Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Eindhoven Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Eindhoven

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,966 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,636 in Eindhoven, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,283 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,740 in Eindhoven, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,599 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,845 in Eindhoven, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 13% more than Eindhoven, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rotterdam and Eindhoven sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 120%, Eindhoven by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.40 €19.92

$22.75 €19.36

2.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.6 €78.8

$85.7 €72.9

7.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.61

$14.08 €11.99

-3.12%

Cappuccino

$4.47 €3.81

$3.85 €3.28

16.10%

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

$3.65 €3.10

$3.72 €3.17

-1.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.46

$3.05 €2.60

-5.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.86

$6.28 €5.34

9.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 €5.00

$5.73 €4.88

2.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.16

$1.33 €1.13

2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.05

$2.07 €1.76

15.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 €2.69

$3.05 €2.59

3.61%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.51

$4.61 €3.92

14.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.86 €11.79

$13.55 €11.53

2.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.35 €12.21

$15.19 €12.93

-5.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 €14.33

$17.15 €14.59

-1.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.31

$2.69 €2.29

0.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.09

$2.49 €2.12

-1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 €1.76

$1.94 €1.65

6.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 €3.31

$3.83 €3.26

1.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.71

$1.99 €1.69

1.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 €1.69

$2.04 €1.73

-2.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.16

$1.26 €1.07

7.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.95

$0.89 €0.76

25.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.09 €11.99

$13.60 €11.58

3.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.34 €6.24

$7.28 €6.19

0.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.60 €1.37

-5.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.24

$2.55 €2.17

3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.50 €3.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.6 €76.2

$85.5 €72.7

4.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 €4.37

$3.68 €3.13

39.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 €1.72

$2.74 €2.33

-26.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.13 €17.98

$30.76 €26.18

-31.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.91

$2.28 €1.94

-1.75%

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

$40.4K €34.4K

$35.0K €29.8K

15.57%

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

$36.3K €30.9K

$38.5K €32.7K

-5.55%

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

$280 €239

$249 €212

12.72%

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

$24.54 €20.88

$21.73 €18.49

12.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 €47.94

$42.49 €36.16

32.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.78 €39.81

$41.26 €35.11

13.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.36 €24.13

$21.21 €18.05

33.71%

Cinema Ticket

$17.18 €14.62

$17.68 €15.04

-2.83%

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

$2,246 €1,911

$2,090 €1,778

7.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K €11.8K

$7,260 €6,179

90.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 €78.2

$90.7 €77.2

1.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 €42.74

$43.69 €37.18

14.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 €109

$111 €94.7

15.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 €151

$123 €105

44.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,757 €1,495

$1,566 €1,333

12.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 €1,235

$1,251 €1,064

16.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 €2,400

$2,314 €1,969

21.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,323 €1,977

$1,880 €1,600

23.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,081 €5,175

$6,582 €5,601

-7.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,185 €3,561

$4,754 €4,045

-11.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,260 €3,625

$4,028 €3,428

5.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.2

-2.86%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: April 12, 2026

Last update for Eindhoven: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,757 in Rotterdam versus $1,566 in Eindhoven. 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 6% 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 $93 in Rotterdam versus $86 in Eindhoven. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $341 – making Eindhoven 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 Eindhoven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,966 in Rotterdam, $2,636 in Eindhoven – roughly 13% apart. Rotterdam 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 $3,954 in Eindhoven. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Eindhoven, 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 $86.0 in Eindhoven. 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 $2,636 in Eindhoven. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,966 in Rotterdam and $2,636 in Eindhoven. 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 $2,636 in Eindhoven to $2,966 in Rotterdam. 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 Eindhoven. 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.