5,339

$9,194 €8,061

-33.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,018 €3,523

$6,864 €6,018

-41.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,028 €3,532

$3,375 €2,959

19.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.32

-5.56%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: July 20, 2026

Last update for Bergen op Zoom: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,764 in Rotterdam and $1,411 in Bergen op Zoom. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rotterdam pays 19% 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: $93.0 in Rotterdam vs $80.0 in Bergen op Zoom for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $305 per month, with Bergen op Zoom 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 Bergen op Zoom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bergen op Zoom wins on cost – living expenses run 24% 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 19% 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: $1,764 in Rotterdam versus $1,411 in Bergen op Zoom. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,927 per month in Rotterdam versus $2,365 in Bergen op Zoom – a 24% 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 6% less than in Rotterdam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,365 in Bergen op Zoom versus $2,927 in Rotterdam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bergen op Zoom but tight or insufficient in Rotterdam. The gap between the two cities makes Bergen op Zoom the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bergen op Zoom delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,365 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 24% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.