Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Den Helder Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Den Helder

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,957 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,378 in Den Helder, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,244 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,535 in Den Helder, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,531 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,692 in Den Helder, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 24% more than Den Helder, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rotterdam and Den Helder sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 121%, Den Helder by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.59 €20.31

$21.22 €18.27

11.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €78.5

$87.4 €75.3

4.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.12

$13.78 €11.86

2.10%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.80

$4.58 €3.95

-3.49%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$4.01 €3.45

-8.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.47

$3.22 €2.77

-11.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$7.05 €6.07

-2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$5.74 €4.94

2.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.33 €1.14

0.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.55 €2.20

-8.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$3.12 €2.69

4.49%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.45

$5.23 €4.51

-1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.78

$14.35 €12.36

-4.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 €12.31

$16.30 €14.04

-12.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 €14.52

$17.36 €14.95

-2.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.44 €2.11

5.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.44 €2.10

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.00 €1.72

-0.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.72 €3.20

5.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.98 €1.70

1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.13 €1.84

-6.57%

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

$14.06 €12.10

-2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 €6.36

$7.28 €6.26

1.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.44 €1.24

10.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.67 €2.30

0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.10

$3.55 €3.05

34.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €78.3

$91.0 €78.4

-0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.38

$3.65 €3.14

39.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.40 €2.06

-14.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 €18.09

$26.65 €22.95

-21.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.22 €1.91

4.50%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$40.7K €35.1K

-1.51%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$39.7K €34.2K

-8.81%

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

$288 €248

$97.3 €83.8

195.96%

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

$24.70 €21.27

$26.66 €22.95

-7.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.60

$47.98 €41.31

20.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 €39.63

$40.44 €34.82

13.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 €24.18

$23.36 €20.12

20.21%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 €15.00

$16.44 €14.15

5.96%

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

$2,223 €1,914

$2,600 €2,239

-14.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.1K

$10.8K €9,284

30.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.4

$115 €99.3

-18.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.45

$60.9 €52.4

-17.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$105 €90.1

21.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$129 €111

41.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 €1,528

$1,430 €1,231

24.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 €1,280

$1,189 €1,024

25.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 €2,470

$2,309 €1,988

24.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,967

$1,753 €1,510

30.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,359

$6,517 €5,612

-4.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,424

$5,181 €4,461

-23.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,564

$2,315 €1,994

78.78%

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 Den Helder: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,774 in Rotterdam versus $1,430 in Den Helder. 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 79% higher in Rotterdam, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Rotterdam versus $87.0 in Den Helder. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Rotterdam vs $359 in Den Helder – so Rotterdam wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Den Helder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 24%, 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 $4,435 per month in Rotterdam and $3,567 in Den Helder. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Rotterdam and $87.0 in Den Helder. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,957 in Rotterdam and $2,378 in Den Helder. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Den Helder, where all-in costs run around $2,378, than in Rotterdam at $2,957. In Den Helder it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Den Helder – 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 Den Helder. 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.