NL flag
Apeldoorn

The Netherlands

vs
NL flag
Rotterdam

The Netherlands

Climate

Apeldoorn logs 4 hot days a year to Rotterdam's 2 — Rotterdam wins by 2. Rotterdam also leads on frost days by 14.

ApeldoornRotterdam
Sunny days
130141
Hot days
42
Frost days
3218
Rainy days
165162
Snow days
20
Outdoor dinner months
4/123/12
Avg wind
3.8 m/s4.3 m/s
Sunshine hours
1,6671,810
Darkest month sun
29 hrs/mo35 hrs/mo
UV peak month
5.05.2

Apeldoorn

Feels-like °C

-6
-2
0
7
15
20
19
21
15
8
1
-5

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Rotterdam

Feels-like °C

-6
-3
-1
5
13
19
18
21
15
8
1
-5

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Cost of Living

Rotterdam averages $2,798/mo for balanced living; Apeldoorn has no cost baseline yet.

Apeldoorn

monthly · balanced

Rotterdam

$2,798

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $2,193Comfort $3,925
Top 88%in Among 217 Europe cities

Mobility

Rotterdam scores 4.0 on mobility (0–5 scale); Apeldoorn has no mobility baseline.

/5
vs
4.0/5
ApeldoornRotterdam
WalkabilityTransitCyclingCar EfficiencyMotorbikeAirport

Culture

Rotterdam's culture score of 4.2 sits well above Apeldoorn's 0.0.

0.0/5
vs
4.2/5
ApeldoornRotterdam
ArtsHistoryTheatreVenuesNightlife
Rotterdam leads

Nature & Outdoors

Rotterdam scores 4.0 on nature & outdoors (0–5 scale); Apeldoorn has no nature & outdoors baseline.

/5
vs
4.0/5
ApeldoornRotterdam
SeaForestGreen AreasLakesRunningCampingBeachSurfing

Safety

Rotterdam scores 4.2 on safety (0–5 scale); Apeldoorn has no safety baseline.

/5
vs
4.2/5

Career

Rotterdam scores 4.0 on career (0–5 scale); Apeldoorn has no career baseline.

/5
vs
4.0/5
ApeldoornRotterdam
JobsEconomyStartupsCoworking

Social & Community

Rotterdam scores 3.7 on social & community (0–5 scale); Apeldoorn has no social & community baseline.

/5
vs
3.7/5
ApeldoornRotterdam
Everyday EnglishExpat-First CommunityMulticultural MixExpat Integration ExperienceUrban EnergyLocal-First CommunityGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support

Food & Dining

Rotterdam scores 3.8 on food & dining (0–5 scale); Apeldoorn has no food & dining baseline.

/5
vs
3.8/5
ApeldoornRotterdam
RestaurantsBrunchVeganDelivery

Family

Rotterdam scores 3.9 on family (0–5 scale); Apeldoorn has no family baseline.

/5
vs
3.9/5
ApeldoornRotterdam
Intl SchoolsUniversitiesAmenitiesSportPlaygroundsGroceriesGymYogaSpaTennis

Healthcare

Rotterdam scores 3.7 on healthcare (0–5 scale); Apeldoorn has no healthcare baseline.

/5
vs
3.7/5
ApeldoornRotterdam
Public HealthcarePrivate Healthcare

Air Quality

Apeldoorn averages 8.3 µg/m³ (good) PM2.5 annually versus Rotterdam's 8.8 µg/m³ (good) — Apeldoorn breathes ~6% cleaner air (0.5 µg/m³ lower).

Apeldoorn

Rotterdam

8.3µg/m³
8.8µg/m³

PM2.5 annual average

Good
Good

WHO classification

City Scale

Both maps at the same real-world scale — 1 cm on either map is the same distance.

Apeldoorn (134K) and Rotterdam (2.2M) are 16x in population — Rotterdam is the larger metro, Apeldoorn the smaller; on land area Rotterdam spans roughly 17x more ground.

17x

Rotterdam is roughly 17x the scale of Apeldoorn

Combined population & area comparison

NL flagRotterdam
17x
NL flagApeldoorn
1x

City Scale Rankings

Population
1.NL flagRotterdam2.2M16x
2.NL flagApeldoorn134K1x
Area
1.NL flagRotterdam677 km²17x
2.NL flagApeldoorn40 km²1x
© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
6.8 km8.7 km

NL flagApeldoorn

© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
35 km33 km

NL flagRotterdam

Who Thrives Here

Frequently asked about Apeldoorn vs Rotterdam

Which is cheaper, Apeldoorn or Rotterdam?
Rotterdam has an estimated monthly cost of $2,798.
How does the climate compare between Apeldoorn and Rotterdam?
Sunny days: 130 vs 141 d — Rotterdam higher Annual sunshine: 1,667 vs 1,810 hrs — Rotterdam higher Winter sunshine: 29 vs 35 hrs/day — Similar Hot days (>30°C): 4 vs 2 d — Similar Frost days: 32 vs 18 d — Rotterdam lower Rainy days: 165 vs 162 d — Similar Snowy days: 2 vs 0 d — Similar
Is Apeldoorn or Rotterdam safer?
Rotterdam has a safety score of 4.2/5.
Should I move to Apeldoorn or Rotterdam?
Apeldoorn and Rotterdam are both popular relocation destinations with distinct characteristics. The best choice depends on your priorities — climate preferences, career opportunities, cost constraints, and lifestyle needs. Take the personalized quiz to find your ideal match, or explore the map to compare cities by region and lifestyle factors.

The best city depends on what matters to you

This comparison shows how Apeldoorn and Rotterdam stack up on the data. But your climate preferences, budget, career needs, and lifestyle priorities can shift the picture entirely. A personalized diagnostic finds what fits your life.

Take the free diagnostic

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