Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Veenendaal Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Veenendaal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,957 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,571 in Veenendaal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,244 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,748 in Veenendaal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,531 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,925 in Veenendaal, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 15% more than Veenendaal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.59 €20.31

$23.46 €20.20

0.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €78.5

$110 €94.4

-16.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.12

$15.18 €13.07

-7.31%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.80

$4.68 €4.03

-5.56%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$3.33 €2.87

9.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.47

$2.60 €2.24

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$6.45 €5.55

6.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$5.15 €4.44

14.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.53 €1.32

-12.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.44 €2.10

-4.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$2.65 €2.29

23.02%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.45

$5.27 €4.54

-1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.78

$13.58 €11.70

0.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 €12.31

$16.75 €14.43

-14.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 €14.52

$16.76 €14.43

0.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.97 €2.55

-13.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.48 €2.14

-0.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.12 €1.82

-6.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$4.56 €3.93

-14.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.08 €1.79

-3.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.19 €1.89

-9.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.28 €1.10

7.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.18 €1.01

-0.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 €11.78

$14.64 €12.61

-6.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 €6.36

$7.18 €6.18

2.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.66 €1.43

-4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.82 €2.43

-4.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.10

$3.55 €3.06

34.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €78.3

$94.0 €80.9

-3.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.38

$3.78 €3.25

34.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.09 €1.80

-1.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 €18.09

$27.24 €23.45

-22.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.28 €1.97

1.75%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$37.4K €32.2K

7.23%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$37.6K €32.3K

-3.58%

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

$288 €248

$264 €227

9.17%

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

$24.70 €21.27

$21.66 €18.65

14.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.60

$52.8 €45.45

9.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 €39.63

$28.51 €24.55

61.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 €24.18

$22.82 €19.65

23.05%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 €15.00

$15.26 €13.14

14.15%

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

$2,223 €1,914

$1,856 €1,599

19.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.1K

$6,213 €5,350

125.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.4

$100 €86.5

-5.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.45

$40.06 €34.50

25.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$108 €93.4

17.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$111 €95.6

64.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 €1,528

$1,407 €1,212

26.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 €1,280

$1,198 €1,031

24.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 €2,470

$2,264 €1,949

26.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,967

$1,756 €1,512

30.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,359

$5,145 €4,431

20.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,424

$5,105 €4,396

-22.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,564

$2,719 €2,341

52.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.02

1.49%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Veenendaal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,774 in Rotterdam versus $1,407 in Veenendaal. 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 52% 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 $110 in Veenendaal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $365 – making Rotterdam 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 Veenendaal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 15%, 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 $4,435 per month in Rotterdam and $3,856 in Veenendaal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Rotterdam – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Rotterdam and $110 in Veenendaal. 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 $2,957 in Rotterdam and $2,571 in Veenendaal. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Veenendaal – 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 Veenendaal. 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.