Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Groningen Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Groningen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,122 in Rotterdam versus $2,317 in Groningen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,415 in Rotterdam versus $3,479 in Groningen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,708 in Rotterdam versus $4,641 in Groningen.

Living in Rotterdam is roughly 35% more expensive than in Groningen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 128% above, Groningen 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.04 €23.57

$21.03 €18.33

28.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.8 €81.7

$106 €92.0

-11.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.25

$16.22 €14.14

-13.38%

Cappuccino

$4.60 €4.01

$4.83 €4.21

-4.76%

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

$4.02 €3.51

$3.91 €3.41

2.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 €3.15

$3.27 €2.85

10.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.16 €6.24

$5.91 €5.16

21.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.16 €5.37

$5.82 €5.07

5.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.48 €1.29

5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 €2.15

$2.73 €2.38

-9.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 €2.58

$2.86 €2.49

3.50%

Eggs

$5.68 €4.95

$4.82 €4.20

17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 €10.62

$13.57 €11.83

-10.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.62 €11.87

$13.56 €11.82

0.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.85 €17.30

$21.63 €18.85

-8.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 €2.93

$3.23 €2.81

4.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 €2.28

$2.56 €2.23

2.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 €2.30

$2.60 €2.27

1.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 €3.03

$5.09 €4.44

-31.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.29 €2.00

-19.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 €1.33

$1.68 €1.47

-9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.32 €1.15

12.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.21 €13.26

$15.00 €13.07

1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 €6.01

$7.08 €6.17

-2.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.49 €1.30

6.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.33

$2.59 €2.26

3.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.48 €3.91

$4.33 €3.78

3.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 €101

$70.3 €61.3

65.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 €4.25

$6.75 €5.88

-27.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 €3.05

$2.79 €2.43

25.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.6 €61.5

$30.32 €26.43

132.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 €2.20

$2.61 €2.28

-3.45%

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

$43.3K €37.8K

$42.7K €37.2K

1.57%

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

$40.2K €35.0K

$40.1K €34.9K

0.26%

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

$315 €275

$232 €202

36.06%

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

$22.59 €19.69

$21.34 €18.60

5.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €50.2

$50.7 €44.17

13.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 €44.44

$40.62 €35.41

25.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.20 €26.32

$15.26 €13.30

97.90%

Cinema Ticket

$16.00 €13.95

$17.43 €15.19

-8.20%

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

$2,716 €2,368

$1,787 €1,558

51.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K €11.3K

$8,040 €7,008

61.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.4 €84.1

$110 €95.6

-12.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.50 €35.30

$46.35 €40.41

-12.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €97.8

$106 €92.3

6.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 €126

$205 €178

-29.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 €1,708

$1,380 €1,203

41.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 €1,375

$928 €809

70.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,204 €2,793

$1,947 €1,697

64.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,377 €2,072

$1,459 €1,272

62.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,095 €5,313

$5,500 €4,794

10.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,180 €3,644

$4,040 €3,521

3.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 €3,721

$3,090 €2,693

38.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

3.62

-3.59%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: September 14, 2026

Last update for Groningen: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,959 in Rotterdam and $1,380 in Groningen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rotterdam pays 38% 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: $94.0 in Rotterdam vs $105 in Groningen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $371 per month, with Rotterdam 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 Groningen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Groningen wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Rotterdam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Groningen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 38% 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: $1,959 in Rotterdam versus $1,380 in Groningen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Rotterdam pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Groningen – a meal for two runs $105 versus $94.0 in Rotterdam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Groningen 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 Groningen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,317 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Groningen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Rotterdam and Groningen 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 Groningen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.