Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and The Hague Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and The Hague

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,885 per month in Madison, WI vs $2,894 in The Hague, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,152 per month in Madison, WI vs $4,283 in The Hague, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,420 per month in Madison, WI vs $5,673 in The Hague, rent included.

Madison, WI and The Hague have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Madison, WI and The Hague sit above the global median – Madison, WI by 117%, The Hague by 117%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 $15.25

$17.17 €14.87

-11.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$92.7 €80.3

-17.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 $11.10

$14.11 €12.22

-21.33%

Cappuccino

$5.24 $5.24

$4.47 €3.87

17.23%

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

$2.76 $2.76

$3.43 €2.97

-19.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.67 €2.31

-14.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$6.84 €5.92

-13.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$5.92 €5.13

17.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.37 €1.19

-36.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.23 €1.93

66.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$3.04 €2.63

69.41%

Eggs

$3.98 $3.98

$5.02 €4.35

-20.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 $13.70

$14.22 €12.31

-3.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.15 $13.15

$15.46 €13.39

-14.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.43 $16.43

$16.78 €14.53

-2.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.39 €2.07

87.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.51 €2.18

-41.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$1.98 €1.71

190.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$4.60 €3.98

1.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.92 €1.66

34.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.01 €1.74

44.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.26 €1.09

54.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.90 €0.78

125.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 $10.02

$13.77 €11.92

-27.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.59 $15.59

$5.60 €4.85

178.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.47 €1.27

63.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.47 €2.14

96.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.43 €2.97

-41.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 $62.9

$119 €103

-47.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.83 €4.18

-5.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.09 €2.67

-30.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.21 $42.21

$35.36 €30.63

19.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$2.20 €1.90

-60.00%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$42.3K €36.7K

-40.16%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$35.1K €30.4K

-26.54%

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

$218 $218

$243 €211

-10.22%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$26.56 €23.00

89.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.0 $76.0

$44.86 €38.85

69.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 $65.0

$42.86 €37.12

51.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.76 $29.76

$25.42 €22.02

17.07%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$16.62 €14.39

-11.49%

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

$1,639 $1,639

$2,435 €2,109

-32.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$11.7K €10.1K

108.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 $66.9

$129 €112

-48.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 $48.80

$48.96 €42.40

-0.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$121 €104

-16.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$153 €133

-14.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 $1,665

$1,673 €1,449

-0.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 $1,469

$1,454 €1,259

1.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,092 $3,092

$2,985 €2,585

3.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,443 $2,443

$2,411 €2,088

1.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,475 $4,475

$6,313 €5,467

-29.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,468 $2,468

$4,717 €4,085

-47.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,258 $4,258

$4,285 €3,711

-0.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

63.75%

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

Last update for Madison, WI: July 27, 2026

Last update for The Hague: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,665 in Madison, WI versus $1,673 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 1% higher in The Hague. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Madison, WI versus $93.0 in The Hague. Groceries tell a different story – $415 in Madison, WI vs $346 in The Hague – so The Hague wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Madison, WI vs The Hague: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,328 per month in Madison, WI and $4,341 in The Hague. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Madison, WI, 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 $76.0 in Madison, WI and $93.0 in The Hague. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 90% less in Madison, WI. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,885 in Madison, WI and $2,894 in The Hague. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. The Hague has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,885 in Madison, WI to $2,894 in The Hague. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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