Living in Rotterdam
Annual PM2.5 was 8.75 µg/m³ at the end of 2024. Gigabit broadband availability was 99.2% in 2025. Car density was 371.8 vehicles per 1,000 residents in 2025. A monthly estimate placed internet service at €48.07 in August 2026. The unemployment rate was 5.4% at the end of 2024. Rotterdam is in the Netherlands; its population was 673,804 at the start of 2026.
Higher unemployment than any other Dutch city that publishes it, more recorded crime than any other Dutch city that publishes it and cleaner air than 62% of Dutch cities that publish it.
Which Netherlands-wide rules apply when you move to Rotterdam?
National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.
Housing and cost
How much does it cost to rent in Rotterdam?
Average net cold rent is 28.97 EUR/m² per month (2025), excluding heating and operating charges.
Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.
- Average net rent (nettokalt): 28.97 EUR/m²/month · Rent.nl24
Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness club membership, monthly | 43.38 EUR/month | 3 Aug 2026 | Numbeo23Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Col Groceries Index Basket Eur Month | 82.79 EUR/month | 3 Aug 2026 | Numbeo23Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited | 48.07 EUR/month | 3 Aug 2026 | Numbeo23Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Private kindergarten, monthly | 2,394 EUR/month | 3 Aug 2026 | Numbeo23Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | 23 eur | 3 Aug 2026 | Numbeo23Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Mobile plan, 10 GB | 19.68 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Cost of Living in Rotterdam. Jul 2026. Prices in Rotterdam23Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Monthly transport pass | 99 EUR/month | 3 Aug 2026 | Numbeo23Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² home | 263.8 EUR/month | 3 Aug 2026 | Numbeo23Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Housing Stock Total | 315,561 dwellings | 31 Dec 2020 | CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek3Official |
| Average net rent (nettokalt) | 28.97 EUR/m²/month | 31 Dec 2025 | Rent.nl24Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Rental Share Pct | 65 pct | 31 Dec 2020 | CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek3Official |
Worked out from these numbers
What does a 60 m² flat cost?
About 1,738 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 28.97 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.
Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.
Work and income
What is the unemployment rate in Rotterdam?
The unemployment rate is 5.4 % (2024). Source: CBS labour market in figures 2024 — unemployment by municipality8
Unemployment rate (%)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gigabit broadband availability | 99.15 % | 2025 Q1 | Percentage of households in the Dutch municipality with access to a fixed internet connection of at least 1 Gbps (1000 Mbit/s); availability, not subscribed plan, measured speed or FTTH-only coverage.19Official |
| Median Income Eur Year | 32,000 EUR/year | 31 Dec 2024 | CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek4Official |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4 %country median 3.1% | 31 Dec 2024 | CBS labour market in figures 2024 — unemployment by municipality8Official |
Unemployment rate fell 30.5% between 2011 and 2024, from 7.8% to 5.4%.
Public employment service
No exact public employment office is currently linked to Rotterdam. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.
UWV public employment service — Public employment service
Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Rotterdam. Sources checked through 11 Aug 2026.
Family and education
Safety
How safe is Rotterdam?
Police recorded 8,200 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source.
- Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents: 8,200 offences per 100,000 · CBS StatLine 83648NED — registered crime by municipality, total, 20249
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents | 8,200 offences per 100,000country median 3,080 | 31 Dec 2024 | CBS StatLine 83648NED — registered crime by municipality, total, 20249Official |
Mobility and administration
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Destinations from nearest airport | 29 count | 13 Jun 2026 | OpenFlights — routes.dat17Official |
| Nearest airport | RTM | 13 Jun 2026 | OurAirports — airports.csv18Official |
| Distance to nearest airport | 1.6 km | 13 Jun 2026 | OurAirports — airports.csv18Official |
| Public transport monthly pass | 99 EUR/month | 3 Aug 2026 | Numbeo23Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
Language courses and integration in Rotterdam
0 exact private or nonprofit provider records are linked to this city as supplemental evidence. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.
Inburgering010 Rotterdam — Integration course
Gemeente Rotterdam
For newcomers in Rotterdam.
Climate and air quality
Is the air quality good in Rotterdam?
The annual PM2.5 mean is about 8.8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.
Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.
