Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Best Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Best

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,167 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,339 in Best, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,431 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,172 in Best, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,695 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,005 in Best, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 35% more than Best, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rotterdam and Best sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 131%, Best by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.15 €23.23

$23.60 €20.18

15.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 €79.0

$90.7 €77.6

1.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.03 €12.00

$12.99 €11.12

8.01%

Cappuccino

$4.64 €3.97

$3.54 €3.03

31.07%

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

$4.06 €3.47

$3.49 €2.99

16.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.59 €2.21

34.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 €6.05

$5.75 €4.92

22.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 €5.08

$5.12 €4.38

16.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.36

$1.13 €0.96

41.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.96 €1.68

22.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 €2.64

$2.34 €2.00

31.62%

Eggs

$5.41 €4.63

$3.06 €2.61

76.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 €10.75

$11.68 €9.99

7.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.95 €11.93

$11.91 €10.18

17.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.13 €15.50

$15.93 €13.62

13.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 €2.98

$2.06 €1.76

68.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 €2.17

$1.60 €1.37

58.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 €2.43

$1.74 €1.49

63.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 €2.98

$5.08 €4.34

-31.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.84

$1.20 €1.03

79.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.16 €0.99

45.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.13 €0.97

46.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.74 €0.63

93.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.02 €12.85

$12.14 €10.38

23.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.87 €5.87

$5.89 €5.04

16.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.34

$1.50 €1.28

4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 €2.18

$2.58 €2.21

-1.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.52 €5.58

$2.52 €2.16

158.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 €96.7

$73.8 €63.1

53.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 €4.18

$4.11 €3.51

18.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.55 €3.04

$2.91 €2.49

21.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$69.2 €59.2

$30.35 €25.96

128.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.63 €2.25

$2.36 €2.02

11.44%

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

$43.1K €36.9K

$26.7K €22.8K

61.53%

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

$41.3K €35.3K

$35.0K €29.9K

18.03%

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

$302 €258

$195 €167

54.48%

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

$23.22 €19.87

$14.39 €12.31

61.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 €46.69

$39.89 €34.12

36.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.70 €42.51

$42.00 €35.93

18.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.55 €28.70

$25.51 €21.82

31.52%

Cinema Ticket

$16.41 €14.04

$14.17 €12.12

15.81%

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

$2,748 €2,350

$1,408 €1,204

95.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K €11.3K

$5,567 €4,762

137.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.5 €84.3

$54.2 €46.36

81.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.88 €34.11

$34.19 €29.24

16.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 €96.4

$79.8 €68.3

41.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 €124

$58.4 €49.97

147.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 €1,582

$1,526 €1,306

21.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,540 €1,317

$1,180 €1,010

30.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,192 €2,730

$2,036 €1,742

56.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,352 €2,012

$1,385 €1,185

69.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,263 €5,357

$5,454 €4,666

14.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,162 €3,560

$4,475 €3,828

-7.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,054 €3,468

$4,108 €3,514

-1.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.59

3.51

2.28%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: August 16, 2026

Last update for Best: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,849 in Rotterdam versus $1,526 in Best. 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 1% higher in Best, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in Rotterdam versus $91.0 in Best. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $291 – making Best 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 Best: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 35%, 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 $4,751 per month in Rotterdam and $3,508 in Best. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,167 in Rotterdam and $2,339 in Best. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Best. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Best, where all-in costs run around $2,339, than in Rotterdam at $3,167. In Best it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Best – 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 Best. 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.