Rent a Home in Charlois, Rotterdam

Charlois is the largest district of Rotterdam-South, with approximately 78,000 inhabitants and ten neighborhoods that differ greatly from each other. From the historic village core of Oud-Charlois to the industrial island idyll of Heijplaat, from the much-discussed Tarwewijk to the new-build transformation in Wielewaal. Charlois borders the Nieuwe Maas to the north and the A15 and the municipal boundary to the south. The Zuiderpark, one of the largest city parks in the Netherlands at 323 hectares, is located in the heart of the district. Of the housing stock, 73% are rental properties. Rents are lower than in Feijenoord and the city center.

Oud-Charlois: The Village in the City

Oud-Charlois is the oldest part of the district, originating in 1462 as the village of Charlois, named after the French county of Charolais. The historic village center around the Charloisse Kerksingel, the Kaatsbaan, and the Zuidhoek has largely been preserved. The Oude Kerk (Old Church) is still there, the facades are characteristic, and the streets are narrow. It is one of the few places in Rotterdam where the urban scale of an old village is still recognizable.

The neighborhood has more than 150 creative entrepreneurs, galleries, and studios, especially around the Oude Kerk and the Gouwstraat. Active resident groups give Oud-Charlois a lively sense of community. Residents describe the atmosphere as village-like and close-knit: people greet each other on the street and know who lives next to them. The average WOZ value (property value) is €244,000 (2025), slightly above the district average.

The supply in the free sector is limited. Most homes are porch apartments and small ground-level houses from the pre-war and early post-war periods. Oud-Charlois borders Zuidplein, the largest shopping center in Rotterdam-South, and Zuiderpark.

Tarwewijk: Much Discussed but in Motion

For decades, the Tarwewijk has had a heavy reputation as one of Rotterdam's most vulnerable neighborhoods. This reputation is not entirely undeserved: the safety index is below the city average, the average WOZ value is a low €223,000, the proportion of low-income households is high, and housing quality leaves something to be desired in parts. Many homes are small porch flats without an elevator, and 75% are rental properties.

At the same time, there are visible improvements. The municipality has designated Tarwewijk as a focus neighborhood and is investing in housing improvement, public spaces, and social programs. The Maassilo, a former grain silo from 1910, has been converted into a well-known event venue. The Nelson Mandelapark, a new city park to be built on the banks of the Maas, is planned for construction starting in 2025. This makes Tarwewijk one of the cheapest neighborhoods in Rotterdam.

For those who consciously choose an affordable home in Rotterdam-South and are willing to invest in a neighborhood in transition, Tarwewijk offers accessibility. For those who prioritize peace, safety, and a polished living environment, it is wiser to choose elsewhere within Charlois.

Carnisse: Affordable and Central

Carnisse is a compact pre-war neighborhood directly north of Oud-Charlois, bordered by Dorpsweg, Pleinweg, and Goereesestraat. The buildings mainly consist of small two- and three-story porch homes. The WOZ values are the lowest in the district, and 69% of the homes are rental properties. This makes Carnisse the most affordable entry point in Charlois for free-sector tenants.

The neighborhood has little distinctive character but is functional: close to Zuidplein, the public transport hub, and the metro. For first-time renters looking for the lowest possible rent in Rotterdam-South, Carnisse is a logical first option.

Zuidwijk and Pendrecht: Post-War and Green

Zuidwijk and Pendrecht were built in the 1950s as part of the reconstruction of Rotterdam-South, designed by municipal architect Lotte Stam-Beese. The urban layout is spacious: wide avenues, large green strips, playgrounds, a carefully thought-out pattern of residential blocks. Pendrecht is considered, from a cultural-historical perspective, one of the most remarkable post-war neighborhoods in the Netherlands and is on the municipal monument list.

The average WOZ value in Zuidwijk is €244,000. Pendrecht and Zuidwijk are more spacious than Carnisse or Tarwewijk, with more ground-level homes and larger apartments. 79% are rental properties. Residents experience Pendrecht as a child-friendly working-class neighborhood; Zuidwijk has a slightly older resident profile.

Both neighborhoods directly border Zuiderpark, which is a great advantage for families. Public transport accessibility is reasonable via bus and tram; metro connection requires a transfer.