- PM2.5 — annual mean: 8.75 µg/m³ · EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data11
City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.
Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| NO₂ — annual mean | 24 µg/m³ | 31 Dec 2024 | EEA air quality statistics — NL NO2 annual mean 2024 (station Rotterdam-Oost Sidelinge A13)12Official · nearest-station reading |
| PM10 — annual mean | 17 µg/m³ | 31 Dec 2024 | EEA air quality statistics — NL PM10 annual mean 2024 (station Rotterdam-Oost Sidelinge A13)13Official · nearest-station reading |
| PM2.5 — annual mean | 8.75 µg/m³country median 9.0 | 31 Dec 2024 | EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data11Official |
| Annual mean temperature (modelled) | 10.77 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology16Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| Annual precipitation (modelled) | 836.4 mm/year | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology16Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| January mean temperature (modelled) | 3.84 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology16Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| January minimum temperature (modelled) | -8.02 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology16Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| July maximum temperature (modelled) | 33.46 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology16Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| July mean temperature (modelled) | 18.14 °C | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology16Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| Daily precipitation rate (modelled) | 2.29 mm/day | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology16Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| Solar exposure (modelled) | 3.03 kWh/m²/day | 2001-2020 | NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology16Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate |
| Average daytime high by month | Jan 6.4 · Feb 7.1 · Mar 10.3 · Apr 14.3 · May 17.9 · Jun 20.6 · Jul 22.7 · Aug 22.6 · Sep 19.3 · Oct 14.9 · Nov 10.2 · Dec 7 °C | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station RotterdamTheHagueAp_06344.csv22Official · nearest-station reading |
| Average night-time low by month | Jan 1.3 · Feb 1.1 · Mar 2.7 · Apr 4.8 · May 8.1 · Jun 11 · Jul 13.4 · Aug 13.2 · Sep 10.7 · Oct 7.6 · Nov 4.4 · Dec 1.9 °C | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station RotterdamTheHagueAp_06344.csv22Official · nearest-station reading |
| Average temperature by month | Jan 4 · Feb 4.3 · Mar 6.7 · Apr 9.7 · May 13.2 · Jun 16 · Jul 18.2 · Aug 18 · Sep 15.1 · Oct 11.4 · Nov 7.5 · Dec 4.7 °C | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station RotterdamTheHagueAp_06344.csv22Official · nearest-station reading |
| Average precipitation by month | Jan 70.8 · Feb 65.9 · Mar 56.5 · Apr 42.1 · May 55.7 · Jun 68.6 · Jul 78.6 · Aug 91.9 · Sep 90.3 · Oct 87.3 · Nov 87.6 · Dec 86.2 mm | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station RotterdamTheHagueAp_06344.csv22Official · nearest-station reading |
| Average sunshine by month | Jan 69.6 · Feb 89.9 · Mar 143.4 · Apr 192.9 · May 226.2 · Jun 216 · Jul 221.2 · Aug 202.5 · Sep 152.9 · Oct 115.1 · Nov 66.8 · Dec 55.5 hours | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station RotterdamTheHagueAp_06344.csv22Official · nearest-station reading |
Cities of a similar size in Netherlands
Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.
Population and city profile
The city covered 324.1 km² in 2026. Population density was 2,217 people per km² in 2026.
How many people live in Rotterdam?
The published population was 673,804 people in January 2026. Source: CBS — Population on 1 January 2026, municipality Rotterdam (GM0599)6
Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address Density | 4,153 addresses/km² | 27 Aug 2026 | CBS2Official |
| Area | 304.2 km² | 9 Jun 2026 | Wikidata (P2046)25Independent · gemeente |
| Cars per 1,000 residents | 371.8 cars/1000 residents | 1 Jan 2025 | CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2025, municipality-grain passenger-car universe (Personenauto's totaal) divided by the same-table municipality population.7Official |
| City area | 324.1 km² | 28 Jan 2026 | Kadaster BRK Bestuurlijke Gebieden, current municipality boundary polygon in EPSG:28992; area is the polygon area converted from m² to km².15Official |
| Foreign-resident share | 11.7 % | 31 Dec 2024 | Eurostat14Official |
| Foreign residents | 385,206 people | 1 Jan 2025 | CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2025, municipality-grain passenger-car universe (Personenauto's totaal) divided by the same-table municipality population.7Official |
| Population density | 2,217 people/km² | 9 Jun 2026 | CBS2Official · gemeente |
| Population | 673,804 people | 9 Jun 2026 | CBS — Population on 1 January 2026, municipality Rotterdam (GM0599)6Official |
Foreign residents rose 522.4% between 2014 and 2025, from 61,894 to 385,206.
