Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Deventer

For one person, living is cheaper in Deventer: $2,477 a month against $3,047 in Rotterdam, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rotterdam
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$3,047
/mo nomad
Deventer
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,477
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rotterdam and in Deventer

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rotterdam and in Deventer actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,047 in Rotterdam versus $2,477 in Deventer.

  • Rotterdam $3,047
  • Deventer $2,477

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,256 in Rotterdam versus $3,595 in Deventer.

  • Rotterdam $4,256
  • Deventer $3,595

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,466 in Rotterdam versus $4,713 in Deventer.

  • Rotterdam $5,466
  • Deventer $4,713

Living in Rotterdam is roughly 23% more expensive than in Deventer, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 125% above, Deventer 83% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rotterdam
Deventer
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.91 €18.60
$16.80 €14.95
24.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.4 €74.2
$80.9 €72.0
3.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 €11.74
$13.30 €11.83
-0.75%
Cappuccino
$4.37 €3.89
$4.30 €3.82
1.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.89 €3.46
$3.88 €3.45
0.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 €3.12
$2.19 €1.95
60.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.25 €6.45
$5.63 €5.00
28.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.98 €5.32
$3.29 €2.93
81.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rotterdam
Deventer
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.33 €1.18
10.53%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 €2.05
$1.51 €1.35
52.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.96 €2.64
$2.65 €2.35
11.70%
Eggs
$5.24 €4.66
$4.38 €3.89
19.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.22 €10.87
$13.73 €12.21
-11.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.37 €11.90
$12.81 €11.39
4.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.62 €16.56
$16.86 €14.99
10.44%
Apples (1kg)
$3.38 €3.01
$1.95 €1.74
73.33%
Banana (1kg)
$2.53 €2.25
$2.41 €2.14
4.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.56 €2.28
$1.77 €1.57
44.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.51 €3.13
$3.93 €3.50
-10.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.70 €1.51
$1.85 €1.65
-8.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.47 €1.31
$2.05 €1.83
-28.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.13 €1.00
30.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.14
$1.07 €0.95
20.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.61 €12.99
$14.21 €12.64
2.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.67 €5.93
$6.65 €5.92
0.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 €1.30
$1.26 €1.12
16.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 €2.24
$2.86 €2.55
-11.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Rotterdam
Deventer
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.40 €3.92
$3.36 €2.99
30.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$111 €98.6
$88.3 €78.6
25.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.73 €4.21
$8.38 €7.46
-43.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.48 €3.10
$1.93 €1.71
80.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$68.4 €60.9
$22.13 €19.68
209.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.59 €2.31
$2.41 €2.14
7.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.3K €37.6K
$41.2K €36.7K
2.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.4K €35.0K
$38.4K €34.1K
2.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rotterdam
Deventer
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$297 €264
$310 €275
-3.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.43 €19.06
$26.66 €23.72
-19.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.6 €49.49
$44.11 €39.24
26.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rotterdam
Deventer
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.98 €42.68
$29.32 €26.08
63.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.31 €26.07
$24.23 €21.55
20.97%
Cinema Ticket
$15.40 €13.69
$16.37 €14.56
-5.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rotterdam
Deventer
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,677 €2,381
$2,478 €2,204
8.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K €11.4K
$7,845 €6,978
63.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rotterdam
Deventer
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.3 €84.7
$76.3 €67.9
24.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.44 €35.08
$40.67 €36.17
-3.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 €98.2
$89.0 €79.2
23.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 €124
$101 €89.4
38.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rotterdam
Deventer
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,968 €1,750
$1,426 €1,269
37.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,588 €1,412
$1,176 €1,046
35.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,116 €2,771
$2,384 €2,121
30.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,281 €2,029
$1,885 €1,677
21.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,925 €5,271
$5,289 €4,705
12.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,979 €3,539
$4,345 €3,865
-8.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rotterdam
Deventer
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,135 €3,678
$3,288 €2,925
25.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.49
3.65
-4.38%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: October 19, 2026

Last update for Deventer: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rotterdam
$1.6K
Deventer
$1.2K 25.9% $412
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rotterdam
$374
Deventer
$380 1.6% $6.1
Groceries & Markets
Rotterdam
$345
Deventer
$316 8.5% $29
Eating Out
Rotterdam
$337
Deventer
$285 15.5% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Rotterdam
$173
Deventer
$138 20.2% $35
Getting Around
Rotterdam
$151
Deventer
$120 20.5% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Rotterdam
$79
Deventer
$62 21.2% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,968 in Rotterdam and $1,426 in Deventer. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rotterdam pays 26% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $83.0 in Rotterdam vs $81.0 in Deventer for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $316 per month, with Deventer cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Rotterdam
🇳🇱 Deventer
🕒 Local time
14:47 2:47 PM
14:47 2:47 PM
Same time as Rotterdam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
572,392
102,781
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rotterdam Deventer 130 km
From you
  • Rotterdam
  • Deventer

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Deventer: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Deventer cheaper than Rotterdam?
Deventer is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Rotterdam or Deventer?
Average pay runs 26% higher in Rotterdam, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Rotterdam and Deventer?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,968 in Rotterdam versus $1,426 in Deventer. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $2,677 in Rotterdam versus $2,478 in Deventer. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Rotterdam and in Deventer?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Rotterdam. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Rotterdam or in Deventer?
At $2,477 in Deventer versus $3,047 in Rotterdam, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Deventer but tight or insufficient in Rotterdam. The gap between the two cities makes Deventer the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Rotterdam or Deventer more family-friendly?
For families, Deventer is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rotterdam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Rotterdam or Deventer?
Safety-wise, Rotterdam and Deventer are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Deventer gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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