Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Leeuwarden Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Leeuwarden

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,957 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,529 in Leeuwarden, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,244 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,735 in Leeuwarden, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,531 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,941 in Leeuwarden, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 17% more than Leeuwarden, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rotterdam and Leeuwarden sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 121%, Leeuwarden by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.59 €20.31

$23.11 €19.90

2.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €78.5

$103 €89.0

-11.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.12

$12.49 €10.76

12.65%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.80

$4.17 €3.60

6.00%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$3.98 €3.43

-8.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.47

$3.24 €2.79

-11.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$6.81 €5.87

1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$5.36 €4.62

10.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.14 €0.98

17.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.46 €2.11

-4.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$3.09 €2.66

5.50%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.45

$4.69 €4.04

10.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.78

$13.24 €11.40

3.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 €12.31

$15.49 €13.34

-7.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 €14.52

$17.04 €14.67

-1.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.02 €1.74

27.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.54 €2.19

-2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.97 €1.69

1.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.98 €3.43

-1.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.10 €1.81

-4.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.94 €1.67

2.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.22 €1.05

12.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.78 €0.67

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 €11.78

$12.69 €10.92

7.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 €6.36

$7.42 €6.39

-0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.48 €1.28

7.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.47 €2.13

8.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.10

$2.81 €2.42

69.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €78.3

$138 €119

-34.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.38

$5.95 €5.13

-14.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.45 €2.11

-15.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 €18.09

$26.81 €23.08

-21.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.17 €1.87

6.91%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$29.0K €25.0K

38.41%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$24.5K €21.1K

47.61%

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

$288 €248

$246 €212

17.07%

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

$24.70 €21.27

$28.98 €24.96

-14.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.60

$49.00 €42.20

17.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 €39.63

$38.44 €33.10

19.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 €24.18

$17.33 €14.92

62.03%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 €15.00

$13.51 €11.63

28.94%

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

$2,223 €1,914

$966 €832

130.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.1K

$6,320 €5,442

122.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.4

$98.5 €84.8

-4.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.45

$52.7 €45.38

-4.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$119 €103

6.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$161 €139

13.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 €1,528

$1,513 €1,303

17.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 €1,280

$1,116 €961

33.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 €2,470

$4,999 €4,304

-42.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,967

$1,754 €1,510

30.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,359

$3,743 €3,223

66.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,424

$3,314 €2,854

19.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,564

$3,096 €2,666

33.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.28

-4.67%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Leeuwarden: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,774 in Rotterdam versus $1,513 in Leeuwarden. 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 34% 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 $103 in Leeuwarden. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Rotterdam vs $340 in Leeuwarden – so Leeuwarden wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Leeuwarden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rotterdam costs about 17% more than Leeuwarden, 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 $4,435 per month in Rotterdam and $3,794 in Leeuwarden. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,223 per month in Rotterdam and $966 in Leeuwarden. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,957 in Rotterdam and $2,529 in Leeuwarden. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Leeuwarden costs $2,529 versus $2,957 in Rotterdam. 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 Leeuwarden. 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.