International community in Rotterdam
Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.
Country of birth
Population registered in Dutch municipalities; CBS population on 1 January · 2026-01-01
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Born in the Netherlands | 442,576 | 65.7% |
| Born outside the Netherlands | 231,228 | 34.3% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source21
Citizenship
Residents in the Dutch population register; 1 January · 2025-01-01
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Totaal | 672,960 | 100.0% |
| Nederlands | 567,566 | 84.3% |
| Totaal niet-Nederlandse nationaliteit | 105,394 | 15.7% |
| Europa (exclusief Nederlands) | 59,795 | 8.9% |
| Europese Unie (exclusief Nederlands) | 51,543 | 7.7% |
| Buiten-Europa | 43,442 | 6.5% |
| Azië | 29,426 | 4.4% |
| Midden- en Oost-Europese nat. in de EU | 25,719 | 3.8% |
| Azië (exclusief Indonesisch en Turks) | 18,942 | 2.8% |
| GIPS-Nationaliteiten in de EU | 16,650 | 2.5% |
Show 55 more groups
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pools | 11,762 | 1.7% |
| Turks | 9,501 | 1.4% |
| Afrika | 7,911 | 1.2% |
| Amerika | 5,891 | 0.9% |
| Bulgaars | 5,598 | 0.8% |
| Portugees | 5,395 | 0.8% |
| Amerika en Oceanië (exclusief Surinaams) | 4,555 | 0.7% |
| Afrika (exclusief Marokkaans) | 4,395 | 0.7% |
| Spaans | 4,257 | 0.6% |
| Italiaans | 4,061 | 0.6% |
| Syrisch | 4,057 | 0.6% |
| Chinees | 4,018 | 0.6% |
| Burger van Bondsrepubliek Duitsland | 3,760 | 0.6% |
| Oekraïens | 3,687 | 0.5% |
| Marokkaans | 3,516 | 0.5% |
| Grieks | 2,937 | 0.4% |
| Roemeens | 2,860 | 0.4% |
| Indiaas | 2,839 | 0.4% |
| Staatloos / onbekend | 2,157 | 0.3% |
| Frans | 1,960 | 0.3% |
| Brits | 1,830 | 0.3% |
| Hongaars | 1,785 | 0.3% |
| Surinaams | 1,550 | 0.2% |
| Belgisch | 1,460 | 0.2% |
| Amerikaans | 1,206 | 0.2% |
| Russisch | 1,134 | 0.2% |
| Iraans | 1,126 | 0.2% |
| Braziliaans | 1,079 | 0.2% |
| Indonesisch | 983 | 0.1% |
| Lets | 901 | 0.1% |
| Litouws | 860 | 0.1% |
| Pakistaans | 858 | 0.1% |
| Kroatisch | 732 | 0.1% |
| Japans | 686 | 0.1% |
| Zuid-Afrikaans | 675 | 0.1% |
| Jemenitisch | 654 | 0.1% |
| Eritrees | 588 | 0.1% |
| Vietnamees | 583 | 0.1% |
| Slowaaks | 576 | 0.1% |
| Iers | 524 | 0.1% |
| Filippijns | 512 | 0.1% |
| Afghaans | 473 | 0.1% |
| Zuid-Koreaans | 449 | 0.1% |
| Nigeriaans | 435 | 0.1% |
| Colombiaans | 342 | 0.1% |
| Egyptisch | 337 | 0.1% |
| Zweeds | 329 | 0.0% |
| Tsjechisch | 325 | 0.0% |
| Oostenrijks | 307 | 0.0% |
| Canadees | 299 | 0.0% |
| Iraaks | 282 | 0.0% |
| Thais | 264 | 0.0% |
| Oceanië | 214 | 0.0% |
| Ghanees | 197 | 0.0% |
| Somalisch | 162 | 0.0% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source20
Is Rotterdam a good place to live?
