Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Nijmegen Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Nijmegen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,110 in Rotterdam versus $2,546 in Nijmegen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,402 in Rotterdam versus $3,801 in Nijmegen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,694 in Rotterdam versus $5,055 in Nijmegen.

Living in Rotterdam is roughly 22% more expensive than in Nijmegen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rotterdam 126% above, Nijmegen 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.52 €22.80

$26.06 €22.40

1.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.3 €81.1

$100 €86.4

-6.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.00 €12.04

$13.87 €11.92

0.94%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €3.87

$4.44 €3.82

1.35%

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

$3.94 €3.38

$3.99 €3.43

-1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 €3.10

$2.67 €2.30

35.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.22 €6.21

$5.71 €4.91

26.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 €5.17

$5.74 €4.94

4.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.47 €1.26

8.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 €2.05

$2.05 €1.76

16.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 €2.54

$2.35 €2.02

25.96%

Eggs

$5.67 €4.88

$5.40 €4.65

5.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.70 €10.92

$13.25 €11.40

-4.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.81 €11.87

$14.92 €12.83

-7.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.92 €17.13

$16.33 €14.04

21.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.96 €2.54

14.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 €2.34

$2.59 €2.23

5.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.95 €1.68

35.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 €3.00

$5.78 €4.97

-39.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

$2.12 €1.82

-7.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$2.58 €2.21

-40.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.31 €1.13

17.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.79 €0.68

81.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.05 €12.93

$14.60 €12.55

3.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 €5.88

$7.49 €6.44

-8.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.57 €1.35

-1.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.69 €2.31

-2.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.78 €4.11

$3.58 €3.08

33.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 €99.8

$146 €125

-20.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 €4.23

$4.20 €3.61

17.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 €3.01

$3.29 €2.83

6.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$68.9 €59.2

$47.10 €40.50

46.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.62 €2.25

$2.44 €2.10

7.38%

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

$42.7K €36.7K

$43.1K €37.1K

-1.02%

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

$41.0K €35.2K

$39.6K €34.0K

3.59%

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

$306 €263

$289 €248

5.75%

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

$22.36 €19.23

$23.86 €20.51

-6.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 €48.89

$44.50 €38.26

27.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.50 €42.55

$31.87 €27.40

55.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.92 €25.72

$26.41 €22.71

13.29%

Cinema Ticket

$16.20 €13.93

$16.09 €13.83

0.68%

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

$2,820 €2,424

$2,879 €2,475

-2.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.4K

$17.1K €14.7K

-22.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 €83.4

$99.8 €85.8

-2.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.59 €34.89

$46.38 €39.87

-12.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €98.4

$112 €95.9

2.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 €126

$171 €147

-14.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,637

$1,563 €1,343

21.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 €1,341

$1,056 €908

47.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,304 €2,840

$2,529 €2,174

30.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,402 €2,065

$1,684 €1,448

42.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,232 €5,358

$5,643 €4,852

10.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,161 €3,577

$4,326 €3,719

-3.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 €3,660

$3,579 €3,077

18.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

-12.75%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: September 1, 2026

Last update for Nijmegen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,904 in Rotterdam and $1,563 in Nijmegen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rotterdam pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $94.0 in Rotterdam vs $100 in Nijmegen. Groceries flip the comparison at $361 vs $351, with Nijmegen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Nijmegen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nijmegen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Rotterdam, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,904 in Rotterdam versus $1,563 in Nijmegen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nijmegen – a meal for two runs $100 versus $94.0 in Rotterdam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,110 per month in Rotterdam versus $2,546 in Nijmegen – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Nijmegen is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Nijmegen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rotterdam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rotterdam and Nijmegen 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 Nijmegen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.