Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Lelystad Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Lelystad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,957 per month in Rotterdam vs $1,785 in Lelystad, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,244 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,818 in Lelystad, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,531 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,851 in Lelystad, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 66% more than Lelystad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rotterdam and Lelystad sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 121%, Lelystad by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.59 €20.29

$25.02 €21.52

-5.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €78.4

$93.4 €80.3

-2.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.10

$13.87 €11.93

1.44%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.80

$4.10 €3.53

7.80%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$3.12 €2.69

17.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.46

$1.85 €1.59

54.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.92

$5.36 €4.61

28.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$5.67 €4.87

4.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.22 €1.05

9.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$1.62 €1.39

44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$2.58 €2.22

26.36%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.45

$4.55 €3.92

13.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.76

$6.74 €5.80

102.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 €12.30

$15.50 €13.33

-7.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 €14.50

$17.36 €14.93

-2.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.28 €1.96

13.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.12

$2.58 €2.22

-4.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.93 €1.66

3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.36

$3.56 €3.06

9.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.11 €1.82

-4.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.90 €1.63

4.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.24 €1.07

10.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.82 €0.71

42.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 €11.77

$9.91 €8.53

38.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 €6.35

$7.14 €6.14

3.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.33 €1.15

19.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.46 €2.12

8.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.09

$3.56 €3.07

33.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €78.2

$114 €97.9

-20.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.37

$4.21 €3.62

20.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.42 €2.09

-14.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 €18.07

$27.34 €23.52

-23.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.23 €1.91

4.04%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$34.7K €29.8K

15.60%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$37.9K €32.6K

-4.54%

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

$288 €248

$241 €208

19.39%

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

$24.70 €21.24

$15.14 €13.02

63.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.54

$35.43 €30.48

62.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 €39.59

$43.40 €37.33

6.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 €24.15

$23.53 €20.24

19.34%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 €14.98

$14.16 €12.18

23.02%

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

$2,223 €1,912

$2,777 €2,389

-19.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.1K

$6,381 €5,489

120.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.3

$99.6 €85.7

-5.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.40

$50.4 €43.35

0.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$97.8 €84.1

30.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$118 €101

54.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 €1,526

$684 €588

159.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 €1,279

$466 €401

218.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 €2,468

$1,389 €1,195

106.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,965

$799 €687

185.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,353

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,421

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,561

$2,504 €2,154

65.32%

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 Lelystad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,774 in Rotterdam versus $684 in Lelystad. 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 65% 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 $93.0 in Lelystad. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Rotterdam vs $310 in Lelystad – so Lelystad 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 Lelystad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rotterdam costs about 66% more than Lelystad, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $2,678 in Lelystad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lelystad, 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 $91.0 in Rotterdam and $93.0 in Lelystad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,957 in Rotterdam and $1,785 in Lelystad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lelystad, where all-in costs run around $1,785, than in Rotterdam at $2,957. In Lelystad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lelystad costs $1,785 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 Lelystad. 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.