Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Drachten Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Drachten

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,914 in Rotterdam versus $2,028 in Drachten.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,233 in Rotterdam versus $2,907 in Drachten.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,553 in Rotterdam versus $3,787 in Drachten.

Living in Rotterdam is roughly 44% more expensive than in Drachten, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 118% above, Drachten 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.60 €20.67

$18.48 €16.18

27.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 €79.9

$73.0 €63.9

24.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.92 €12.19

$12.94 €11.33

7.57%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.82

$3.37 €2.95

29.38%

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

$3.49 €3.06

$3.08 €2.70

13.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.57

$2.56 €2.24

14.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 €6.21

$5.66 €4.96

25.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 €5.08

$4.07 €3.56

42.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.23 €1.08

8.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.10

$1.39 €1.22

72.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 €2.83

$1.66 €1.46

94.58%

Eggs

$5.23 €4.58

$4.75 €4.16

10.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.74 €12.03

$13.64 €11.95

0.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.23 €12.46

$13.74 €12.04

3.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.89 €14.79

$12.82 €11.23

31.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.29

$2.41 €2.11

8.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 €2.14

$2.53 €2.21

-3.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.94 €1.70

7.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 €3.54

$3.30 €2.89

22.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.83

$1.75 €1.53

19.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$1.60 €1.40

24.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.28 €1.12

3.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.03

$0.68 €0.59

72.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.65 €11.95

$9.51 €8.33

43.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.01 €6.14

$6.87 €6.02

2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.33 €1.16

15.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.38

$2.82 €2.47

-3.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.70 €4.12

$3.93 €3.44

19.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €79.7

$45.21 €39.59

101.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.26 €4.61

$4.28 €3.75

22.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.61 €2.28

-21.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.21 €18.57

$51.5 €45.12

-58.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.96

$2.21 €1.93

1.36%

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

$40.4K €35.4K

$44.8K €39.2K

-9.66%

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

$35.5K €31.1K

$39.0K €34.2K

-9.02%

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

$285 €250

$265 €232

7.39%

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

$23.95 €20.97

$30.25 €26.49

-20.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 €48.87

$52.7 €46.11

5.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.62 €39.96

$57.6 €50.5

-20.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.20 €24.70

$23.25 €20.36

21.29%

Cinema Ticket

$17.01 €14.90

$15.13 €13.25

12.43%

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

$2,268 €1,986

$1,871 €1,639

21.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.2K

$6,225 €5,452

124.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 €82.2

$91.2 €79.9

2.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 €44.48

$46.39 €40.63

9.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €111

$85.8 €75.1

47.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 €155

$90.3 €79.1

96.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 €1,540

$922 €808

90.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 €1,272

$739 €648

96.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,834 €2,482

$1,407 €1,233

101.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 €2,017

$1,048 €917

119.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,997 €5,252

$4,567 €4,000

31.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,900 €3,416

$3,473 €3,042

12.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,092 €3,584

$2,616 €2,291

56.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.25

25.54%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: July 13, 2026

Last update for Drachten: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,758 in Rotterdam and $922 in Drachten. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rotterdam pays 56% 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: $91.0 in Rotterdam vs $73.0 in Drachten for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $299 per month, with Drachten 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 Drachten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Drachten is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 56% higher in Rotterdam, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,758 in Rotterdam versus $922 in Drachten. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,268 in Rotterdam versus $1,871 in Drachten. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Rotterdam. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,028 in Drachten versus $2,914 in Rotterdam, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Drachten but tight or insufficient in Rotterdam. The gap between the two cities makes Drachten the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Drachten 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 Drachten 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 Drachten gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.