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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,914 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,879 in The Hague, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,233 per month in Rotterdam vs $4,275 in The Hague, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,553 per month in Rotterdam vs $5,672 in The Hague, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.60 €20.67

$17.18 €15.04

37.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 €79.9

$91.5 €80.2

-0.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.92 €12.19

$13.81 €12.10

0.80%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.82

$4.47 €3.91

-2.46%

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

$3.49 €3.06

$3.30 €2.89

5.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.57

$2.67 €2.34

9.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 €6.21

$6.91 €6.05

2.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 €5.08

$5.70 €4.99

1.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.32 €1.16

0.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.10

$2.27 €1.98

5.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 €2.83

$2.92 €2.55

10.62%

Eggs

$5.23 €4.58

$4.91 €4.30

6.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.74 €12.03

$14.65 €12.83

-6.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.23 €12.46

$15.70 €13.75

-9.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.89 €14.79

$16.92 €14.82

-0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.29

$2.45 €2.15

6.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 €2.14

$2.42 €2.12

0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.97 €1.73

5.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 €3.54

$4.58 €4.02

-11.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.83

$1.99 €1.74

5.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$2.06 €1.81

-3.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.25 €1.10

6.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.03

$0.90 €0.79

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.65 €11.95

$13.96 €12.22

-2.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.01 €6.14

$5.84 €5.12

20.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.40 €1.23

9.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.38

$2.51 €2.20

7.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.70 €4.12

$3.51 €3.07

33.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €79.7

$121 €106

-24.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.26 €4.61

$4.66 €4.08

12.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.79

$3.13 €2.74

-34.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.21 €18.57

$34.13 €29.89

-37.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.96

$2.31 €2.02

-3.03%

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

$40.4K €35.4K

$42.4K €37.1K

-4.63%

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

$35.5K €31.1K

$35.1K €30.7K

1.20%

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

$285 €250

$244 €214

16.84%

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

$23.95 €20.97

$26.15 €22.90

-8.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 €48.87

$46.38 €40.62

20.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.62 €39.96

$42.54 €37.26

7.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.20 €24.70

$26.04 €22.80

8.29%

Cinema Ticket

$17.01 €14.90

$16.55 €14.49

2.78%

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

$2,268 €1,986

$2,409 €2,110

-5.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.2K

$11.9K €10.4K

17.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 €82.2

$129 €113

-27.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 €44.48

$49.16 €43.06

3.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €111

$121 €106

4.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 €155

$156 €136

13.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 €1,540

$1,675 €1,467

4.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 €1,272

$1,472 €1,290

-1.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,834 €2,482

$3,010 €2,636

-5.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 €2,017

$2,476 €2,168

-6.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,997 €5,252

$6,436 €5,637

-6.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,900 €3,416

$4,635 €4,059

-15.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,092 €3,584

$4,226 €3,701

-3.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

2.00%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: July 13, 2026

Last update for The Hague: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,758 in Rotterdam 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 3% 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 $91.0 in Rotterdam versus $92.0 in The Hague. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $348 – making Rotterdam 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

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

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,371 per month in Rotterdam 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Rotterdam – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Rotterdam and $92.0 in The Hague. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,914 in Rotterdam and $2,879 in The Hague. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward The Hague – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Rotterdam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.