What It's Like Living in Rotterdam, Netherlands

Rotterdam is a modern, dynamic city. Its forward outlook has not only given it some of Europe’s most imaginative architecture, but transformed it into a thriving center for art, commerce, and culture. If you’ve never considered living in Rotterdam, it’s time you discovered why it’s such a standout destination.

Powerful Economy

Rotterdam is the largest seaport in Europe, processing around 438 million tons of cargo a year. Merchant shipping has dominated the local economy since the founding of the Dutch East India Company in 1602. Though trade declined due to COVID-19, it has recovered remarkably well and continues to grow at a brisk pace, creating a huge demand for workers in the maritime and logistics sectors.

Its position at the head of several major trade routes has also made it an attractive location for a number of other industries, such as pharmaceuticals, commodities trading, consumer goods, electrical equipment, and chemical manufacturing. Several multinational corporations operate out of the city, as well as numerous Dutch companies, though the latter prefer to hire Dutch citizens instead of foreigners.

Diverse International Community

Trading ports are historically diverse communities and Rotterdam is no exception. The city is home to over 180 nationalities and more than half the population has at least one parent born outside the Netherlands. Over the course of an ordinary day, Americans living in Rotterdam might rub shoulders with people from Turkey, Morocco, China, Eastern Europe, and South America. 

On the other hand, if they’re feeling homesick, they won’t have to look far to find their fellow countrymen. The American expat community is fairly large and there’s even a Facebook page to help them connect.

English Speaking

Most people living in Rotterdam are fluent in Dutch and English. Though learning Dutch will help you make friends and socialize, it’s not a necessity. Americans can converse quite easily with practically everyone. Menus and signs are often printed in both Dutch and English as well. English isn’t spoken as widely out in the country, though even there Americans can normally make themselves understood without much difficulty.

Affordable Lifestyle

Though Rotterdam is experiencing a housing crunch, its cost of living is low compared to its neighbors, such as Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, and Dusseldorf. While housing near the city center remains relatively expensive, Americans rarely have trouble finding suitable homes a little further out. The Kralingen and Schiebroek neighborhoods are particularly popular with students and families, due to their parks and metro stations.

Efficient Transportation

Like many of its counterparts in Western Europe, Amsterdam has invested heavily in public transit. Rather than rely on their cars, most residents prefer to get around by:

• Tram. Rotterdam has nine regular tram lines that run through the city center and the surrounding neighborhoods. There are also three seasonal lines that operate during summer and on special occasions, such as major soccer matches.
• Metro. Rotterdam’s rapid transit system is the fastest way to travel between downtown and the suburbs. The trains also serve many of the villages in the surrounding countryside.
• Water Taxi. Hiring a water taxi is the fastest way to travel across the Maas River, which runs through the center of town. Tourists often take them out sightseeing, but they’re just as popular with the city’s permanent residents.
• Bicycle. Cycling is a way of life in the Netherlands. After the war, most of Rotterdam was rebuilt with bicycles in mind. Rather than skirt through narrow, cobbled streets, residents cruise along wide bike paths that stretch from downtown out into the countryside. For safety, bicycle traffic is kept separate from motor vehicles. Thanks to its compact layout, most people can make it from the outskirts to the city center in about half an hour.

Rotterdam also has high levels of foot traffic. Because its business district is located close to most of its major attractions, people who arrive downtown generally walk instead of shuttling around on public transport.

High Standard of Living

Most people in Rotterdam report high levels of happiness, thanks partially to the city’s efficient and effective public services. Residents enjoy:

• Good Schools. Schools in the Netherlands are free, even for foreign children. A few even offer bilingual classes for those who don’t speak Dutch. There are also some international schools subsidized by the government, which offer classes exclusively in English.
• Safe Streets. Dutch police are friendly, helpful, polite, and professional. Since the 1990s, they’ve brought crime under control in most neighborhoods. Thanks to their hard work, Rotterdam is now one of the safest cities in Europe
• Affordable Healthcare. The Netherlands has one of the best medical systems in the world, with quality facilities and well-trained staff. Coverage is universal, but it isn’t provided free of charge. Everyone living or working in the Netherlands is required to pay taxes through their insurance plan.

