Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Veldhoven Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Veldhoven

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,914 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,596 in Veldhoven, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,233 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,752 in Veldhoven, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,553 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,907 in Veldhoven, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 12% more than Veldhoven, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rotterdam and Veldhoven sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 118%, Veldhoven by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.60 €20.67

$25.33 €22.19

-6.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 €79.9

$85.2 €74.6

7.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.92 €12.19

$15.84 €13.87

-12.12%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.82

$4.46 €3.90

-2.24%

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

$3.49 €3.06

$3.86 €3.38

-9.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.57

$3.15 €2.76

-6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 €6.21

$5.62 €4.92

26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 €5.08

$6.35 €5.56

-8.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.30 €1.14

2.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.10

$2.04 €1.79

17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 €2.83

$3.05 €2.67

5.90%

Eggs

$5.23 €4.58

$4.62 €4.04

13.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.74 €12.03

$13.31 €11.66

3.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.23 €12.46

$15.39 €13.48

-7.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.89 €14.79

$16.73 €14.65

0.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.29

$2.39 €2.10

9.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 €2.14

$2.50 €2.19

-2.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.86 €1.63

11.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 €3.54

$3.79 €3.32

6.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.83

$2.06 €1.80

1.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$2.00 €1.75

-0.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.20 €1.06

10.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.03

$0.88 €0.77

32.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.65 €11.95

$13.25 €11.61

3.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.01 €6.14

$7.02 €6.15

-0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.51 €1.33

1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.38

$2.66 €2.33

1.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.70 €4.12

$3.62 €3.17

29.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €79.7

$92.8 €81.3

-1.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.26 €4.61

$3.69 €3.23

42.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.19 €1.92

-6.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.21 €18.57

$30.46 €26.67

-30.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.96

$2.27 €1.99

-1.32%

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

$40.4K €35.4K

$35.1K €30.8K

15.10%

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

$35.5K €31.1K

$36.7K €32.1K

-3.20%

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

$285 €250

$248 €217

14.75%

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

$23.95 €20.97

$21.49 €18.82

11.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 €48.87

$42.89 €37.56

30.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.62 €39.96

$51.3 €44.88

-10.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.20 €24.70

$23.60 €20.67

19.49%

Cinema Ticket

$17.01 €14.90

$17.03 €14.91

-0.12%

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

$2,268 €1,986

$2,073 €1,816

9.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.2K

$7,375 €6,459

89.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 €82.2

$91.0 €79.7

3.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 €44.48

$43.24 €37.87

17.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €111

$108 €95.0

16.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 €155

$121 €106

46.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 €1,540

$1,443 €1,264

21.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 €1,272

$1,155 €1,011

25.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,834 €2,482

$2,294 €2,009

23.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 €2,017

$1,723 €1,509

33.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,997 €5,252

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,900 €3,416

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,092 €3,584

$4,499 €3,940

-9.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.2

-2.86%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: July 13, 2026

Last update for Veldhoven: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,758 in Rotterdam versus $1,443 in Veldhoven. 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 10% higher in Veldhoven, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Rotterdam versus $85.0 in Veldhoven. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $337 – making Veldhoven 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 Veldhoven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 12%, 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 $4,371 per month in Rotterdam and $3,894 in Veldhoven. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $85.0 in Veldhoven. 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 Veldhoven, where all-in costs run around $2,596, than in Rotterdam at $2,914. In Veldhoven it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Veldhoven – 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 Veldhoven. 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.