Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Bussum Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Bussum

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,074 in Rotterdam versus $2,630 in Bussum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,385 in Rotterdam versus $3,909 in Bussum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,697 in Rotterdam versus $5,189 in Bussum.

Living in Rotterdam is roughly 17% more expensive than in Bussum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 123% above, Bussum 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.11 €23.37

$25.28 €21.79

7.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €79.9

$88.1 €75.9

5.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.85 €11.94

$13.98 €12.05

-0.93%

Cappuccino

$4.71 €4.06

$4.05 €3.49

16.30%

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

$4.07 €3.51

$3.91 €3.37

4.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 €3.12

$3.28 €2.82

10.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.00 €6.03

$5.79 €4.99

20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 €5.17

$5.90 €5.09

1.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.19 €1.02

31.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 €2.08

$1.33 €1.15

81.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$2.48 €2.14

19.35%

Eggs

$5.63 €4.85

$5.08 €4.38

10.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 €10.86

$13.04 €11.24

-3.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.01 €12.08

$16.75 €14.44

-16.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.73 €17.01

$17.64 €15.21

11.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 €2.91

$2.06 €1.78

64.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.37 €2.05

9.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$1.89 €1.63

46.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 €3.09

$2.72 €2.34

31.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 €1.63

$2.09 €1.80

-9.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.63 €1.41

-6.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.27 €1.10

22.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.78 €0.67

84.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.12 €13.04

$14.41 €12.42

4.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.91 €5.96

$6.76 €5.82

2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.51 €1.30

4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.34

$1.83 €1.58

48.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.60 €3.96

$3.56 €3.07

29.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 €98.2

$93.4 €80.5

21.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 €4.27

$4.82 €4.15

2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 €3.10

$3.56 €3.07

0.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$69.8 €60.1

$65.4 €56.4

6.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.54 €2.19

$2.35 €2.03

8.09%

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

$42.4K €36.5K

$40.9K €35.3K

3.57%

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

$40.3K €34.7K

$24.0K €20.7K

67.95%

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

$308 €266

$292 €252

5.67%

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

$22.18 €19.12

$24.78 €21.36

-10.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 €48.59

$51.3 €44.20

9.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 €43.31

$62.2 €53.6

-19.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.97 €25.84

$24.35 €20.99

23.08%

Cinema Ticket

$16.52 €14.24

$17.26 €14.88

-4.29%

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

$2,789 €2,404

$2,376 €2,048

17.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K €11.1K

$8,031 €6,923

60.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.4 €82.2

$62.1 €53.6

53.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 €34.61

$45.75 €39.44

-12.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.2

$91.4 €78.8

26.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 €126

$145 €125

0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,646

$1,713 €1,477

11.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 €1,349

$1,217 €1,049

28.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,226 €2,781

$2,483 €2,141

29.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,400 €2,069

$2,002 €1,726

19.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,130 €5,284

$6,298 €5,429

-2.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,194 €3,615

$6,580 €5,672

-36.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,206 €3,625

$4,856 €4,185

-13.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

4.3

-18.84%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bussum: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,909 in Rotterdam and $1,713 in Bussum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bussum pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $93.0 in Rotterdam vs $88.0 in Bussum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $326 per month, with Bussum 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 Bussum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rotterdam and Bussum differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($3,074 vs $2,630 including rent). Bussum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Bussum. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,909 in Rotterdam versus $1,713 in Bussum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,074 per month in Rotterdam versus $2,630 in Bussum – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bussum runs roughly 22% 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 $3,000. Bussum is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Rotterdam and Bussum 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 Bussum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.