Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Sittard

For one person, living is cheaper in Sittard: $2,523 a month against $3,153 in Rotterdam, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

150

Cost of Living Index in Rotterdam
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Rotterdam Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Sittard
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Sittard Living Index

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Rotterdam

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$3,153

/mo nomad

Sittard

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$2,523

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rotterdam and in Sittard

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rotterdam and in Sittard actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,153 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,523 in Sittard, rent included.

Rotterdam $3,153
Sittard $2,523

A couple spends around $4,381 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,670 in Sittard, rent included.

Rotterdam $4,381
Sittard $3,670

A family of three spends $5,609 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,816 in Sittard, rent included.

Rotterdam $5,609
Sittard $4,816

Rotterdam costs about 25% more than Sittard, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Rotterdam and Sittard sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 132%, Sittard by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.81 €18.65

$19.95 €17.88

4.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 €76.3

$91.0 €81.6

-6.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €12.24

$12.79 €11.46

6.80%

Cappuccino

$4.31 €3.86

$4.16 €3.73

3.61%

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

$3.79 €3.39

$3.86 €3.46

-1.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.09

$2.69 €2.41

27.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 €6.21

$5.55 €4.98

24.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 €5.42

$5.68 €5.09

6.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.28

$1.24 €1.11

14.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 €2.18

$2.07 €1.85

17.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 €2.55

$2.49 €2.23

14.06%

Eggs

$5.27 €4.72

$4.44 €3.98

18.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.09 €10.83

$13.02 €11.67

-7.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.32 €11.93

$13.95 €12.50

-4.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.92 €16.95

$15.64 €14.02

20.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 €3.07

$2.57 €2.30

33.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 €2.24

$2.44 €2.19

2.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 €2.28

$1.92 €1.72

32.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.39 €3.03

$4.34 €3.89

-21.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 €1.50

$1.97 €1.76

-14.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 €1.36

$2.28 €2.04

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.35

$1.21 €1.09

24.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.16

$0.76 €0.68

69.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.39 €12.90

$13.92 €12.47

3.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 €6.11

$6.68 €5.99

2.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 €1.37

$1.50 €1.35

1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 €2.32

$2.54 €2.27

1.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.27 €5.62

$3.58 €3.21

75.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 €99.3

$90.9 €81.4

21.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €4.10

$3.95 €3.54

15.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.45 €3.09

$3.24 €2.91

6.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.3 €60.3

$27.84 €24.94

141.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 €2.29

$2.41 €2.16

6.22%

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

$41.3K €37.0K

$41.6K €37.2K

-0.56%

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

$39.9K €35.7K

$38.7K €34.7K

3.04%

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

$305 €273

$279 €250

9.22%

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

$21.41 €19.19

$17.34 €15.54

23.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 €49.95

$41.63 €37.31

33.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.35 €40.64

$40.23 €36.05

12.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.35 €26.30

$24.32 €21.79

20.68%

Cinema Ticket

$15.68 €14.05

$15.26 €13.68

2.75%

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

$2,793 €2,503

$1,247 €1,117

124.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K €11.2K

$11.3K €10.1K

10.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.9 €83.2

$82.4 €73.8

12.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 €35.58

$38.03 €34.08

4.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €96.8

$105 €93.9

3.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 €127

$130 €116

8.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,068 €1,853

$1,399 €1,253

47.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 €1,509

$1,192 €1,068

41.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,183 €2,853

$2,341 €2,098

35.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,398 €2,149

$1,829 €1,639

31.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,140 €5,502

$5,642 €5,056

8.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,198 €3,762

$4,505 €4,037

-6.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,933 €3,525

$3,199 €2,866

22.96%

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: October 24, 2026

Last update for Sittard: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Rotterdam

$1.7K 53.4%

Sittard

$1.2K 47.3% 29.2% $492

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rotterdam

$382 12.1%

Sittard

$338 13.4% 11.5% $44

Groceries & Markets

Rotterdam

$346 11%

Sittard

$324 12.8% 6.4% $22

Eating Out

Rotterdam

$335 10.6%

Sittard

$313 12.4% 6.5% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Rotterdam

$172 5.5%

Sittard

$160 6.3% 7.1% $12

Getting Around

Rotterdam

$158 5%

Sittard

$125 5% 20.5% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Rotterdam

$77 2.4%

Sittard

$71 2.8% 7.8% $6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,068 in Rotterdam versus $1,399 in Sittard. 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 23% 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 $85 in Rotterdam versus $91 in Sittard. Groceries tell a different story – $346 in Rotterdam vs $324 in Sittard – so Sittard wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇳🇱 Rotterdam

🇳🇱 Sittard

🕒 Local time

11:04 11:04 AM

Same time as Rotterdam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

572,392

37,534

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Rotterdam Sittard 140 km

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sittard: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 25%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,729 per month in Rotterdam and $3,784 in Sittard. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sittard, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,399 there versus $2,068 in Rotterdam.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Rotterdam, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Rotterdam and $91 in Sittard. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,153 in Rotterdam and $2,523 in Sittard. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Sittard. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rotterdam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.