Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Lisse Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Lisse

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,110 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,660 in Lisse, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,402 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,880 in Lisse, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,694 per month in Rotterdam vs $5,099 in Lisse, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 17% more than Lisse, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rotterdam and Lisse sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 126%, Lisse by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.52 €22.82

$23.73 €20.42

11.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.3 €81.2

$92.5 €79.6

2.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.00 €12.05

$10.42 €8.97

34.36%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €3.87

$3.76 €3.24

19.68%

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

$3.94 €3.39

$3.54 €3.05

11.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 €3.11

$2.89 €2.49

24.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.22 €6.22

$6.94 €5.98

4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 €5.17

$4.33 €3.72

38.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.58 €1.36

0.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 €2.06

$2.25 €1.94

6.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 €2.54

$2.59 €2.23

14.29%

Eggs

$5.67 €4.88

$4.67 €4.02

21.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.70 €10.93

$13.94 €11.99

-8.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.81 €11.88

$13.79 €11.87

0.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.92 €17.14

$19.77 €17.01

0.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.71 €2.33

25.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 €2.34

$2.32 €1.99

17.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.10 €1.81

25.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 €3.00

$3.79 €3.26

-7.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

$1.35 €1.16

45.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.32 €1.14

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.16 €1.00

32.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.94 €0.81

52.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.05 €12.95

$15.44 €13.29

-2.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 €5.89

$6.00 €5.16

14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.34 €1.15

14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.27

$1.93 €1.66

36.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.78 €4.12

$3.45 €2.97

38.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 €99.9

$92.9 €79.9

24.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 €4.23

$4.82 €4.15

2.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 €3.01

$3.62 €3.11

-3.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$68.9 €59.3

$34.73 €29.88

98.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.62 €2.25

$2.69 €2.31

-2.60%

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

$42.7K €36.7K

$43.0K €37.0K

-0.79%

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

$41.0K €35.3K

$40.6K €35.0K

0.88%

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

$306 €263

$281 €242

8.63%

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

$22.36 €19.24

$29.36 €25.26

-23.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 €48.93

$55.1 €47.42

3.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.50 €42.59

$42.94 €36.95

15.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.92 €25.75

$25.00 €21.51

19.68%

Cinema Ticket

$16.20 €13.94

$18.40 €15.83

-11.96%

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

$2,820 €2,426

$2,532 €2,178

11.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.4K

$12.3K €10.6K

7.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 €83.4

$99.0 €85.2

-2.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.59 €34.92

$45.76 €39.38

-11.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €98.5

$111 €95.5

3.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 €126

$141 €121

3.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,638

$1,453 €1,250

31.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 €1,342

$1,201 €1,033

29.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,304 €2,843

$2,428 €2,089

36.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,402 €2,067

$1,999 €1,720

20.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,232 €5,363

$5,665 €4,875

10.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,161 €3,580

$4,648 €4,000

-10.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 €3,663

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

3.4

2.65%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lisse: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,904 in Rotterdam versus $1,453 in Lisse. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Rotterdam versus $92.0 in Lisse. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $338 – making Lisse 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 Lisse: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,664 per month in Rotterdam and $3,991 in Lisse. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,820 per month in Rotterdam and $2,532 in Lisse. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Rotterdam, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,110 in Rotterdam and $2,660 in Lisse. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lisse – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Lisse. 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.