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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,909 per month in Haarlem vs $2,879 in The Hague, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,195 per month in Haarlem vs $4,275 in The Hague, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,481 per month in Haarlem vs $5,672 in The Hague, rent included.

Haarlem costs about 1% more than The Hague, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Haarlem and The Hague sit above the global median – Haarlem by 118%, The Hague by 115%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.15 €25.47

$17.18 €15.01

69.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €91.1

$91.5 €80.0

13.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.30

$13.81 €12.07

1.88%

Cappuccino

$4.51 €3.94

$4.47 €3.90

0.89%

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

$4.09 €3.57

$3.30 €2.88

23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 €3.00

$2.67 €2.34

28.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.96 €6.08

$6.91 €6.04

0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 €5.05

$5.70 €4.98

1.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.22

$1.32 €1.15

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 €2.23

$2.27 €1.98

12.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 €2.69

$2.92 €2.55

5.48%

Eggs

$4.75 €4.15

$4.91 €4.29

-3.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.35 €12.54

$14.65 €12.80

-2.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.72 €13.73

$15.70 €13.72

0.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.96 €16.57

$16.92 €14.78

12.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 €2.32

$2.45 €2.14

8.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 €2.22

$2.42 €2.11

4.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.69

$1.97 €1.72

-2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 €3.55

$4.58 €4.01

-11.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.99 €1.74

3.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 €1.70

$2.06 €1.80

-5.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 €1.09

$1.25 €1.09

-0.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.82

$0.90 €0.78

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.24 €12.44

$13.96 €12.19

2.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 €6.80

$5.84 €5.10

33.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.40 €1.22

7.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 €2.18

$2.51 €2.20

-0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.72

$3.51 €3.07

-11.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 €97.2

$121 €106

-7.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 €5.04

$4.66 €4.07

23.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.60 €2.27

$3.13 €2.73

-16.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.26 €23.82

$34.13 €29.82

-20.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 €1.95

$2.31 €2.02

-3.46%

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

$41.1K €35.9K

$42.4K €37.0K

-2.98%

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

$39.0K €34.1K

$35.1K €30.7K

11.24%

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

$245 €214

$244 €213

0.66%

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

$28.53 €24.93

$26.15 €22.85

9.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 €51.1

$46.38 €40.52

26.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 €35.84

$42.54 €37.17

-3.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.85 €20.84

$26.04 €22.75

-8.41%

Cinema Ticket

$16.60 €14.51

$16.55 €14.46

0.30%

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

$2,698 €2,357

$2,409 €2,104

12.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,175 €5,395

$11.9K €10.4K

-47.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 €86.4

$129 €113

-23.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 €45.64

$49.16 €42.95

6.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 €105

$121 €105

-0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 €139

$156 €136

2.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,727 €1,509

$1,675 €1,463

3.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,382 €1,207

$1,472 €1,286

-6.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,584 €2,257

$3,010 €2,630

-14.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,114 €1,847

$2,476 €2,163

-14.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,923 €6,922

$6,436 €5,623

23.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,009 €5,250

$4,635 €4,049

29.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,143 €3,620

$4,226 €3,692

-1.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

7.00%

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

Last update for Haarlem: July 14, 2026

Last update for The Hague: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,727 in Haarlem versus $1,675 in The Hague. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in The Hague, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $104 in Haarlem versus $92.0 in The Hague. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $348 – making The Hague the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Haarlem costs about 1% more than The Hague, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,363 per month in Haarlem and $4,318 in The Hague. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in The Hague, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $104 in Haarlem and $92.0 in The Hague. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,909 in Haarlem and $2,879 in The Hague. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,909 in Haarlem and $2,879 in The Hague. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. The Hague costs $2,879 versus $2,909 in Haarlem. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with The Hague. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Haarlem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.