Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Fort Lee, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Fort Lee, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,074 in Rotterdam versus $3,404 in Fort Lee, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,385 in Rotterdam versus $5,449 in Fort Lee, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,697 in Rotterdam versus $7,494 in Fort Lee, NJ.

Living in Rotterdam costs roughly 10% less than in Fort Lee, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 123% above, Fort Lee, NJ 147% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.11 €23.37

$25.15 $25.15

7.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €79.9

$81.8 $81.8

13.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.85 €11.94

$11.14 $11.14

24.33%

Cappuccino

$4.71 €4.06

$5.52 $5.52

-14.67%

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

$4.07 €3.51

$2.21 $2.21

84.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 €3.12

$1.52 $1.52

138.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.00 €6.03

$7.95 $7.95

-11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 €5.17

$7.84 $7.84

-23.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.27 $1.27

23.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 €2.08

$3.90 $3.90

-37.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$6.56 $6.56

-54.88%

Eggs

$5.63 €4.85

$4.70 $4.70

19.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 €10.86

$12.64 $12.64

-0.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.01 €12.08

$12.03 $12.03

16.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.73 €17.01

$17.50 $17.50

12.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 €2.91

$5.32 $5.32

-36.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.78 $1.78

45.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$6.18 $6.18

-55.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 €3.09

$4.81 $4.81

-25.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 €1.63

$4.07 $4.07

-53.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$3.72 $3.72

-59.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.33

$2.89 $2.89

-46.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.71 $2.71

-46.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.12 €13.04

$11.53 $11.53

31.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.91 €5.96

$11.85 $11.85

-41.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.69 $1.69

-6.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.34

$2.02 $2.02

34.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.60 €3.96

$2.70 $2.70

70.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 €98.2

$138 $138

-17.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 €4.27

$2.92 $2.92

69.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 €3.10

$2.01 $2.01

78.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$69.8 €60.1

$24.29 $24.29

187.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.54 €2.19

$0.87 $0.87

191.95%

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

$42.4K €36.5K

$32.0K $32.0K

32.32%

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

$40.3K €34.7K

$24.9K $24.9K

61.65%

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

$308 €266

$207 $207

49.08%

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

$22.18 €19.12

$78.5 $78.5

-71.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 €48.59

$66.8 $66.8

-15.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 €43.31

$125 $125

-59.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.97 €25.84

Cinema Ticket

$16.52 €14.24

$14.56 $14.56

13.46%

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

$2,789 €2,404

$2,000 $2,000

39.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K €11.1K

$23.6K $23.6K

-45.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.4 €82.2

$41.18 $41.18

131.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 €34.61

$58.3 $58.3

-31.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.2

$76.0 $76.0

51.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 €126

$83.8 $83.8

74.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,646

$2,462 $2,462

-22.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 €1,349

$1,755 $1,755

-10.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,226 €2,781

$5,335 $5,335

-39.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,400 €2,069

$4,068 $4,068

-41.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,130 €5,284

$4,284 $4,284

43.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,194 €3,615

$3,730 $3,730

12.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,206 €3,625

$6,631 $6,631

-36.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

6.17

-43.44%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: September 7, 2026

Last update for Fort Lee, NJ: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,909 in Rotterdam and $2,462 in Fort Lee, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 58% 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: $93.0 in Rotterdam vs $82.0 in Fort Lee, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $362 vs $433, with Rotterdam cheaper for home cooking.

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 Fort Lee, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rotterdam wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Fort Lee, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rotterdam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 58% lower in Fort Lee, NJ. 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: $1,909 in Rotterdam versus $2,462 in Fort Lee, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,074 per month in Rotterdam versus $3,404 in Fort Lee, NJ – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rotterdam runs roughly 21% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Rotterdam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,074 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rotterdam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Rotterdam and Fort Lee, NJ 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 Rotterdam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.