Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Middelburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Middelburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,909 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,458 in Middelburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,274 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,611 in Middelburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,639 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,764 in Middelburg, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 18% more than Middelburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rotterdam and Middelburg sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 117%, Middelburg by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.74 €19.47

$13.85 €11.85

64.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.5 €79.2

$74.4 €63.7

24.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.69 €11.72

$9.96 €8.53

37.45%

Cappuccino

$4.37 €3.74

$4.29 €3.67

1.86%

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

$3.49 €2.99

$3.39 €2.90

2.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 €2.42

$2.77 €2.37

1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 €6.11

$6.92 €5.92

3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.83

$5.65 €4.84

-0.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.11

$1.32 €1.13

-1.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.08

$2.24 €1.92

8.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 €2.72

$1.68 €1.44

89.29%

Eggs

$5.08 €4.35

$3.91 €3.35

29.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.07 €12.04

$11.04 €9.45

27.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.88 €11.88

$15.58 €13.34

-10.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 €14.61

$16.50 €14.13

3.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 €2.30

$2.44 €2.09

9.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 €2.09

$2.50 €2.14

-2.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.93 €1.65

4.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 €3.39

$3.39 €2.90

16.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 €1.76

$2.00 €1.71

3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.14 €0.98

70.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.20 €1.02

11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.00

$0.53 €0.46

120.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 €11.79

$8.53 €7.30

61.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 €6.40

$7.22 €6.18

3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.07 €0.91

47.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 €2.31

$2.50 €2.14

7.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.72 €4.04

$3.56 €3.05

32.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.6 €77.6

$93.1 €79.7

-2.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 €4.41

$4.71 €4.03

9.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 €1.74

$2.07 €1.77

-1.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.00 €17.98

$34.61 €29.63

-39.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 €1.93

$2.23 €1.90

1.35%

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

$41.2K €35.3K

$41.4K €35.4K

-0.53%

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

$35.7K €30.6K

$35.0K €30.0K

1.95%

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

$286 €245

$149 €127

92.49%

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

$24.41 €20.89

$26.12 €22.36

-6.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 €47.90

$44.81 €38.35

24.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 €39.95

$46.38 €39.70

0.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.02 €24.84

$14.52 €12.43

99.86%

Cinema Ticket

$17.29 €14.80

$10.52 €9.00

64.35%

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

$2,270 €1,943

$2,412 €2,065

-5.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K €11.8K

$11.7K €10,000

18.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 €78.6

$127 €108

-27.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 €43.69

$49.21 €42.12

3.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 €111

$116 €99.5

11.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$180 €154

$155 €133

15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,724 €1,476

$1,465 €1,254

17.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 €1,233

$1,286 €1,100

12.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,837 €2,429

$2,077 €1,778

36.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 €1,944

$1,959 €1,677

15.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,207 €5,313

$5,973 €5,113

3.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,222 €3,614

$5,445 €4,661

-22.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,095 €3,505

$2,909 €2,490

40.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

2.00%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: April 27, 2026

Last update for Middelburg: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,724 in Rotterdam versus $1,465 in Middelburg. 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 41% 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 $93.0 in Rotterdam versus $74.0 in Middelburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $315 – making Middelburg 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 Middelburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 18%, 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 $4,364 per month in Rotterdam and $3,687 in Middelburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Middelburg, 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 $93.0 in Rotterdam and $74.0 in Middelburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,909 in Rotterdam and $2,458 in Middelburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,909 in Rotterdam and $2,458 in Middelburg. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Middelburg – 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 Middelburg. 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.