Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Purmerend Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Purmerend

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,891 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,511 in Purmerend, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,234 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,523 in Purmerend, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,576 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,534 in Purmerend, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 15% more than Purmerend, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rotterdam and Purmerend sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 115%, Purmerend by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.24 €20.02

$17.45 €15.03

33.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.4 €79.6

$51.4 €44.32

79.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.16

$13.45 €11.59

4.91%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.83

$4.12 €3.55

7.77%

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

$3.64 €3.13

$3.49 €3.01

4.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 €2.54

$2.58 €2.22

13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.79 €5.85

$6.24 €5.37

8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 €5.07

$5.58 €4.81

5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.12

$1.24 €1.07

4.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.25 €1.94

2.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 €2.70

$3.31 €2.85

-5.14%

Eggs

$5.26 €4.53

$4.88 €4.20

7.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 €11.90

$13.51 €11.64

2.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 €11.93

$15.53 €13.38

-10.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 €14.89

$17.48 €15.06

-1.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 €2.30

$2.37 €2.04

12.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.51 €2.16

-1.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.98 €1.70

1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 €3.51

$4.00 €3.44

1.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.07 €1.78

-2.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.08 €1.79

-2.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.27 €1.09

7.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$0.87 €0.75

29.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 €11.79

$13.84 €11.93

-1.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.07 €6.10

$6.94 €5.98

1.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.51 €1.30

4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.74 €2.36

-2.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.67 €4.02

$3.66 €3.16

27.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.3 €79.5

$91.8 €79.1

0.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 €4.56

$4.22 €3.64

25.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.32 €1.99

-9.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.14 €18.21

$28.54 €24.59

-25.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 €1.91

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

$40.8K €35.2K

$34.4K €29.6K

18.75%

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

$35.6K €30.7K

$36.1K €31.1K

-1.36%

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

$291 €251

$256 €221

13.47%

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

$24.60 €21.19

$25.61 €22.07

-3.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 €48.43

$47.73 €41.13

17.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 €39.44

$40.58 €34.96

12.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.43 €24.49

$23.03 €19.84

23.45%

Cinema Ticket

$17.31 €14.92

$16.27 €14.02

6.39%

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

$2,255 €1,943

$1,997 €1,721

12.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K €11.8K

$7,716 €6,648

77.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.3 €79.6

$94.0 €81.0

-1.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.36 €42.53

$45.38 €39.10

8.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 €110

$103 €89.0

23.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$181 €156

$130 €112

38.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 €1,498

$1,423 €1,226

22.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 €1,262

$1,197 €1,031

22.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,814 €2,425

$2,269 €1,955

24.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,300 €1,982

$1,757 €1,514

30.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,147 €5,296

$5,912 €5,094

3.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,949 €3,402

$4,695 €4,045

-15.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,177 €3,598

$4,046 €3,486

3.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.03

1.24%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: June 9, 2026

Last update for Purmerend: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,739 in Rotterdam versus $1,423 in Purmerend. 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 3% 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 $92.0 in Rotterdam versus $51.0 in Purmerend. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Rotterdam vs $346 in Purmerend – so Rotterdam 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 Purmerend: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,891 in Rotterdam, $2,511 in Purmerend – roughly 15% apart. Rotterdam costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,337 per month in Rotterdam and $3,767 in Purmerend. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 1% less in Purmerend. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,255 per month in Rotterdam and $1,997 in Purmerend. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Purmerend, where all-in costs run around $2,511, than in Rotterdam at $2,891. In Purmerend it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Rotterdam has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,511 in Purmerend to $2,891 in Rotterdam. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Purmerend. 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.