✦ Compare
Rotterdam vs
Tokyo
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
Rotterdam, NL vs Tokyo, JP at a glance — Tokyo, JP is 9% cheaper than Rotterdam, NL overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,300/mo versus $1,500/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 49.5%.
To keep the same standard of living in Tokyo, JP, you'd need
$68,124 / year
Tokyo, JP is 9% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Tokyo, JP vs Rotterdam, NL)
- Housing-16%
- Food & groceries-5%
- Transport-2%
- Utilities-4%
- Healthcare-13%
- Goods & services-5%
◎ How Rotterdam, NL and Tokyo, JP compare
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
▤ Full comparison
| Rotterdam, NL | Tokyo, JP | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 119 | 108 |
| Housing | 145 | 122 |
| Food | 110 | 105 |
| Transport | 92 | 90 |
| Utilities | 120 | 115 |
| Healthcare | 98 | 85 |
| Goods & services | 112 | 106 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $1,500/mo | $1,300/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $1,150/mo | $900/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $2,600/mo | $2,800/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $6,500 | $11,000 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $841 | $926 |
| Inexpensive meal | $18 | $8 |
| Monthly transit pass | $100 | $90 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 49.5% | 45% |
| VAT / sales tax | 21% | 10% |
| Corporate tax | 25.8% | 30% |
| Capital gains | — | 20.3% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $3,100/mo | $2,600/mo |
| Minimum wage | $2,100/mo | $1,300/mo |
| GDP per capita | $73,684 | $35,951 |
| Inflation (annual) | 3.3% | 3.2% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | Yes |
| English proficiency | High | Low |
| Coworking spaces | 35 | 90 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 | UTC+9 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 62 | 82 |
| Healthcare index | 85 | 85 |
| Pollution index | 40 | 45 |
| Internet speed | 170 Mbps | 220 Mbps |
| Walkability | 80 | 92 |
| Public transport | 82 | 98 |
| Family-friendly | 72 | 72 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Health insurance | — | $40/mo |
| Life expectancy | 82 yr | 84 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | Moderate |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +4 °C | +6 °C |
| July avg | +18 °C | +27 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 110 | 130 |
| Rainfall / year | 800 mm | 1,520 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Netherlands vs Japan. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
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
Good to know before you move to Tokyo
Astonishingly safe, clean and well-connected for a megacity — and, thanks to a weak yen, cheaper than most Western capitals right now.
- Currency
- Japanese yen (¥ JPY)
- Languages
- Japanese
- Time zone
- UTC+9
- Internet
- 220 Mbps
- English
- Rarely spoken
- Safety
- 82/100
- Climate
- ❄ 6°C · ☀ 27°C · 130 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- A/B · 100V
- Driving
- Left-hand side
- Popular areas
- Shibuya · Shinjuku · Setagaya
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
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Plan your move to Tokyo
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Rotterdam to Tokyo: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Rotterdam to Tokyo, your cost of living will be roughly 9% cheaper. Tokyo’s cost-of-living index is 108 versus 119 for Rotterdam (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Rotterdam cheaper than Tokyo?
Tokyo is about 9% cheaper than Rotterdam overall — its cost-of-living index is 108 versus 119 for Rotterdam.
How much do you need to earn in Tokyo to live like in Rotterdam?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Rotterdam is worth about $68,124 in Tokyo. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Rotterdam or Tokyo?
Japan has the lower top income-tax rate — 45% versus 49.5% in Netherlands.
◷ More comparisons from Rotterdam
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.