Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Tilburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Tilburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,909 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,256 in Tilburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,274 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,409 in Tilburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,639 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,562 in Tilburg, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 29% more than Tilburg, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rotterdam and Tilburg sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 117%, Tilburg by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.74 €19.47

$20.59 €17.63

10.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.5 €79.2

$92.1 €78.9

0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.69 €11.72

$11.61 €9.93

17.92%

Cappuccino

$4.37 €3.74

$3.33 €2.85

31.23%

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

$3.49 €2.99

$3.19 €2.73

9.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 €2.42

$3.13 €2.68

-9.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 €6.11

$5.36 €4.59

33.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.83

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.11

$1.10 €0.95

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.08

$2.00 €1.71

21.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 €2.72

$3.54 €3.03

-10.17%

Eggs

$5.08 €4.35

$4.73 €4.05

7.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.07 €12.04

$13.33 €11.41

5.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.88 €11.88

$16.69 €14.28

-16.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.07 €14.61

$17.15 €14.68

-0.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 €2.30

$2.19 €1.88

22.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 €2.09

$2.47 €2.11

-1.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.89 €1.62

6.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 €3.39

$4.06 €3.47

-2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 €1.76

$2.11 €1.81

-2.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.03 €1.74

-4.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.20 €1.03

11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.00

$0.77 €0.66

51.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 €11.79

$14.33 €12.26

-3.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 €6.40

$7.27 €6.23

2.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.51 €1.29

4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 €2.31

$2.82 €2.41

-4.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.72 €4.04

$3.46 €2.96

36.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.6 €77.6

$110 €93.9

-17.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 €4.41

$4.09 €3.50

25.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 €1.74

$1.63 €1.40

24.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.00 €17.98

$28.87 €24.71

-27.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 €1.93

$2.18 €1.87

3.67%

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

$41.2K €35.3K

$37.7K €32.2K

9.33%

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

$35.7K €30.6K

$33.3K €28.5K

7.26%

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

$286 €245

$212 €181

34.93%

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

$24.41 €20.89

$22.58 €19.33

8.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 €47.90

$45.81 €39.21

22.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 €39.95

$28.53 €24.42

63.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.02 €24.84

$13.13 €11.24

121.02%

Cinema Ticket

$17.29 €14.80

$14.72 €12.60

17.46%

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

$2,270 €1,943

$913 €781

148.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K €11.8K

$5,671 €4,854

143.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 €78.6

$80.2 €68.6

14.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 €43.69

$25.84 €22.12

97.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 €111

$86.9 €74.4

49.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$180 €154

$114 €97.6

57.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,724 €1,476

$1,427 €1,222

20.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 €1,233

$1,025 €877

40.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,837 €2,429

$1,848 €1,582

53.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 €1,944

$1,576 €1,349

44.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,207 €5,313

$6,326 €5,415

-1.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,222 €3,614

$5,558 €4,757

-24.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,095 €3,505

$3,194 €2,734

28.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.5

16.57%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tilburg: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,724 in Rotterdam versus $1,427 in Tilburg. 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 28% 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 $93.0 in Rotterdam versus $92.0 in Tilburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $345 – making Tilburg 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 Tilburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,364 per month in Rotterdam and $3,384 in Tilburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tilburg, 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 $93.0 in Rotterdam and $92.0 in Tilburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Tilburg, where all-in costs run around $2,256, than in Rotterdam at $2,909. In Tilburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tilburg – 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 Tilburg. 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.