Cost of Living Comparison Between Thousand Oaks, CA and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Thousand Oaks, CA and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,760 per month in Thousand Oaks, CA vs $2,957 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,233 per month in Thousand Oaks, CA vs $4,244 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,707 per month in Thousand Oaks, CA vs $5,531 in Rotterdam, rent included.

Thousand Oaks, CA costs about 27% more than Rotterdam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Thousand Oaks, CA and Rotterdam sit above the global median – Thousand Oaks, CA by 181%, Rotterdam by 121%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.26 $25.26

$23.59 €20.29

7.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$91.1 €78.4

7.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.52 $8.52

$14.07 €12.10

-39.45%

Cappuccino

$5.67 $5.67

$4.42 €3.80

28.28%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$3.66 €3.15

-25.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.86 €2.46

-29.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$6.89 €5.92

-0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.90 $8.90

$5.90 €5.08

50.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.34 €1.15

-8.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.34 €2.01

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$3.26 €2.81

37.73%

Eggs

$4.61 $4.61

$5.17 €4.45

-10.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 $12.43

$13.68 €11.76

-9.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 $13.74

$14.30 €12.30

-3.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.61 $16.61

$16.86 €14.50

-1.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.58 €2.22

97.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.47 €2.12

-21.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.99 €1.71

88.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$3.91 €3.36

41.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.01 €1.73

63.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.99 €1.71

38.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.37 €1.18

18.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.17 €1.01

80.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.93 $8.93

$13.68 €11.77

-34.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$7.39 €6.35

104.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.59 €1.36

6.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.68 €2.31

-45.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.76 €4.09

-41.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.53 $49.53

$91.0 €78.2

-45.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 $4.12

$5.08 €4.37

-18.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.06 €1.77

-2.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.24 $32.24

$21.01 €18.07

53.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$2.32 €2.00

-43.97%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$40.1K €34.5K

-30.09%

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

$21.1K $21.1K

$36.2K €31.2K

-41.71%

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

$161 $161

$288 €248

-44.21%

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

$48.31 $48.31

$24.70 €21.24

95.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$57.6 €49.54

25.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.7 $67.7

$46.03 €39.59

46.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.91 $22.91

$28.08 €24.15

-18.41%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$17.42 €14.98

-18.89%

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

$1,721 $1,721

$2,223 €1,912

-22.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.5K $39.5K

$14.0K €12.1K

181.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.79 $49.79

$94.5 €81.3

-47.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.13 $30.13

$50.5 €43.40

-40.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 $75.6

$127 €110

-40.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$182 €157

-35.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$1,774 €1,526

48.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,486 €1,279

69.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,917 $3,917

$2,869 €2,468

36.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,449 $3,449

$2,285 €1,965

50.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,972 $5,972

$6,223 €5,353

-4.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,840 $5,840

$3,977 €3,421

46.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,813 $5,813

$4,139 €3,561

40.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

4.08

63.48%

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

Last update for Thousand Oaks, CA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,631 in Thousand Oaks, CA versus $1,774 in Rotterdam. 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 40% higher in Thousand Oaks, CA, 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 $98.0 in Thousand Oaks, CA versus $91.0 in Rotterdam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $347 – making Rotterdam 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

Thousand Oaks, CA vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Thousand Oaks, CA is pricier by about 27%, 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 $5,640 per month in Thousand Oaks, CA and $4,435 in Rotterdam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 19% more in Thousand Oaks, CA, 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 $98.0 in Thousand Oaks, CA and $91.0 in Rotterdam. 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 $3,760 in Thousand Oaks, CA and $2,957 in Rotterdam. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Rotterdam – 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 Rotterdam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thousand Oaks, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.