Living in Rotterdam- Guide

Living in Rotterdam!

When you come to this bustling city as an expat, you will notice that we are very friendly people.

Feel free to step into a cosy café and someone will probably start a spontaneous conversation with you!

We are pretty direct people, we like to tackle things and we don’t get around it, you immediately know where you stand , off course in a friendly manor.😊

Recent figures from Statistics Netherlands show that in 2018 around 2212 new expats were registered in the municipal basic administration. The Rotterdam Expat Center is therefore happy to welcome new expats to Rotterdam in 2019. This growth has to do with the number of new international companies that have established themselves, mainly the IT sector.

Rotterdam has many nice streets, shops and super cosy restaurants and cafes, very easy to reach by public transport.

We have 2 large green parks, Kralingse plas and the Vroesenpark. During the summer many food truck festivals and fun music festivals are organized. Or maybe you just go with the picnic basket to enjoy the sun.

Rent a property!

As many expats have chosen to come and live in this city in recent years, there is a good selection of furnished homes for rent.

The prices for a 1-bedroom apartment of approximately 50 m2 will be around € 1250 excluding utilities per month. We have beautiful “full service” residential towers on the water that also can be rent unfurnished, if you bring your own furniture.

Buy a property!

If you feel comfortable in the city for a while, you could choose to buy a property, which saves you a lot of money on the monthly housing costs as the interest on the mortgage loan is low at the moment. However, finding a 2-bedroom home under € 300.000,- is becoming a challenge.

Good purchasing guidance could help you.

To help you a little where you would like to live, you will find a map with the city districts below:

KRALINGEN-CROOSWIJK:

Kralingen is international and hip. It attracts a mix of students, expats, Rotterdamers and the social elite. Its buildings were mostly created in the 19^th or early 20^th century and have often been beautifully renovated. When walking through the streets, you can feel the unique atmosphere of royal green lanes with villas and cosy streets with many student and fraternity houses. Want to go to the beach? You can find it a short walk away at the lake Kralingse Plas. Commuting to the city centre by bike only takes around 10 minutes. As one may expect, housing prices reflect the desirability of the area. Crooswijk refers to the area next to Kralingen on the west side. As many parts of Rotterdam, it is a melting pot of different cultures and people from all layers of the society.

NOORD

Rotterdam North offers the full range of street pictures, from busy shopping streets with many small international shops and supermarkets to green lanes with beautiful villas. In Rotterdam North you will find a mix of young, old, poor and rich. Rotterdam North is particularly attractive due to its moderate rents and the closeness to the city centre.

CENTRE

The city centre is surrounded by Delfshaven in the west, Rotterdam Noord in the North, Kralingen in the East and the Maas river in the South. Living in the in the vibrant heart of this world city implies countless shopping opportunities, cosy cafes and delicious restaurants just a short walk away. The city’s nightlife mostly takes place in the city centre at places as the famous Witte de Witstraat, the Oude Haven (the old habour) and the area around the town hall, the Stadhuisplein area. Rotterdam’s biggest market is located at the Meent near Blaak, with its new market hall being finished in 2014. Needless to say that excellent tram and Metro connections will bring you anywhere in no time.

DELFSHAVEN (WEST)

Delfshaven is located on the western part of Rotterdam. It is a place where students, starters, creatives, Rotterdamers and people from all over world live. Delfshaven is attractive due to its moderate rents and its closeness to the city centre and many educational institutions as  the Erasmus MC, the Hogeschool and the Codarts art school.

OVERSCHIE

Overschie is a family friendly and green neighbourhood in the northwest of Rotterdam. By car you reach the city centre within just 10 minutes, by bike within around 20 minutes. You can enjoy easy access to the highways and free parking.

HILLEGERSBERG-SCHIEBROEK

Hillegersberg-Schiebroek is Rotterdam’s upscale area with many beautiful villas, traditional Dutch houses but also modern buildings. Waters or parks are never far away. The centre of Hillegersberg-Schiebroek is at the Bergse Dorpsstraat, where you can find designer clothes or have a coffee in one of the inviting cafes and restaurants. The city centre can be reached within 10-20 minutes cycling.

PRINS ALEXANDER

Prins Alexander is a calm and green neighbourhood in the Northeast of Rotterdam. Due to its familiy friendlyness and close location to the Erasmus University it’s a neighbourhood with relatively moderate rents compared to Hillegaersberg-Schiebroek or Kralingen. Many of its buildings were established in the mid or late 20^th century.

ROTTERDAM SOUTH (CHARLOIS, FEIJENOORD & IJSSELMONDE)

Rotterdam South comprises the districts Charlois on the west, Feijenoord in the centre and IJsselmonde in the east. Generally one can enjoy relatively low rents in the South of Rotterdam. When walking through the streets you can see a mix of cultures from all over the world. In the centre of Rotterdam South you can find one of the largest shopping centres in town, “Zuidplein”.

The relatively new area Kop van Zuid is across the centre, on the south of the Erasmus Bridge. It shows a unique atmosphere. You spot modern skyscrapers, historic factories which have been built into student homes, office buildings, beautiful restaurants but also the new Luxor theatre. Living at the Kop van Zuid is hip and just a bridge or metro stop away from the city centre.

     Welcome to Rotterdam 😊