Cost of Living Comparison Between Wageningen and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Wageningen and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,828 per month in Wageningen vs $2,914 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,385 per month in Wageningen vs $4,233 in Rotterdam, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,941 per month in Wageningen vs $5,553 in Rotterdam, rent included.

Wageningen is about 3% cheaper than Rotterdam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Wageningen and Rotterdam sit above the global median – Wageningen by 112%, Rotterdam by 118%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.34 €20.42

$23.60 €20.65

-1.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €80.1

$91.2 €79.8

0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 €13.02

$13.92 €12.18

6.90%

Cappuccino

$4.39 €3.84

$4.36 €3.81

0.69%

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

$3.45 €3.02

$3.49 €3.06

-1.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 €2.57

$2.93 €2.56

0.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 €5.16

$7.09 €6.21

-16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.42

$5.80 €5.08

-12.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.33 €1.17

-1.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.40 €2.10

-13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.47 €3.03

$3.23 €2.82

7.43%

Eggs

$4.73 €4.14

$5.23 €4.58

-9.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 €11.53

$13.74 €12.02

-4.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.49 €14.42

$14.23 €12.45

15.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 €14.89

$16.89 €14.77

0.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$2.61 €2.29

-9.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.17

$2.44 €2.14

1.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.70

$2.08 €1.82

-6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 €3.27

$4.04 €3.54

-7.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.09 €1.83

-0.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 €1.94

$1.99 €1.74

11.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.12

$1.33 €1.16

-4.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.78

$1.17 €1.03

-23.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 €12.35

$13.65 €11.94

3.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 €6.32

$7.01 €6.13

3.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.53 €1.34

1.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 €2.35

$2.71 €2.37

-0.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 €3.21

$4.70 €4.11

-22.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 €93.4

$91.0 €79.6

17.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 €6.68

$5.26 €4.60

45.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 €1.43

$2.05 €1.79

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.45 €20.51

$21.21 €18.56

10.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 €1.94

$2.24 €1.96

-0.89%

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

$29.2K €25.6K

$40.4K €35.4K

-27.70%

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

$35.9K €31.4K

$35.5K €31.1K

1.11%

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

$278 €243

$285 €249

-2.56%

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

$25.90 €22.66

$23.95 €20.95

8.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.56 €40.73

$55.8 €48.82

-16.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.16 €40.38

$45.62 €39.92

1.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.06 €20.18

$28.20 €24.67

-18.23%

Cinema Ticket

$16.50 €14.43

$17.01 €14.89

-3.00%

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

$2,067 €1,808

$2,268 €1,984

-8.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K €9,252

$14.0K €12.2K

-24.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.2 €76.3

$93.8 €82.1

-7.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.21 €42.18

$50.8 €44.44

-5.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €97.1

$126 €111

-12.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$176 €154

$177 €155

-1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 €1,059

$1,758 €1,538

-31.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,370 €1,198

$1,452 €1,270

-5.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,823 €2,470

$2,834 €2,479

-0.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,633 €2,304

$2,303 €2,015

14.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,522 €3,956

$5,997 €5,247

-24.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,733 €4,140

$3,900 €3,412

21.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,413 €2,986

$4,092 €3,580

-16.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

4.08

12.25%

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

Last update for Wageningen: July 14, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Wageningen versus $1,758 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 20% 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 $92.0 in Wageningen versus $91.0 in Rotterdam. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Wageningen vs $347 in Rotterdam – so Wageningen 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

Wageningen vs Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 3%, 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 $4,242 per month in Wageningen and $4,371 in Rotterdam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 0% 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 $92.0 in Wageningen and $91.0 in Rotterdam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,828 in Wageningen and $2,914 in Rotterdam. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Wageningen – 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 Wageningen. 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.