Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Utrecht Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Utrecht

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,957 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,947 in Utrecht, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,244 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,160 in Utrecht, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,531 per month in Rotterdam vs $5,373 in Utrecht, rent included.

Rotterdam and Utrecht have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Rotterdam and Utrecht sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 121%, Utrecht by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.59 €20.31

$21.14 €18.20

11.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €78.5

$87.5 €75.4

4.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.11

$13.95 €12.01

0.86%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.80

$4.39 €3.78

0.68%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$3.95 €3.40

-7.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.47

$3.15 €2.71

-9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$7.03 €6.05

-1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$5.86 €5.04

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.35 €1.16

-0.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.52 €2.17

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$3.00 €2.59

8.67%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.45

$5.39 €4.64

-4.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.77

$14.04 €12.09

-2.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 €12.31

$16.53 €14.23

-13.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 €14.51

$17.40 €14.98

-3.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.35 €2.02

9.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.48 €2.14

-0.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.93 €1.66

3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.70 €3.19

5.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.94 €1.67

3.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.23 €1.92

-10.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.36 €1.17

0.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.13 €0.98

3.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 €11.78

$14.32 €12.33

-4.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 €6.36

$7.22 €6.21

2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.46 €1.26

8.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.67 €2.30

0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.10

$3.48 €3.00

36.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €78.3

$75.2 €64.7

21.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.38

$3.68 €3.17

38.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.54 €2.19

-18.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 €18.08

$26.59 €22.89

-20.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.27 €1.95

2.20%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$39.8K €34.3K

0.79%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$39.8K €34.3K

-9.07%

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

$288 €248

$296 €255

-2.62%

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

$24.70 €21.26

$26.03 €22.41

-5.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.58

$46.51 €40.04

23.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 €39.62

$46.94 €40.41

-1.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 €24.17

$23.19 €19.96

21.09%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 €15.00

$15.92 €13.71

9.42%

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

$2,223 €1,913

$2,609 €2,246

-14.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.1K

$11.2K €9,628

25.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.3

$115 €98.6

-17.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.44

$60.7 €52.2

-16.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$108 €92.7

18.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$130 €112

39.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 €1,527

$1,888 €1,625

-6.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 €1,280

$1,521 €1,309

-2.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 €2,470

$2,826 €2,433

1.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,967

$2,241 €1,930

1.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,358

$8,022 €6,906

-22.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,424

$5,872 €5,056

-32.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,564

$4,615 €3,973

-10.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.39

-7.06%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Utrecht: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,774 in Rotterdam versus $1,888 in Utrecht. 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 11% higher in Utrecht. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Rotterdam versus $88.0 in Utrecht. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Rotterdam vs $358 in Utrecht – so Rotterdam wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Utrecht: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,435 per month in Rotterdam and $4,420 in Utrecht. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Rotterdam and $88.0 in Utrecht. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Utrecht. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,957 in Rotterdam and $2,947 in Utrecht. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Utrecht – 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 Utrecht. 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.