Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Breda Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Breda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,934 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,354 in Breda, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,269 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,524 in Breda, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,603 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,695 in Breda, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 25% more than Breda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rotterdam and Breda sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 120%, Breda by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.40 €20.26

$23.10 €20.00

1.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.7 €81.1

$102 €88.6

-8.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.17 €12.27

$13.72 €11.88

3.28%

Cappuccino

$4.33 €3.75

$3.81 €3.30

13.65%

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

$3.67 €3.18

$3.54 €3.06

3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.59

$3.12 €2.70

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 €5.98

$7.33 €6.35

-5.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 €4.93

$4.72 €4.09

20.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.22 €1.05

10.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.08

$2.50 €2.16

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 €2.74

$3.35 €2.90

-5.67%

Eggs

$5.33 €4.62

$4.72 €4.09

12.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 €11.74

$13.88 €12.02

-2.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.82 €11.97

$16.16 €13.99

-14.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 €15.02

$17.48 €15.14

-0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.35

$2.36 €2.04

14.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$2.53 €2.19

-2.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$2.00 €1.74

4.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 €3.50

$4.72 €4.09

-14.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.19 €1.90

-9.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.07 €1.79

-7.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.31 €1.13

4.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.77 €0.67

51.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 €12.21

$14.40 €12.47

-2.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.69 €5.80

$7.05 €6.11

-5.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.51 €1.31

1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.36

$2.73 €2.37

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.67 €4.05

$3.95 €3.42

18.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.1 €78.0

$96.4 €83.5

-6.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 €4.46

$7.44 €6.44

-30.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.59 €1.38

30.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.70 €17.93

$23.33 €20.21

-11.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.01

$2.16 €1.87

7.41%

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

$40.3K €34.9K

$33.4K €28.9K

20.88%

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

$35.1K €30.4K

$29.6K €25.6K

18.68%

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

$285 €247

$207 €179

37.60%

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

$24.60 €21.30

$29.90 €25.89

-17.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 €49.70

$59.6 €51.6

-3.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.72 €39.59

$40.53 €35.10

12.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.97 €25.09

$19.22 €16.65

50.73%

Cinema Ticket

$17.32 €15.00

$16.60 €14.38

4.34%

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

$2,278 €1,973

$1,090 €944

108.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K €12.0K

$5,528 €4,787

150.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 €80.0

$96.0 €83.1

-3.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.77

$91.4 €79.2

-44.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 €112

$113 €97.4

14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$159 €138

14.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 €1,516

$1,258 €1,089

39.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 €1,245

$932 €807

54.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,899 €2,510

$2,354 €2,038

23.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,304 €1,995

$1,466 €1,270

57.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,985 €5,183

$5,893 €5,103

1.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,046 €3,504

$4,506 €3,902

-10.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,037 €3,496

$4,137 €3,582

-2.41%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Breda: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,750 in Rotterdam versus $1,258 in Breda. 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 2% higher in Breda, 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 $94.0 in Rotterdam versus $102 in Breda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $355 – making Rotterdam 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 Breda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rotterdam costs about 25% more than Breda, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,401 per month in Rotterdam and $3,530 in Breda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Breda, 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 $2,934 in Rotterdam and $2,354 in Breda. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Breda. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,934 in Rotterdam and $2,354 in Breda. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Breda costs $2,354 versus $2,934 in Rotterdam. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Breda. 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.