Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Haarlem Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Haarlem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,074 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,332 in Haarlem, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,385 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,608 in Haarlem, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,697 per month in Rotterdam vs $5,883 in Haarlem, rent included.

Rotterdam is about 8% cheaper than Haarlem, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rotterdam and Haarlem sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 123%, Haarlem by 142%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.11 €23.37

$29.16 €25.14

-7.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €79.9

$105 €90.5

-11.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.85 €11.94

$14.04 €12.11

-1.35%

Cappuccino

$4.71 €4.06

$4.50 €3.88

4.67%

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

$4.07 €3.51

$4.12 €3.56

-1.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 €3.12

$3.37 €2.90

7.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.00 €6.03

$7.62 €6.57

-8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 €5.17

$5.69 €4.91

5.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.45 €1.25

8.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 €2.08

$2.96 €2.55

-18.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$2.74 €2.36

8.03%

Eggs

$5.63 €4.85

$4.87 €4.20

15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 €10.86

$14.45 €12.46

-12.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.01 €12.08

$13.59 €11.71

3.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.73 €17.01

$22.12 €19.07

-10.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 €2.91

$3.12 €2.69

8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.60 €2.24

-0.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$1.92 €1.65

44.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 €3.09

$5.27 €4.54

-32.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.99 €1.71

-5.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.35 €2.03

-35.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.28 €1.10

21.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.05 €0.90

37.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.12 €13.04

$14.74 €12.70

2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.91 €5.96

$8.04 €6.93

-14.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.56 €1.34

1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.34

$2.55 €2.20

6.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.60 €3.96

$2.93 €2.52

57.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 €98.2

$84.5 €72.9

34.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 €4.27

$6.44 €5.55

-23.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 €3.10

$2.52 €2.17

42.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$69.8 €60.1

$26.84 €23.14

159.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.54 €2.19

$2.58 €2.22

-1.55%

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

$42.4K €36.5K

$42.3K €36.5K

0.09%

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

$40.3K €34.7K

$41.1K €35.4K

-1.82%

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

$308 €266

$259 €224

18.90%

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

$22.18 €19.12

$24.85 €21.42

-10.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 €48.59

$62.0 €53.5

-9.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 €43.31

$59.2 €51.0

-15.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.97 €25.84

$29.35 €25.30

2.11%

Cinema Ticket

$16.52 €14.24

$17.03 €14.68

-2.99%

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

$2,789 €2,404

$2,742 €2,364

1.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K €11.1K

$6,898 €5,946

87.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.4 €82.2

$90.3 €77.8

5.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 €34.61

$64.2 €55.3

-37.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.2

$104 €89.4

10.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 €126

$150 €129

-2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,646

$2,053 €1,770

-7.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 €1,349

$1,772 €1,528

-11.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,226 €2,781

$3,010 €2,595

7.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,400 €2,069

$2,428 €2,093

-1.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,130 €5,284

$8,009 €6,904

-23.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,194 €3,615

$5,955 €5,134

-29.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,206 €3,625

$4,310 €3,715

-2.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

3.81

-8.40%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: September 7, 2026

Last update for Haarlem: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,909 in Rotterdam versus $2,053 in Haarlem. 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 2% higher in Haarlem, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Rotterdam versus $105 in Haarlem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $375 – making Rotterdam 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 Haarlem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haarlem costs about 8% more than Rotterdam, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,611 per month in Rotterdam and $4,998 in Haarlem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Rotterdam and $105 in Haarlem. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,074 in Rotterdam and $3,332 in Haarlem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,074 in Rotterdam and $3,332 in Haarlem. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rotterdam costs $3,074 versus $3,332 in Haarlem. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Rotterdam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Haarlem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.