Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Schiedam Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Schiedam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,914 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,448 in Schiedam, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,233 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,541 in Schiedam, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,553 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,634 in Schiedam, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 19% more than Schiedam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rotterdam and Schiedam sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 118%, Schiedam by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.60 €20.67

$17.26 €15.12

36.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 €79.9

$86.7 €76.0

5.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.92 €12.19

$13.76 €12.05

1.16%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.82

$4.37 €3.83

-0.23%

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

$3.49 €3.06

$3.41 €2.99

2.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.57

$2.77 €2.43

5.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 €6.21

$6.92 €6.06

2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 €5.08

$5.71 €5.00

1.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.31 €1.15

1.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.10

$2.20 €1.93

9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 €2.83

$3.00 €2.63

7.67%

Eggs

$5.23 €4.58

$4.90 €4.29

6.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.74 €12.03

$14.94 €13.09

-8.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.23 €12.46

$15.21 €13.32

-6.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.89 €14.79

$16.87 €14.78

0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.29

$2.33 €2.04

12.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 €2.14

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.90 €1.67

9.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 €3.54

$4.64 €4.06

-12.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.83

$1.99 €1.75

5.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$1.96 €1.72

1.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.19 €1.04

11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.03

$0.78 €0.68

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.65 €11.95

$12.82 €11.23

6.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.01 €6.14

$5.85 €5.13

19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.42 €1.24

7.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.38

$2.41 €2.11

12.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.70 €4.12

$2.34 €2.05

100.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €79.7

$69.6 €61.0

30.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.26 €4.61

$4.76 €4.16

10.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.11 €1.85

-2.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.21 €18.57

$34.15 €29.91

-37.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.96

$2.23 €1.95

0.45%

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

$40.4K €35.4K

$29.2K €25.6K

38.56%

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

$35.5K €31.1K

$28.9K €25.3K

22.91%

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

$285 €250

$240 €210

18.91%

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

$23.95 €20.97

$23.33 €20.43

2.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 €48.87

$52.1 €45.65

7.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.62 €39.96

$23.34 €20.44

95.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.20 €24.70

$23.12 €20.25

21.97%

Cinema Ticket

$17.01 €14.90

$15.55 €13.62

9.39%

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

$2,268 €1,986

$2,097 €1,837

8.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.2K

$12.0K €10.5K

16.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 €82.2

$125 €109

-24.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 €44.48

$46.63 €40.84

8.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €111

$114 €100

10.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 €155

$153 €134

15.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 €1,540

$1,752 €1,534

0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 €1,272

$1,184 €1,037

22.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,834 €2,482

$2,304 €2,018

22.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 €2,017

$1,748 €1,531

31.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,997 €5,252

$5,682 €4,977

5.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,900 €3,416

$4,131 €3,618

-5.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,092 €3,584

$2,311 €2,024

77.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.99

2.26%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: July 13, 2026

Last update for Schiedam: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,758 in Rotterdam versus $1,752 in Schiedam. 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 77% 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 $87.0 in Schiedam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $343 – making Schiedam 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 Schiedam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 19%, 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 $4,371 per month in Rotterdam and $3,672 in Schiedam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% more in Rotterdam, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Rotterdam and $87.0 in Schiedam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,914 in Rotterdam and $2,448 in Schiedam. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Schiedam – 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 Schiedam. 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.