There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.
Additional context
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Download Mbps 2024 | 250 Mbps | 31 Dec 2024 | ACM1Official |
| Avg Woz Value K Eur | 221 kEUR | 31 Dec 2020 | CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek3Official |
| Banen Total | 423,200 jobs | 31 Dec 2024 | CBS — Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek5Official |
| Fttp Nl 5g Availability | true | 31 Dec 2024 | ACM1Official |
| Fttp Nl Avg Pct | 95 % | 31 Dec 2024 | ACM1Official |
| Owner Occupied Share Pct | 35 pct | 31 Dec 2020 | CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek3Official |
| Universities | 1 count | 3 Aug 2026 | DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs)10Official |
Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Rotterdam under the national coverage rules.
Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.
Open the official coverage guideCommon questions
Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.
How many people live in Rotterdam?
The published population was 673,804 people in January 2026. Source: CBS — Population on 1 January 2026, municipality Rotterdam (GM0599).
How much does it cost to rent in Rotterdam?
Average net cold rent is 28.97 EUR/m² per month (2025), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 2,028 EUR a month before utilities. Source: Rent.nl.
Is the air quality good in Rotterdam?
The annual PM2.5 mean is about 8.8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data.
How safe is Rotterdam?
Police recorded 8,200 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: CBS StatLine 83648NED — registered crime by municipality, total, 2024.
What is the unemployment rate in Rotterdam?
The unemployment rate is 5.4 % (2024). Source: CBS labour market in figures 2024 — unemployment by municipality.
How many foreign residents live in Rotterdam?
385,206 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2025, municipality-grain passenger-car universe (Personenauto's totaal) divided by the same-table municipality population..
Is Rotterdam a good place to live?
Rotterdam may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.
How many people born in Born in the Netherlands live in Rotterdam?
The official country of birth distribution records 442,576 people (65.7%) in the source-defined population for 2026-01-01. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.
Cite this page
Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.
APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Rotterdam, Netherlands: rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nl/rotterdam/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_rotterdam-netherlands-rent-salary-jobs_8176a4856af7,
author = {ImmigrationDB},
title = {Rotterdam, Netherlands: rent, salary, jobs},
publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-09-12},
version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nl/rotterdam/},
note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}Markdown citation
[Rotterdam, Netherlands: rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nl/rotterdam/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.
Sources
- ACM acm.nl · checked 2026-06-12
- CBS opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-06-12
- CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-06-11
- CBS - Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-06-12
- CBS — Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek CBS · opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-06-12
- CBS — Population on 1 January 2026, municipality Rotterdam (GM0599) CBS · opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-08-14
- CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2025, municipality-grain passenger-car universe (Personenauto's totaal) divided by the same-table municipality population. opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-07-15
- CBS labour market in figures 2024 — unemployment by municipality CBS labour market in figures 2024 · longreads.cbs.nl · checked 2026-07-26
- CBS StatLine 83648NED — registered crime by municipality, total, 2024 CBS StatLine 83648NED · opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-07-26
- DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs) duo.nl · checked 2026-08-03
Show 15 more sources
- EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-26
- EEA air quality statistics — NL NO2 annual mean 2024 (station Rotterdam-Oost Sidelinge A13) EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
- EEA air quality statistics — NL PM10 annual mean 2024 (station Rotterdam-Oost Sidelinge A13) EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
- Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
- Kadaster BRK Bestuurlijke Gebieden, current municipality boundary polygon in EPSG:28992; area is the polygon area converted from m² to km². api.pdok.nl · checked 2026-07-15
- NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology NASA POWER · power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-09-12
- OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
- OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
- Percentage of households in the Dutch municipality with access to a fixed internet connection of at least 1 Gbps (1000 Mbit/s); availability, not subscribed plan, measured speed or FTTH-only coverage. services.arcgis.com · checked 2026-07-15
- Statistics Netherlands (CBS) citizenship distribution opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-08-28
- Statistics Netherlands (CBS) country_of_birth opendata.cbs.nl · checked 2026-08-29
- WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station RotterdamTheHagueAp_06344.csv WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
- Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03
- Rent.nl rent.nl · checked 2026-08-04
- Wikidata (P2046) wikidata.org · checked 2026-07-14
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.