Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Dublin Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Dublin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,966 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,438 in Dublin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,283 per month in Rotterdam vs $5,013 in Dublin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,599 per month in Rotterdam vs $6,588 in Dublin, rent included.

Rotterdam is about 14% cheaper than Dublin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rotterdam and Dublin sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 120%, Dublin by 155%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.40 €19.92

$23.08 €19.64

1.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.6 €78.8

$103 €88.0

-10.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.61

$12.55 €10.68

8.69%

Cappuccino

$4.47 €3.81

$4.73 €4.02

-5.50%

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

$3.65 €3.10

$2.60 €2.22

40.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.46

$2.20 €1.87

31.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.86

$8.13 €6.92

-15.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 €5.00

$7.07 €6.02

-16.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.16

$1.66 €1.41

-18.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.05

$2.21 €1.88

8.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 €2.69

$1.99 €1.70

58.79%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.51

$4.65 €3.96

13.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.86 €11.79

$11.07 €9.42

25.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.35 €12.21

$11.38 €9.68

26.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 €14.33

$14.03 €11.94

20.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.31

$3.21 €2.73

-15.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.09

$2.15 €1.83

14.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 €1.76

$2.96 €2.52

-30.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 €3.31

$5.50 €4.68

-29.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.71

$2.21 €1.88

-9.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.77 €1.51

11.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.16

$1.29 €1.10

5.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.95

$2.07 €1.76

-45.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.09 €11.99

$20.79 €17.69

-32.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.34 €6.24

$13.83 €11.77

-46.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$3.53 €3.00

-57.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.24

$3.99 €3.40

-34.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.50 €3.83

$2.29 €1.94

96.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.6 €76.2

$96.3 €81.9

-6.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 €4.37

$5.25 €4.47

-2.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 €1.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.13 €17.98

$38.26 €32.56

-44.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.91

$2.08 €1.77

7.69%

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

$40.4K €34.4K

$43.1K €36.7K

-6.31%

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

$36.3K €30.9K

$39.6K €33.7K

-8.31%

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

$280 €239

$280 €238

0.20%

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

$24.54 €20.88

$23.70 €20.17

3.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 €47.94

$58.3 €49.61

-3.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.78 €39.81

$59.6 €50.7

-21.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.36 €24.13

$21.90 €18.63

29.50%

Cinema Ticket

$17.18 €14.62

$15.22 €12.95

12.88%

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

$2,246 €1,911

$1,346 €1,145

66.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K €11.8K

$9,758 €8,304

42.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 €78.2

$107 €91.3

-14.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 €42.74

$48.50 €41.27

3.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 €109

$117 €99.1

10.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 €151

$128 €109

38.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,757 €1,495

$2,381 €2,027

-26.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 €1,235

$1,955 €1,664

-25.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 €2,400

$4,022 €3,423

-29.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,323 €1,977

$3,388 €2,883

-31.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,081 €5,175

$7,860 €6,689

-22.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,185 €3,561

$5,983 €5,092

-30.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,260 €3,625

$4,204 €3,577

1.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.04

0.99%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: April 12, 2026

Last update for Dublin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,757 in Rotterdam versus $2,381 in Dublin. 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 1% higher in Rotterdam, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93 in Rotterdam versus $103 in Dublin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $359 – making Rotterdam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Dublin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,966 in Rotterdam, $3,438 in Dublin – roughly 16% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,449 per month in Rotterdam and $5,157 in Dublin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rotterdam, 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 $93.0 in Rotterdam and $103 in Dublin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,966 in Rotterdam and $3,438 in Dublin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,966 in Rotterdam and $3,438 in Dublin. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Rotterdam has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,966 in Rotterdam to $3,438 in Dublin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Rotterdam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dublin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.