Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Ijmuiden Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Ijmuiden

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,167 in Rotterdam versus $2,553 in Ijmuiden.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,431 in Rotterdam versus $3,696 in Ijmuiden.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,695 in Rotterdam versus $4,839 in Ijmuiden.

Living in Rotterdam is roughly 24% more expensive than in Ijmuiden, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 131% above, Ijmuiden 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.15 €23.23

$20.01 €17.11

35.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 €79.0

$69.6 €59.6

32.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.03 €12.00

$12.93 €11.06

8.51%

Cappuccino

$4.64 €3.97

$4.56 €3.90

1.75%

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

$4.06 €3.47

$3.88 €3.32

4.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 €2.99

$3.23 €2.76

8.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 €6.05

$3.50 €2.99

102.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 €5.08

$5.33 €4.56

11.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.36

$1.29 €1.11

24.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 €2.06

$2.57 €2.19

-6.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 €2.64

$2.70 €2.31

14.07%

Eggs

$5.41 €4.63

$4.66 €3.98

16.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 €10.75

$15.15 €12.96

-17.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.95 €11.93

$14.63 €12.51

-4.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.13 €15.50

$16.27 €13.92

11.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 €2.98

$2.68 €2.30

29.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 €2.17

$2.48 €2.12

2.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 €2.43

$1.99 €1.70

42.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 €2.98

$4.55 €3.89

-23.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.84

$1.96 €1.67

9.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$2.37 €2.03

-28.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.33 €1.14

24.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.84 €0.72

70.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.02 €12.85

$14.42 €12.34

4.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.87 €5.87

$6.76 €5.78

1.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.34

$1.53 €1.31

2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 €2.18

$2.80 €2.39

-8.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.52 €5.58

$3.08 €2.64

111.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 €96.7

$103 €87.8

10.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 €4.18

$4.21 €3.60

15.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.55 €3.04

$3.51 €3.00

1.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$69.2 €59.2

$29.15 €24.93

137.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.63 €2.25

$2.41 €2.06

9.13%

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

$43.1K €36.9K

$42.9K €36.7K

0.56%

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

$41.3K €35.3K

$40.6K €34.7K

1.71%

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

$302 €258

$309 €264

-2.23%

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

$23.22 €19.87

$17.99 €15.39

29.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 €46.69

$51.4 €43.93

6.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.70 €42.51

$45.01 €38.50

10.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.55 €28.70

$22.04 €18.85

52.22%

Cinema Ticket

$16.41 €14.04

$16.05 €13.73

2.24%

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

$2,748 €2,350

$1,305 €1,117

110.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K €11.3K

$11.4K €9,726

16.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.5 €84.3

$84.2 €72.0

17.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.88 €34.11

$40.11 €34.31

-0.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 €96.4

$116 €99.4

-3.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 €124

$133 €113

9.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 €1,582

$1,257 €1,075

47.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,540 €1,317

$1,255 €1,073

22.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,192 €2,730

$2,740 €2,344

16.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,352 €2,012

$1,678 €1,435

40.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,263 €5,357

$4,848 €4,147

29.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,162 €3,560

$4,919 €4,207

-15.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,054 €3,468

$4,320 €3,695

-6.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.59

3.5

2.57%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: August 16, 2026

Last update for Ijmuiden: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,849 in Rotterdam and $1,257 in Ijmuiden. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ijmuiden pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $92.0 in Rotterdam vs $70.0 in Ijmuiden for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $347 per month, with Ijmuiden 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 Ijmuiden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rotterdam and Ijmuiden differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($3,167 vs $2,553 including rent). Ijmuiden is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Ijmuiden. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,849 in Rotterdam versus $1,257 in Ijmuiden. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ijmuiden – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $92.0 in Rotterdam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,167 per month in Rotterdam versus $2,553 in Ijmuiden – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,553 in Ijmuiden versus $3,167 in Rotterdam, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Ijmuiden but tight or insufficient in Rotterdam. The gap between the two cities makes Ijmuiden the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Ijmuiden 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 Ijmuiden gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.