Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Venlo Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Venlo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,957 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,431 in Venlo, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,244 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,534 in Venlo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,531 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,637 in Venlo, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 22% more than Venlo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rotterdam and Venlo sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 121%, Venlo by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.59 €20.31

$20.72 €17.84

13.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €78.5

$91.4 €78.7

-0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.12

$11.72 €10.09

20.05%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.80

$3.43 €2.95

28.86%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$3.02 €2.60

21.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.47

$2.35 €2.03

21.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$5.17 €4.45

33.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$5.89 €5.07

0.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.11 €0.96

20.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$1.86 €1.60

25.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$3.46 €2.98

-5.78%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.45

$4.51 €3.88

14.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.78

$13.17 €11.34

3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 €12.31

$16.80 €14.46

-14.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 €14.52

$16.90 €14.55

-0.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.07 €1.78

24.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.29 €1.97

7.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.57 €3.07

9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.17 €1.87

-7.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.98 €1.70

0.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.17 €1.01

17.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.65 €0.56

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 €11.78

$14.31 €12.32

-4.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 €6.36

$6.78 €5.84

9.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.51 €1.30

5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.72 €2.35

-1.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.10

$1.58 €1.36

201.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €78.3

$94.0 €81.0

-3.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.38

$3.83 €3.30

32.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

$1.69 €1.45

21.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 €18.09

$28.50 €24.54

-26.28%

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

$28.1K €24.2K

42.91%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$30.3K €26.1K

19.44%

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

$288 €248

$208 €179

38.18%

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

$24.70 €21.27

$22.74 €19.58

8.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.60

$44.82 €38.59

28.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 €39.63

$27.56 €23.73

67.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 €24.18

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 €15.00

$11.47 €9.87

51.87%

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

$2,223 €1,914

$882 €760

151.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.1K

$5,826 €5,017

141.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.4

$76.3 €65.7

23.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.45

$26.31 €22.66

91.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$86.9 €74.8

46.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$113 €97.0

61.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 €1,528

$1,230 €1,059

44.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 €1,280

$1,177 €1,013

26.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 €2,470

$1,342 €1,156

113.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,967

$1,760 €1,515

29.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,359

$3,283 €2,827

89.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,424

$2,912 €2,507

36.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,564

$3,819 €3,288

8.39%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Venlo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,774 in Rotterdam versus $1,230 in Venlo. 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 8% 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 $91.0 in Venlo. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Rotterdam vs $335 in Venlo – so Venlo 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 Venlo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 22%, 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 $3,647 in Venlo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Venlo, 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 $91.0 in Venlo. 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 Venlo, where all-in costs run around $2,431, than in Rotterdam at $2,957. In Venlo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Venlo – 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 Venlo. 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.