Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Zeist Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Zeist

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,957 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,769 in Zeist, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,244 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,868 in Zeist, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,531 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,968 in Zeist, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 7% more than Zeist, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rotterdam and Zeist sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 121%, Zeist by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.59 €20.31

$20.73 €17.85

13.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €78.5

$82.9 €71.4

9.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.12

$13.25 €11.41

6.19%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.80

$4.22 €3.64

4.74%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$3.40 €2.93

7.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.47

$3.26 €2.81

-12.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$6.35 €5.46

8.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$5.35 €4.61

10.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.39 €1.20

-3.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.48 €2.14

-5.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$3.14 €2.70

3.82%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.45

$4.70 €4.05

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.78

$14.42 €12.42

-5.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 €12.31

$16.30 €14.04

-12.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 €14.52

$17.67 €15.21

-4.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.30 €1.98

12.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.61 €2.25

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.88 €1.62

5.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$4.05 €3.49

-3.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.98 €1.71

1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.15 €1.85

-7.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.35 €1.16

1.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.76 €0.66

53.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 €11.78

$14.11 €12.15

-3.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 €6.36

$7.26 €6.25

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.32 €1.14

20.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.60 €2.24

3.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.10

$3.54 €3.05

34.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €78.3

$92.5 €79.7

-1.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.38

$3.66 €3.15

38.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.50 €2.15

-17.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 €18.09

$27.37 €23.57

-23.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.26 €1.94

2.65%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$37.7K €32.5K

6.30%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$38.7K €33.3K

-6.32%

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

$288 €248

$268 €231

7.51%

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

$24.70 €21.27

$26.82 €23.09

-7.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.60

$46.96 €40.44

22.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 €39.63

$29.31 €25.24

57.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 €24.18

$23.47 €20.21

19.64%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 €15.00

$16.16 €13.91

7.80%

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

$2,223 €1,914

$2,203 €1,897

0.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.1K

$6,050 €5,210

132.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.4

$104 €89.9

-9.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.45

$17.51 €15.08

188.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$84.0 €72.3

51.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$89.6 €77.1

103.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 €1,528

$1,524 €1,312

16.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 €1,280

$1,489 €1,283

-0.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 €2,470

$2,577 €2,219

11.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,967

$2,105 €1,812

8.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,359

$6,732 €5,797

-7.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,424

$5,905 €5,085

-32.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,564

$4,468 €3,847

-7.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.93

3.82%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zeist: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,774 in Rotterdam versus $1,524 in Zeist. 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 Zeist, 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 $83.0 in Zeist. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Rotterdam vs $354 in Zeist – 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 Zeist: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 7%, 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 $4,153 in Zeist. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $83.0 in Zeist. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,957 in Rotterdam and $2,769 in Zeist. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Zeist – 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 Zeist. 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.