Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Sittard Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Sittard

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,957 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,577 in Sittard, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,244 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,677 in Sittard, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,531 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,776 in Sittard, rent included.

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

Both Rotterdam and Sittard sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 121%, Sittard by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.59 €20.31

$20.29 €17.47

16.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €78.5

$68.6 €59.1

32.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.12

$13.44 €11.57

4.69%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.80

$4.20 €3.62

5.24%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$3.63 €3.12

0.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.47

$2.58 €2.22

10.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$5.82 €5.01

18.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$5.63 €4.85

4.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.30 €1.12

3.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.12 €1.83

10.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$3.18 €2.74

2.52%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.45

$4.68 €4.03

10.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.78

$13.24 €11.40

3.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 €12.31

$15.97 €13.76

-10.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 €14.52

$16.79 €14.46

0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.32 €2.00

11.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.49 €2.14

-0.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.86 €1.61

6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.65 €3.14

7.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.06 €1.78

-2.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.90 €1.63

4.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.23 €1.06

11.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.87 €0.75

34.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 €11.78

$14.16 €12.19

-3.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 €6.36

$7.03 €6.05

5.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.54 €1.33

3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.70 €2.33

-0.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.10

$3.57 €3.08

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €78.3

$92.1 €79.3

-1.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.38

$7.99 €6.88

-36.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.12 €1.83

-2.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 €18.09

$28.73 €24.74

-26.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.26 €1.95

2.65%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$34.3K €29.5K

17.00%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$32.6K €28.1K

11.09%

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

$288 €248

$275 €237

4.77%

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

$24.70 €21.27

$24.85 €21.40

-0.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.60

$47.40 €40.82

21.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 €39.63

$40.44 €34.82

13.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 €24.18

$23.00 €19.80

22.09%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 €15.00

$15.76 €13.57

10.53%

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

$2,223 €1,914

$1,569 €1,351

41.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.1K

$8,007 €6,894

75.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.4

$90.3 €77.7

4.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.45

$37.88 €32.62

33.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$114 €98.4

11.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$132 €114

38.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 €1,528

$1,445 €1,245

22.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 €1,280

$1,154 €994

28.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 €2,470

$2,332 €2,008

23.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,967

$1,715 €1,477

33.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,359

$5,940 €5,115

4.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,424

$4,769 €4,107

-16.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,564

$3,417 €2,943

21.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.34

-5.99%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sittard: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,774 in Rotterdam versus $1,445 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 21% 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 $69.0 in Sittard. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $340 – making Sittard 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 Sittard: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 15%, 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 $4,435 per month in Rotterdam and $3,865 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $69.0 in Sittard. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Sittard, where all-in costs run around $2,577, than in Rotterdam at $2,957. In Sittard it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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 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 Sittard. 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.