Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Hilversum Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Hilversum

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,122 in Rotterdam versus $3,015 in Hilversum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,415 in Rotterdam versus $4,326 in Hilversum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,708 in Rotterdam versus $5,636 in Hilversum.

Living in Rotterdam is roughly 4% more expensive than in Hilversum, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 128% above, Hilversum 120% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.04 €23.57

$28.39 €24.75

-4.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.8 €81.7

$80.1 €69.8

17.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.25

$17.48 €15.24

-19.62%

Cappuccino

$4.60 €4.01

$4.62 €4.03

-0.43%

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

$4.02 €3.51

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 €3.15

$3.04 €2.65

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.16 €6.24

$5.63 €4.91

27.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.16 €5.37

$5.87 €5.12

4.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.24 €1.08

25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 €2.15

$2.45 €2.14

0.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 €2.58

$3.63 €3.17

-18.46%

Eggs

$5.68 €4.95

$5.44 €4.75

4.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 €10.62

$12.67 €11.05

-3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.62 €11.87

$17.16 €14.96

-20.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.85 €17.30

$17.53 €15.28

13.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 €2.93

$2.10 €1.83

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 €2.28

$2.47 €2.15

6.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 €2.30

$1.93 €1.68

36.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 €3.03

$3.42 €2.98

1.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.17 €1.89

-15.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 €1.33

$2.18 €1.90

-30.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.20 €1.04

24.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.13

$1.15 €1.01

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.21 €13.26

$12.92 €11.26

17.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 €6.01

$7.04 €6.13

-1.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.53 €1.34

3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.33

$2.75 €2.40

-2.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.48 €3.91

$3.80 €3.32

17.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 €101

$68.0 €59.3

71.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 €4.25

$5.86 €5.11

-16.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 €3.05

$3.42 €2.98

2.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.6 €61.5

$23.42 €20.42

201.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 €2.20

$2.35 €2.04

7.23%

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

$43.3K €37.8K

$42.5K €37.1K

1.85%

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

$40.2K €35.0K

$44.2K €38.5K

-9.06%

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

$315 €275

$272 €237

15.79%

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

$22.59 €19.69

$29.81 €25.98

-24.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €50.2

$65.5 €57.1

-12.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 €44.44

$70.6 €61.5

-27.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.20 €26.32

$34.81 €30.34

-13.24%

Cinema Ticket

$16.00 €13.95

$17.62 €15.36

-9.19%

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

$2,716 €2,368

$716 €624

279.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K €11.3K

$16.1K €14.0K

-19.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.4 €84.1

$114 €99.1

-15.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.50 €35.30

$49.87 €43.47

-18.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €97.8

$95.0 €82.8

18.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 €126

$150 €131

-3.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 €1,708

$1,747 €1,523

12.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 €1,375

$1,512 €1,318

4.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,204 €2,793

$3,034 €2,645

5.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,377 €2,072

$2,376 €2,071

0.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,095 €5,313

$7,064 €6,157

-13.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,180 €3,644

$5,456 €4,756

-23.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 €3,721

$4,029 €3,512

5.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

4.3

-18.84%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: September 14, 2026

Last update for Hilversum: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,959 in Rotterdam and $1,747 in Hilversum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rotterdam pays 6% 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 $80.0 in Hilversum. Groceries flip the comparison at $357 vs $357, with Rotterdam cheaper for home cooking.

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 Hilversum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rotterdam and Hilversum differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($3,122 vs $3,015 including rent). Hilversum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% 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 $1,747 in Hilversum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hilversum runs roughly 71% less than in Rotterdam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,716 in Rotterdam versus $716 in Hilversum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Hilversum is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Rotterdam and Hilversum 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 Hilversum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.