Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Spakenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Spakenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,110 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,714 in Spakenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,402 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,874 in Spakenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,694 per month in Rotterdam vs $5,034 in Spakenburg, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 15% more than Spakenburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rotterdam and Spakenburg sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 126%, Spakenburg by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.52 €22.82

$23.46 €20.19

13.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.3 €81.2

$85.1 €73.2

10.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.00 €12.05

$13.91 €11.97

0.65%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €3.87

$4.18 €3.60

7.66%

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

$3.94 €3.39

$3.97 €3.42

-0.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 €3.11

$3.38 €2.91

6.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.22 €6.22

$7.53 €6.48

-4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 €5.17

$6.43 €5.53

-6.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.25 €1.08

27.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 €2.06

$1.66 €1.43

43.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 €2.54

$2.59 €2.23

14.29%

Eggs

$5.67 €4.88

$5.15 €4.43

10.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.70 €10.93

$13.10 €11.27

-3.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.81 €11.88

$16.72 €14.39

-17.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.92 €17.14

$19.72 €16.97

1.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.12 €1.83

59.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 €2.34

$2.61 €2.25

4.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.93 €1.66

36.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 €3.00

$4.42 €3.80

-21.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

$1.81 €1.55

8.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.90 €1.64

-18.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.39 €1.20

10.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.82 €0.70

74.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.05 €12.95

$14.79 €12.73

1.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 €5.89

$6.75 €5.81

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.39 €1.20

10.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.86 €2.46

-8.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.78 €4.12

$3.50 €3.01

36.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 €99.9

$93.6 €80.6

23.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 €4.23

$3.91 €3.37

25.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 €3.01

$2.75 €2.37

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$68.9 €59.3

$31.17 €26.82

121.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.62 €2.25

$2.38 €2.05

10.08%

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

$42.7K €36.7K

$42.8K €36.9K

-0.35%

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

$41.0K €35.3K

$39.9K €34.3K

2.79%

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

$306 €263

$255 €220

19.69%

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

$22.36 €19.24

$21.96 €18.89

1.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 €48.93

$49.58 €42.66

14.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.50 €42.59

$42.43 €36.51

16.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.92 €25.75

$24.64 €21.20

21.43%

Cinema Ticket

$16.20 €13.94

$16.03 €13.79

1.06%

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

$2,820 €2,426

$2,447 €2,106

15.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.4K

$8,339 €7,176

59.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 €83.4

$98.1 €84.4

-1.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.59 €34.92

$47.13 €40.55

-13.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €98.5

$92.3 €79.4

23.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 €126

$127 €109

15.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,638

$1,313 €1,130

45.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 €1,342

$1,384 €1,191

12.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,304 €2,843

$1,729 €1,488

91.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,402 €2,067

$1,921 €1,653

25.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,232 €5,363

$4,554 €3,919

36.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,161 €3,580

$3,741 €3,220

11.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 €3,663

$3,020 €2,598

40.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

3.21

8.72%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: September 1, 2026

Last update for Spakenburg: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,904 in Rotterdam versus $1,313 in Spakenburg. 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 41% 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 $94.0 in Rotterdam versus $85.0 in Spakenburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $349 – making Spakenburg 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 Spakenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,664 per month in Rotterdam and $4,071 in Spakenburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $94.0 in Rotterdam and $85.0 in Spakenburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,110 in Rotterdam and $2,714 in Spakenburg. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Spakenburg – 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 Spakenburg. 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.