Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Enschede Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Enschede

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,914 in Rotterdam versus $2,435 in Enschede.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,233 in Rotterdam versus $3,844 in Enschede.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,553 in Rotterdam versus $5,252 in Enschede.

Living in Rotterdam is roughly 20% more expensive than in Enschede, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 118% above, Enschede 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.60 €20.67

$19.32 €16.92

22.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 €79.9

$87.2 €76.4

4.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.92 €12.19

$14.02 €12.28

-0.71%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.82

$4.01 €3.51

8.73%

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

$3.49 €3.06

$2.81 €2.46

24.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.57

$2.07 €1.81

41.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 €6.21

$6.83 €5.98

3.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 €5.08

$5.85 €5.12

-0.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.26 €1.10

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.10

$2.32 €2.03

3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 €2.83

$3.30 €2.89

-2.12%

Eggs

$5.23 €4.58

$4.55 €3.99

14.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.74 €12.03

$12.96 €11.35

6.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.23 €12.46

$15.47 €13.55

-8.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.89 €14.79

$16.64 €14.57

1.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.29

$2.20 €1.93

18.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 €2.14

$2.53 €2.21

-3.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.95 €1.70

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 €3.54

$3.73 €3.26

8.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.83

$2.14 €1.88

-2.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$1.94 €1.70

2.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.21 €1.06

9.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.03

$0.74 €0.64

58.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.65 €11.95

$14.36 €12.58

-4.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.01 €6.14

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.54 €1.35

-0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.38

$2.85 €2.50

-4.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.70 €4.12

$2.95 €2.58

59.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €79.7

$117 €102

-22.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.26 €4.61

$4.13 €3.62

27.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.45 €2.15

-16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.21 €18.57

$26.20 €22.95

-19.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.96

$2.18 €1.91

2.75%

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

$40.4K €35.4K

$41.8K €36.6K

-3.16%

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

$35.5K €31.1K

$36.7K €32.1K

-3.14%

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

$285 €250

$256 €225

11.09%

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

$23.95 €20.97

$29.36 €25.72

-18.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 €48.87

$42.00 €36.78

32.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.62 €39.96

$35.93 €31.47

26.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.20 €24.70

$6.99 €6.12

303.43%

Cinema Ticket

$17.01 €14.90

$15.59 €13.66

9.11%

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

$2,268 €1,986

$1,097 €961

106.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.2K

$9,196 €8,054

51.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 €82.2

$89.6 €78.5

4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 €44.48

$38.72 €33.92

31.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €111

$96.6 €84.6

30.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 €155

$108 €94.8

63.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 €1,540

$1,461 €1,279

20.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 €1,272

$1,057 €926

37.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,834 €2,482

$2,650 €2,321

6.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 €2,017

$2,212 €1,937

4.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,997 €5,252

$4,636 €4,060

29.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,900 €3,416

$3,248 €2,845

20.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,092 €3,584

$2,947 €2,581

38.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.6

-11.30%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: July 13, 2026

Last update for Enschede: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,758 in Rotterdam and $1,461 in Enschede. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rotterdam pays 39% 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 $87.0 in Enschede for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $337 per month, with Enschede 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 Enschede: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rotterdam and Enschede differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($2,914 vs $2,435 including rent). Enschede is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 39% 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 $1,461 in Enschede. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,914 per month in Rotterdam versus $2,435 in Enschede – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Enschede runs roughly 28% less than in Rotterdam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,435 in Enschede versus $2,914 in Rotterdam, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Enschede but tight or insufficient in Rotterdam. The gap between the two cities makes Enschede the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Rotterdam and Enschede 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 Enschede gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.