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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,934 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,418 in Geleen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,269 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,514 in Geleen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,603 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,611 in Geleen, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 21% more than Geleen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rotterdam and Geleen sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 120%, Geleen by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.40 €20.26

$17.11 €14.81

36.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.7 €81.1

$81.2 €70.3

15.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.17 €12.27

$12.48 €10.81

13.54%

Cappuccino

$4.33 €3.75

$3.97 €3.44

9.07%

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

$3.67 €3.18

$3.18 €2.75

15.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.59

$2.34 €2.02

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 €5.98

$6.21 €5.38

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 €4.93

$5.34 €4.63

6.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.25 €1.09

8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.08

$2.11 €1.82

13.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 €2.74

$3.27 €2.84

-3.36%

Eggs

$5.33 €4.62

$4.63 €4.01

15.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 €11.74

$13.49 €11.68

0.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.82 €11.97

$15.38 €13.32

-10.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 €15.02

$17.16 €14.86

1.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.35

$2.28 €1.98

18.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$2.55 €2.21

-3.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.89 €1.63

10.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 €3.50

$4.27 €3.69

-5.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.09 €1.81

-5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.10 €1.82

-9.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.22 €1.05

12.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.76 €0.66

53.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 €12.21

$14.58 €12.62

-3.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.69 €5.80

$6.93 €6.01

-3.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.50 €1.30

2.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.36

$2.78 €2.41

-1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.67 €4.05

$3.61 €3.12

29.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.1 €78.0

$93.0 €80.6

-3.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 €4.46

$3.53 €3.05

45.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.79

$2.17 €1.88

-4.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.70 €17.93

$29.05 €25.16

-28.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.01

$2.22 €1.92

4.50%

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

$40.3K €34.9K

$37.2K €32.2K

8.48%

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

$35.1K €30.4K

$32.9K €28.5K

6.68%

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

$285 €247

$197 €171

44.36%

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

$24.60 €21.30

$24.93 €21.59

-1.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 €49.70

$40.30 €34.90

42.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.72 €39.59

$40.86 €35.38

11.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.97 €25.09

$22.89 €19.83

26.56%

Cinema Ticket

$17.32 €15.00

$14.83 €12.84

16.79%

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

$2,278 €1,973

$1,589 €1,376

43.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K €12.0K

$6,324 €5,477

118.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 €80.0

$74.7 €64.7

23.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.77

$37.72 €32.67

33.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 €112

$118 €102

9.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$132 €114

37.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 €1,516

$1,399 €1,211

25.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 €1,245

$1,153 €998

24.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,899 €2,510

$2,258 €1,955

28.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,304 €1,995

$1,754 €1,519

31.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,985 €5,183

$5,555 €4,810

7.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,046 €3,504

$4,717 €4,085

-14.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,037 €3,496

$4,477 €3,877

-9.83%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Geleen: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,750 in Rotterdam versus $1,399 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 11% 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 $94.0 in Rotterdam versus $81.0 in Geleen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $341 – 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 21%, 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 $4,401 per month in Rotterdam and $3,626 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 3% less in Geleen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,278 per month in Rotterdam and $1,589 in Geleen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,934 in Rotterdam and $2,418 in Geleen. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.