Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Hengelo Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Hengelo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,957 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,275 in Hengelo, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,244 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,458 in Hengelo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,531 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,641 in Hengelo, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 30% more than Hengelo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rotterdam and Hengelo sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 121%, Hengelo by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.59 €20.31

$20.58 €17.73

14.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €78.5

$86.6 €74.6

5.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.12

$13.85 €11.93

1.59%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.80

$3.98 €3.43

11.06%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$4.08 €3.52

-10.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.47

$2.76 €2.37

3.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$6.91 €5.95

-0.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$5.88 €5.06

0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.26 €1.08

6.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.23 €1.92

4.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$3.01 €2.60

8.31%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.45

$4.55 €3.91

13.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.78

$14.18 €12.21

-3.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 €12.31

$15.20 €13.09

-5.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 €14.52

$17.09 €14.72

-1.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.44 €2.10

5.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.54 €2.18

-2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.02 €1.74

-1.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.88 €3.35

0.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.95 €1.68

3.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.94 €1.67

2.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.23 €1.06

11.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.73 €0.63

60.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 €11.78

$14.03 €12.08

-2.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 €6.36

$7.29 €6.28

1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.43 €1.23

11.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.64 €2.27

1.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.10

$5.29 €4.55

-10.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €78.3

$94.0 €80.9

-3.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.38

$3.59 €3.09

41.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.41 €2.07

-14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 €18.09

$27.15 €23.37

-22.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.33 €2.01

-0.43%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$33.8K €29.1K

18.82%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$35.6K €30.7K

1.61%

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

$288 €248

$286 €246

0.70%

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

$24.70 €21.27

$26.69 €22.98

-7.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.60

$47.43 €40.84

21.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 €39.63

$30.79 €26.51

49.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 €24.18

$23.49 €20.22

19.54%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 €15.00

$16.11 €13.87

8.13%

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

$2,223 €1,914

$1,096 €943

102.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.1K

$11.2K €9,607

25.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.4

$113 €97.1

-16.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.45

$45.95 €39.57

9.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$100 €86.3

27.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$130 €112

40.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 €1,528

$1,366 €1,176

29.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 €1,280

$849 €731

75.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 €2,470

$1,888 €1,626

51.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,967

$1,515 €1,305

50.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,359

$5,767 €4,966

7.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,424

$4,723 €4,067

-15.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,564

$2,776 €2,391

49.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.39

-7.06%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hengelo: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,774 in Rotterdam versus $1,366 in Hengelo. 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 49% higher in Rotterdam, 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 $91.0 in Rotterdam versus $87.0 in Hengelo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $340 – making Hengelo 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 Hengelo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,957 in Rotterdam, $2,275 in Hengelo – roughly 30% apart. Rotterdam costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,435 per month in Rotterdam and $3,413 in Hengelo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 2% more in Rotterdam, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Rotterdam and $87.0 in Hengelo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,957 in Rotterdam and $2,275 in Hengelo. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Rotterdam has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,275 in Hengelo to $2,957 in Rotterdam. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Hengelo. 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.