Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Dordrecht Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Dordrecht

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,957 in Rotterdam versus $2,540 in Dordrecht.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,244 in Rotterdam versus $3,621 in Dordrecht.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,531 in Rotterdam versus $4,701 in Dordrecht.

Living in Rotterdam is roughly 16% more expensive than Dordrecht, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 121% above, Dordrecht 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.59 €20.31

$17.28 €14.88

36.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €78.5

$94.3 €81.2

-3.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.11

$12.95 €11.15

8.65%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.80

$3.86 €3.32

14.51%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$3.39 €2.92

7.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.47

$3.12 €2.68

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$6.73 €5.80

2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$5.83 €5.02

1.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.28 €1.10

4.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.26 €1.94

3.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$3.15 €2.71

3.49%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.45

$4.60 €3.96

12.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.77

$14.24 €12.26

-3.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 €12.31

$15.33 €13.20

-6.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 €14.51

$16.79 €14.45

0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.37 €2.04

8.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.46 €2.12

0.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.04 €1.76

-2.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$4.67 €4.02

-16.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.03 €1.75

-0.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.10 €1.81

-5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.25 €1.07

9.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.85 €0.73

37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 €11.78

$13.69 €11.79

-0.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 €6.36

$7.48 €6.44

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.50 €1.29

6.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.61 €2.25

2.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.10

$4.66 €4.01

2.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €78.3

$93.0 €80.1

-2.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.38

$3.79 €3.26

34.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 €18.08

$27.72 €23.86

-24.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.30 €1.98

0.87%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$35.5K €30.6K

12.91%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$33.2K €28.6K

9.16%

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

$288 €248

$238 €205

21.04%

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

$24.70 €21.26

$28.98 €24.95

-14.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.58

$54.3 €46.73

6.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 €39.62

$40.59 €34.94

13.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 €24.17

$24.81 €21.36

13.18%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 €15.00

$16.29 €14.02

6.94%

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

$2,223 €1,913

$2,192 €1,887

1.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.1K

$6,859 €5,905

104.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.3

$87.7 €75.5

7.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.44

$34.59 €29.78

45.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$94.8 €81.7

34.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$153 €132

19.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 €1,527

$1,607 €1,383

10.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 €1,280

$1,225 €1,054

21.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 €2,470

$2,284 €1,966

25.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,967

$1,705 €1,468

33.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,358

$4,355 €3,749

42.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,424

$4,020 €3,460

-1.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,564

$5,433 €4,678

-23.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.3

-5.12%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dordrecht: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,774 in Rotterdam and $1,607 in Dordrecht. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dordrecht pays 31% 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 $94.0 in Dordrecht for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $347 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 Dordrecht: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dordrecht is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Dordrecht earns 31% 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 $1,607 in Dordrecht. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Rotterdam pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Dordrecht – a meal for two runs $94.0 versus $91.0 in Rotterdam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Dordrecht is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Dordrecht 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.

Safety-wise, Rotterdam and Dordrecht 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 Dordrecht gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.