Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Veldhoven

For one person, living is cheaper in Veldhoven: $1,241 a month against $3,153 in Rotterdam, rent and utilities included – about $22,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

150

Cost of Living Index in Rotterdam
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Rotterdam Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Veldhoven
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Veldhoven Living Index

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Rotterdam

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$3,153

/mo nomad

Veldhoven

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$1,241

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rotterdam and in Veldhoven

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rotterdam and in Veldhoven actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,153 per month in Rotterdam vs $1,241 in Veldhoven, rent included.

Rotterdam $3,153
Veldhoven $1,241

A couple spends around $4,381 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,863 in Veldhoven, rent included.

Rotterdam $4,381
Veldhoven $2,863

A family of three spends $5,609 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,486 in Veldhoven, rent included.

Rotterdam $5,609
Veldhoven $4,486

Rotterdam costs about 154% more than Veldhoven, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Rotterdam sits 132% above the global median, while Veldhoven is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.81 €18.65

$27.72 €24.84

-24.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 €76.3

$78.7 €70.6

8.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.66 €12.24

$14.63 €13.11

-6.63%

Cappuccino

$4.31 €3.86

$4.35 €3.90

-0.92%

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

$3.79 €3.39

$3.73 €3.35

1.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.09

$3.57 €3.20

-3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 €6.21

$5.76 €5.16

20.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 €5.42

$6.12 €5.48

-1.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.28

$1.44 €1.29

-1.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 €2.18

$2.12 €1.90

15.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 €2.55

$2.37 €2.12

19.83%

Eggs

$5.27 €4.72

$4.25 €3.81

24.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.09 €10.83

$13.33 €11.95

-9.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.32 €11.93

$12.96 €11.61

2.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.92 €16.95

$16.47 €14.75

14.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 €3.07

$2.84 €2.55

20.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 €2.24

$2.40 €2.15

4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 €2.28

$2.05 €1.84

23.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.39 €3.03

$3.28 €2.94

3.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 €1.50

$1.47 €1.32

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 €1.36

$1.37 €1.23

10.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.35

$1.28 €1.15

17.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.16

$0.76 €0.68

69.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.39 €12.90

$14.12 €12.65

1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 €6.11

$6.53 €5.86

4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 €1.37

$1.45 €1.30

4.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 €2.32

$2.60 €2.33

-0.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.27 €5.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 €99.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €4.10

$3.60 €3.23

27.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.45 €3.09

$3.00 €2.69

15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.3 €60.3

$38.52 €34.52

74.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 €2.29

$2.53 €2.27

1.19%

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

$41.3K €37.0K

$42.1K €37.8K

-1.92%

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

$39.9K €35.7K

$39.7K €35.5K

0.48%

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

$305 €273

$201 €180

51.47%

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

$21.41 €19.19

$22.33 €20.01

-4.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 €49.95

$42.65 €38.22

30.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.35 €40.64

$49.89 €44.70

-9.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.35 €26.30

Cinema Ticket

$15.68 €14.05

$15.27 €13.69

2.69%

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

$2,793 €2,503

$2,830 €2,536

-1.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K €11.2K

$8,614 €7,719

45.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.9 €83.2

$97.0 €86.9

-4.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 €35.58

$43.06 €38.59

-7.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €96.8

$107 €96.3

0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 €127

$132 €118

6.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,068 €1,853

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 €1,509

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,183 €2,853

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,398 €2,149

$1,685 €1,510

42.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,140 €5,502

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,198 €3,762

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,933 €3,525

$4,503 €4,035

-12.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

3.8

-8.16%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: October 24, 2026

Last update for Veldhoven: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Rotterdam

$1.7K 53.4%

Veldhoven

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rotterdam

$382 12.1%

Veldhoven

$266 21.5% 30.3% $116

Groceries & Markets

Rotterdam

$346 11%

Veldhoven

$316 25.5% 8.5% $30

Eating Out

Rotterdam

$335 10.6%

Veldhoven

$388 31.3% 15.9% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Rotterdam

$172 5.5%

Veldhoven

$171 13.8% 0.6% $1

Getting Around

Rotterdam

$158 5%

Veldhoven

$19 * 1.5% 88.2% $139

Sport & Entertainment

Rotterdam

$77 2.4%

Veldhoven

$80 6.5% 4.8% $3.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 14% 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 $85 in Rotterdam versus $79 in Veldhoven. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $316 – making Veldhoven the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇱 Rotterdam

🇳🇱 Veldhoven

🕒 Local time

04:21 4:21 AM

Same time as Rotterdam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

572,392

45,466

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 154%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,729 per month in Rotterdam and $1,861 in Veldhoven. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Rotterdam and $79 in Veldhoven. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Rotterdam, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Veldhoven, where all-in costs run around $1,241, than in Rotterdam at $3,153. In Veldhoven it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Rotterdam has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,241 in Veldhoven to $3,153 in Rotterdam. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.