✦ Compare
Amsterdam vs
Rotterdam
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
Amsterdam, NL vs Rotterdam, NL at a glance — Rotterdam, NL is 6% cheaper than Amsterdam, NL overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,500/mo versus $2,100/mo. The top national income-tax rate is 49.5%.
To keep the same standard of living in Rotterdam, NL, you'd need
$70,205 / year
Rotterdam, NL is 6% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Rotterdam, NL vs Amsterdam, NL)
- Housing-12%
- Food & groceries-2%
- Transport-3%
- Utilities-2%
- Healthcare-2%
- Goods & services-3%
Median 1-bed rent
$2,100 /mo
Amsterdam, NL overview →
Median 1-bed rent
$1,500 /mo
Rotterdam, NL overview →
◎ How Amsterdam, NL and Rotterdam, NL compare
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
▤ Full comparison
| Amsterdam, NL | Rotterdam, NL | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 127 | 119 |
| Housing | 165 | 145 |
| Food | 112 | 110 |
| Transport | 95 | 92 |
| Utilities | 122 | 120 |
| Healthcare | 100 | 98 |
| Goods & services | 116 | 112 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $2,100/mo | $1,500/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $1,500/mo | $1,150/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $4,000/mo | $2,600/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $9,000 | $6,500 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $787 | $841 |
| Inexpensive meal | $20 | $18 |
| Monthly transit pass | $100 | $100 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 49.5% | 49.5% |
| VAT / sales tax | 21% | 21% |
| Corporate tax | 25.8% | 25.8% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $3,100/mo | $3,100/mo |
| Minimum wage | $2,100/mo | $2,100/mo |
| GDP per capita | $73,684 | $73,684 |
| Inflation (annual) | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | No |
| English proficiency | High | High |
| Coworking spaces | 90 | 35 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 | UTC+1 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 68 | 62 |
| Healthcare index | 80 | 85 |
| Pollution index | 40 | 40 |
| Internet speed | 160 Mbps | 170 Mbps |
| Walkability | 90 | 80 |
| Public transport | 88 | 82 |
| Family-friendly | 70 | 72 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Life expectancy | 82 yr | 82 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +4 °C | +4 °C |
| July avg | +18 °C | +18 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 60 | 110 |
| Rainfall / year | 840 mm | 800 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Netherlands vs Netherlands. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
Good to know before you move to Amsterdam
Compact, bike-first and very English-friendly — a favourite expat landing pad, if you can win the tight housing lottery.
- Currency
- Euro (€ EUR)
- Languages
- Dutch
- Time zone
- UTC+1
- Internet
- 160 Mbps
- English
- Widely spoken
- Safety
- 68/100
- Climate
- ❄ 4°C · ☀ 18°C · 60 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- F · 230V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Jordaan · De Pijp · Oost
Good to know before you move to Rotterdam
Europe's biggest port and the Netherlands' boldest architecture — a modern, design-driven city rebuilt after the war, noticeably cheaper and grittier than Amsterdam. Bike-first, international and well-connected, with the same flat, wet, windy weather.
- Currency
- Euro (€ EUR)
- Languages
- Dutch
- Time zone
- UTC+1
- Internet
- 170 Mbps
- English
- Widely spoken
- Safety
- 62/100
- Climate
- ❄ 4°C · ☀ 18°C · 110 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- F · 230V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Kop van Zuid · Kralingen · Cool District · Delfshaven
Plan your move to Amsterdam
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsNH Hotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- Tours & ticketsTiqets
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Flight compensationAirHelp
Sponsored
Plan your move to Rotterdam
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsNH Hotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- Tours & ticketsTiqets
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Flight compensationAirHelp
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Amsterdam to Rotterdam: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Amsterdam to Rotterdam, your cost of living will be roughly 6% cheaper. Rotterdam’s cost-of-living index is 119 versus 127 for Amsterdam (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Amsterdam cheaper than Rotterdam?
Rotterdam is about 6% cheaper than Amsterdam overall — its cost-of-living index is 119 versus 127 for Amsterdam.
How much do you need to earn in Rotterdam to live like in Amsterdam?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Amsterdam is worth about $70,205 in Rotterdam. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Amsterdam or Rotterdam?
Both cities are in the same country, so national income tax (49.5%) and VAT are identical; only local cost of living differs.
◷ More comparisons from Amsterdam
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.