Active Nightlife

Rotterdam is abuzz both day and night. The city has an unusually high number of young singles, so it’s not surprising that there’s a lot to do on the weekend. Most of the action is centered around Witte de Withstraat and Nieuwe Binnenweg, its two largest entertainment districts. 

Streets here are lined with pubs, cafes, nightclubs, cocktail cars, and concert halls. Many of these are small venues, where musicians play to a limited crowd after the dining tables have been cleared away. One of the most popular is located underground in an old subway tunnel, while another is on a nearby rooftop, providing unobstructed views of the city while you listen to DJs drop their latest tracks. 

There are also biergartens where you can sip brews and chow down on sizzling sausages. Bars and clubs often include an interesting mix of students, intellectuals, and working professionals, not to mention a few tourists. Going out in Rotterdam is a heady experience, one you’re not likely to forget.

Innovative Architecture

Most of Rotterdam’s inner city was destroyed in 1940, during the German blitzkrieg. After the country was liberated in 1945, the city was reconstructed in several different styles: classical, industrial, modern, etc. Recently, it’s begun to incorporate experimental designs that blend concrete and greenspace. 

Consequently, while most European cities are dominated by stonework, Rotterdam is characterized by spacious plazas and bright, cutting-edge buildings. Some of its most famous structures include:

• Cube Houses. An innovative but surrealistic set of homes whose square roofs are angled so they appear to be balanced on their corner edge.
• Markthal. A hybrid building that contains apartments, commercial offices, and a shopping center. The huge arched structure is made from gray nature stone, with an enormous, 100-foot glass facade on either end.
• Erasmus Bridge. Named after a famous Renaissance scholar, but often called “The Swan,” this gleaming white bridge is supported by a single pylon stretching up out of the Mass River.
• Rotterdam Central Station. Its sleek, stainless steel roof is constructed at an acute angle, so it appears to float above the rest of the building. The large glass panel windows flood the interior with sunlight, while the spacious design creates an open, inviting atmosphere.
• De Rotterdam. A set of hybrid office and apartment buildings constructed along the Maas River, made up of three interconnected towers stacked atop one another, giving the illusion of motion when seen from a car or train.

Incredible Art & Culture

Rotterdam welcomes and encourages new forms of expression. Its publicly funded museums celebrate the country’s legacy as well as emerging voices within the contemporary art scene. Be sure to check out:

• Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen. Technically a publicly accessible art storage facility rather than a museum. Walk through six floors with over 150,000 paintings, sculptures, and oddities collected over the years by the city’s curators.
• Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. Explore artwork dating as far back as the 15th century, as well as surreal and challenging pieces from modern day.
• Nieuwe Instituut. Learn more about the history of Dutch architecture and design, as well as the innovators who have kept the Netherlands at the forefront of urban aesthetics.
• Chabot Museum. Features an extensive collection of works by Dutch painter and sculptor Henk Chabot, famous for his expressionist style, primarily centered on human figures, landscapes, and animals.
• FENIX. Still under construction, this cultural space will explore the ways migration has shaped the city through a diverse community of artists from the Netherlands and beyond.

But you don’t have to visit a museum to be inspired. A plethora of murals, sculptures, and street art give its neighborhoods a fun, vibrant atmosphere. During Rotterdam Art Week, there are workshops, pop-up shows, and open-air exhibitions all over town, giving you a chance to immerse yourself in the city’s creative spirit.

Moving to Rotterdam

International moves are exhilarating, but complicated. Coordinating packing, shipping, customs, and final delivery is a challenge. Fortunately, Allied agents are there for you every step of the way. Our international network provides a single point of contact to oversee the entire process, everything from scheduling to paperwork. Make sure your move runs smoothly. Contact us today for a free quote!