Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Zutphen Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Zutphen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,110 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,533 in Zutphen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,402 per month in Rotterdam vs $3,671 in Zutphen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,694 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,808 in Zutphen, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 23% more than Zutphen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rotterdam and Zutphen sit above the global median – Rotterdam by 126%, Zutphen by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.52 €22.82

$20.58 €17.71

28.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.3 €81.2

$46.41 €39.94

103.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.00 €12.05

$12.99 €11.17

7.78%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €3.87

$3.59 €3.09

25.35%

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

$3.94 €3.39

$1.79 €1.54

120.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 €3.11

$3.18 €2.74

13.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.22 €6.22

$8.75 €7.53

-17.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 €5.17

$5.86 €5.04

2.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.36 €1.17

16.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 €2.06

$2.37 €2.04

0.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 €2.54

$2.55 €2.19

16.08%

Eggs

$5.67 €4.88

$4.23 €3.64

34.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.70 €10.93

$13.09 €11.26

-2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.81 €11.88

$5.86 €5.04

135.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.92 €17.14

$13.78 €11.86

44.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.80 €2.41

21.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 €2.34

$2.63 €2.26

3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.03 €1.75

30.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 €3.00

$4.47 €3.85

-21.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

$2.01 €1.73

-2.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$2.45 €2.11

-37.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.35 €1.16

14.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.87 €0.75

64.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.05 €12.95

$14.69 €12.64

2.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 €5.89

$7.02 €6.04

-2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.50 €1.29

2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.71 €2.33

-2.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.78 €4.12

$3.16 €2.72

51.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 €99.9

$102 €87.4

14.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 €4.23

$4.26 €3.66

15.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 €3.01

$3.47 €2.99

0.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$68.9 €59.3

$28.84 €24.82

138.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.62 €2.25

$2.45 €2.11

6.94%

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

$42.7K €36.7K

$42.9K €36.9K

-0.56%

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

$41.0K €35.3K

$41.1K €35.4K

-0.28%

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

$306 €263

$309 €266

-1.03%

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

$22.36 €19.24

$17.67 €15.20

26.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 €48.93

$51.3 €44.14

10.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.50 €42.59

$42.95 €36.96

15.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.92 €25.75

$24.92 €21.44

20.06%

Cinema Ticket

$16.20 €13.94

$16.23 €13.96

-0.18%

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

$2,820 €2,426

$1,294 €1,114

117.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.4K

$11.7K €10.0K

13.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 €83.4

$85.2 €73.3

13.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.59 €34.92

$38.87 €33.44

4.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €98.5

$116 €99.9

-1.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 €126

$135 €116

8.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,638

$1,487 €1,279

28.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 €1,342

$1,203 €1,035

29.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,304 €2,843

$2,468 €2,124

33.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,402 €2,067

$1,972 €1,697

21.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,232 €5,363

$6,061 €5,215

2.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,161 €3,580

$4,190 €3,606

-0.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 €3,663

$6,369 €5,480

-33.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

4.42

-21.04%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: September 1, 2026

Last update for Zutphen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,904 in Rotterdam versus $1,487 in Zutphen. 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 50% higher in Zutphen, 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 $94.0 in Rotterdam versus $46.00 in Zutphen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $288 – making Zutphen 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 Zutphen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,664 per month in Rotterdam and $3,800 in Zutphen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $94.0 in Rotterdam and $46.00 in Zutphen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zutphen, where all-in costs run around $2,533, than in Rotterdam at $3,110. In Zutphen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zutphen – 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 Zutphen. 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.