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: $2,957 in Rotterdam versus $2,682 in Bussum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,244 in Rotterdam versus $3,970 in Bussum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,531 in Rotterdam versus $5,257 in Bussum.

Living in Rotterdam is roughly 10% more expensive than Bussum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 121% above, Bussum 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.59 €20.31

$28.76 €24.76

-17.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €78.5

$104 €89.5

-12.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.12

$13.96 €12.02

0.79%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.80

$4.46 €3.84

-0.90%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$4.13 €3.56

-11.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.47

$3.47 €2.98

-17.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$6.80 €5.86

1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$5.93 €5.11

-0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.43 €1.23

-6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.52 €2.17

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$3.05 €2.62

6.89%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.45

$5.27 €4.54

-1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.78

$14.52 €12.50

-5.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 €12.31

$16.03 €13.81

-10.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 €14.52

$18.38 €15.83

-8.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.57 €2.21

0.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.43 €2.09

1.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.91 €1.65

4.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.68 €3.17

6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.15 €1.85

-6.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.92 €1.66

3.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.34 €1.16

2.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.14 €0.98

2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 €11.78

$14.26 €12.28

-4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 €6.36

$7.34 €6.32

0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.50 €1.29

6.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.48 €2.14

8.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.10

$3.50 €3.01

36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €78.3

$93.6 €80.6

-2.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.38

$4.66 €4.02

9.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.45 €2.11

-15.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 €18.09

$26.72 €23.01

-21.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.24 €1.93

3.57%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$41.2K €35.5K

-2.70%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$38.7K €33.3K

-6.47%

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

$288 €248

$295 €254

-2.44%

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

$24.70 €21.27

$28.22 €24.30

-12.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.60

$58.9 €50.7

-2.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 €39.63

$61.9 €53.3

-25.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 €24.18

$23.12 €19.91

21.45%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 €15.00

$17.04 €14.68

2.23%

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

$2,223 €1,914

$2,613 €2,250

-14.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.1K

$8,172 €7,037

71.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.4

$109 €93.9

-13.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.45

$54.2 €46.66

-6.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$106 €90.9

20.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$145 €125

25.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 €1,528

$1,690 €1,455

4.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 €1,280

$1,153 €993

28.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 €2,470

$2,263 €1,948

26.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,967

$1,722 €1,483

32.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,359

$6,303 €5,428

-1.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,424

$6,612 €5,694

-39.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,564

$4,787 €4,122

-13.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.39

-7.06%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bussum: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,774 in Rotterdam and $1,690 in Bussum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bussum pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $91.0 in Rotterdam vs $104 in Bussum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $362 per month, with Rotterdam 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 10% in total monthly costs ($2,957 vs $2,682 including rent). Bussum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bussum earns 16% less. 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: $1,774 in Rotterdam versus $1,690 in Bussum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,957 per month in Rotterdam versus $2,682 in Bussum – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bussum runs roughly 3% 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 10% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.