Cost of Living Comparison Between Drachten and The Hague Cost of Living Comparison Between Drachten and The Hague

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,104 in Drachten versus $2,814 in The Hague.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,052 in Drachten versus $4,239 in The Hague.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,000 in Drachten versus $5,664 in The Hague.

Living in Drachten costs roughly 25% less than in The Hague, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Drachten 53% above, The Hague 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.06 €22.42

$23.07 €19.85

12.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.4 €76.1

$91.7 €78.9

-3.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.88 €11.94

$15.46 €13.30

-10.22%

Cappuccino

$4.10 €3.53

$4.68 €4.02

-12.39%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 €3.22

$4.30 €3.70

-13.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 €2.91

$4.35 €3.74

-22.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 €5.02

$6.81 €5.86

-14.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 €4.90

$7.72 €6.65

-26.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.57 €1.35

-21.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 €1.23

$2.28 €1.96

-37.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$2.71 €2.33

-41.33%

Eggs

$5.24 €4.50

$4.64 €4.00

12.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 €11.41

$14.93 €12.84

-11.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.72 €11.80

$13.43 €11.56

2.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 €10.93

$20.16 €17.35

-37.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.76 €2.38

-27.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.30 €1.98

12.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.06 €1.77

-5.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 €2.86

$3.80 €3.27

-12.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.37 €1.18

24.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.33 €1.14

24.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.21 €1.04

6.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 €0.58

$0.94 €0.81

-27.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.79 €8.43

$15.30 €13.16

-36.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.09 €6.10

$5.93 €5.11

19.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.33 €1.15

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.33

$2.01 €1.73

34.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.17 €3.59

$4.54 €3.90

-8.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.36 €39.03

$97.0 €83.5

-53.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.35 €8.91

$4.76 €4.10

117.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.30 €2.84

$3.60 €3.10

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.1 €45.73

$35.16 €30.25

51.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.43 €2.09

$2.61 €2.25

-6.90%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$43.1K €37.1K

$43.6K €37.5K

-1.17%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.7K €34.1K

$40.8K €35.1K

-2.70%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$291 €251

$292 €251

-0.19%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$24.76 €21.30

$29.38 €25.28

-15.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 €44.28

$56.3 €48.42

-8.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.59

$52.1 €44.80

10.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.49 €21.94

Cinema Ticket

$17.08 €14.70

$17.20 €14.80

-0.70%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,451 €2,109

$2,541 €2,186

-3.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K €24.1K

$12.2K €10.5K

130.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 €51.7

$99.6 €85.7

-39.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.57 €40.07

$45.25 €38.94

2.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 €78.4

$110 €95.0

-17.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 €121

$140 €121

0.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 €788

$1,719 €1,479

-46.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 €659

$1,335 €1,149

-42.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,392 €1,198

$2,886 €2,484

-51.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 €913

$2,388 €2,055

-55.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,609 €3,966

$6,429 €5,532

-28.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,441 €2,961

$4,581 €3,942

-24.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,648 €2,278

$4,373 €3,763

-39.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

3.4

26.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Drachten: August 31, 2026

Last update for The Hague: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $915 in Drachten and $1,719 in The Hague. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

The Hague pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $88.0 in Drachten vs $92.0 in The Hague for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $341 per month, with Drachten cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Drachten vs The Hague: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Drachten is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in The Hague. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $915 in Drachten versus $1,719 in The Hague. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,451 in Drachten versus $2,541 in The Hague. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in The Hague. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,104 in Drachten versus $2,814 in The Hague, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Drachten but tight or insufficient in The Hague. The gap between the two cities makes Drachten the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Drachten is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in The Hague, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Drachten and The Hague are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Drachten gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in The Hague. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.