Zuiderpark and Zuidrand: Park as Front Garden

The neighborhood of Zuiderpark and Zuidrand is the green edge of Charlois. On the south side of Zuiderpark, along Charloisse Lagedijk and Smitshoekseweg, there are detached houses and semi-detached houses in a remarkably village-like setting. A hockey club, a baseball club, a riding school, the Pendrechtse Molen, and a recreational lake are literally around the corner. The average WOZ value in Charlois Zuidrand is €616,000 (2025), well above the city average.

The rental market supply here is scarce and expensive, but the living environment is unique for a district like Charlois. The new-build project 'In 't Zuiderpark' added 98 family homes of 118 to 157 m², on the site of the former tennis club Z'67.

Zuiderpark itself is an indispensable asset for all surrounding neighborhoods: 323 hectares with promenades, playgrounds, a sandy beach, ponds, an adventure island, a skate park, and major annual festivals.

Wielewaal: Neighborhood in Rebirth

The Wielewaal is a small neighborhood on the edge of Zuiderpark that is currently being fully redeveloped. The emergency housing from the post-war reconstruction period is making way for a new living environment of approximately 675 homes in various price categories: rental and ownership in various price categories. The architectural style is deliberately non-urban: single-family homes and semi-detached houses of one or two layers with a pitched roof, orange slate, and warm brick.

The special thing about Wielewaal is the resident model: those who rent or buy a home automatically acquire a share in the neighborhood and are co-responsible for the maintenance of the shared public space. The first four phases have been completed; contractor Van Wijnen continues construction towards 2027. The historically strong social cohesion in the neighborhood is consciously incorporated into the redevelopment.

For those looking for a new home in a neighborhood explicitly designed for community spirit, right next to Zuiderpark, Wielewaal is a serious option.

Heijplaat: The Hidden Island Village

Heijplaat is Rotterdam's best-kept secret. It is located on a peninsula in the Waalhaven, about twenty minutes by boat from the Erasmus Bridge. Approximately 2,000 people live in a garden village built in 1914 for workers of the Rotterdam Drydock Company (RDM), then one of Europe's largest shipyards. The streets are narrow, the houses are low, and the squares are intimate. The contrast with the surrounding port landscape is total.

The RDM shipyard has been converted into a campus for education and innovation, focused on Research, Design and Manufacturing. This attracts students, designers, and technicians to Heijplaat, which has enriched the resident composition in recent years. The average WOZ value is €278,000, above the Charlois city average.

Accessibility is the biggest drawback. There is one road in and out. Bus 71 connects Heijplaat with metro station Zuidplein. In addition, a ferry (water taxi) runs Monday to Friday between 06:50 and 21:15 from Marconistraat to RDM/Heijplaat. The Water Taxi can reach the Erasmus Bridge in about twenty minutes. For those who work or study on the RDM campus, accessibility is excellent; for those who need to travel daily elsewhere in the city, it requires more planning.

The rental market supply in Heijplaat is small. Few homes are for rent, and turnover is low. The supply is limited, and turnover is low.

Public Transport: Metro as Backbone

Charlois has a good metro connection. Zuidplein station is the public transport hub of the district: metro lines B and E, and various bus lines stop here. From Zuidplein, Rotterdam Central Station can be reached in approximately eight minutes via metro line E. Slinge station, one stop further, serves the more southern neighborhoods. Tram 2 runs from Carnisse via Zuidplein towards Hoek van Holland.

Bus 44 runs via the Maastunnel six times an hour to Rotterdam Central. For Oud-Charlois and Carnisse, cycling through the Maastunnel (free, always open for cyclists and pedestrians) is a fast option: approximately twelve to fifteen minutes to the city center. Heijplaat and Wielewaal are the least directly accessible. Parking in Charlois is paid in the immediate vicinity of Zuidplein; in the more southern neighborhoods, parking pressure is lower.

Charlois is a district with great internal contrasts. Rents are lower than in Feijenoord or the city center, green spaces are more abundant than anywhere else in Rotterdam-South, and the neighborhoods range from historically village-like to industrially maritime. Those who take the trouble to get to know the sub-neighborhoods will find one of Rotterdam's most varied housing offers.