Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Geleen Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Geleen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,987 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,409 in Geleen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,344 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,530 in Geleen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,700 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,651 in Geleen, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 24% more than Geleen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rotterdam and Geleen sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 124%, Geleen by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.73 €19.83

$17.56 €15.32

29.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.2 €81.3

$82.4 €71.9

13.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.69 €11.95

$12.51 €10.92

9.43%

Cappuccino

$4.33 €3.78

$3.86 €3.37

12.18%

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

$3.60 €3.14

$3.09 €2.70

16.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.55

$2.35 €2.05

24.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 €6.16

$5.96 €5.20

18.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.98

$5.41 €4.72

5.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.13

$1.32 €1.15

-2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 €2.11

$2.14 €1.87

13.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 €2.80

$3.22 €2.81

-0.31%

Eggs

$5.07 €4.43

$4.60 €4.02

10.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 €12.19

$13.53 €11.81

3.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.89 €12.12

$15.88 €13.86

-12.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.06 €14.89

$16.69 €14.56

2.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 €2.29

$2.28 €1.99

14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 €2.20

$2.50 €2.18

0.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 €1.75

$1.96 €1.71

2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 €3.58

$4.31 €3.76

-4.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.05 €1.79

-3.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 €1.70

$2.09 €1.82

-6.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.25 €1.09

11.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.75 €0.65

52.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.06 €12.27

$14.42 €12.58

-2.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.40 €6.46

$6.89 €6.01

7.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.50 €1.31

6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 €2.28

$2.81 €2.45

-7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.61 €4.02

$3.63 €3.17

27.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.4 €78.9

$91.7 €80.0

-1.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.26 €4.59

$3.43 €3.00

53.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.16 €1.88

-5.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.84 €18.19

$29.09 €25.38

-28.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.02

$2.26 €1.97

2.65%

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

$40.9K €35.7K

$36.4K €31.8K

12.46%

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

$35.6K €31.1K

$32.4K €28.2K

10.09%

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

$286 €249

$200 €175

42.75%

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

$24.62 €21.48

$24.75 €21.59

-0.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 €49.09

$40.52 €35.36

38.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 €40.88

$39.91 €34.82

17.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.18 €24.59

$22.86 €19.94

23.27%

Cinema Ticket

$17.26 €15.06

$14.79 €12.90

16.70%

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

$2,236 €1,951

$1,546 €1,349

44.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K €12.3K

$6,414 €5,596

119.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.9 €81.0

$73.5 €64.1

26.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.45 €43.14

$38.77 €33.83

27.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €110

$121 €106

3.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €158

$128 €112

41.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,736 €1,515

$1,402 €1,223

23.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 €1,252

$1,193 €1,041

20.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,808 €2,450

$2,245 €1,959

25.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 €1,982

$1,759 €1,535

29.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,308 €5,504

$6,225 €5,431

1.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,961 €3,456

$5,318 €4,640

-25.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,096 €3,574

$4,599 €4,012

-10.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.33

-5.77%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: June 15, 2026

Last update for Geleen: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,736 in Rotterdam versus $1,402 in Geleen. 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 12% higher in Geleen, 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 $93.0 in Rotterdam versus $82.0 in Geleen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $343 – making Geleen 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 Geleen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,481 per month in Rotterdam and $3,613 in Geleen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Geleen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Geleen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,236 per month in Rotterdam and $1,546 in Geleen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Geleen, where all-in costs run around $2,409, than in Rotterdam at $2,987. In Geleen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Geleen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Geleen. 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.