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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,794 per month in The Hague vs $2,281 in Best, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,266 per month in The Hague vs $3,234 in Best, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,738 per month in The Hague vs $4,188 in Best, rent included.

The Hague costs about 22% more than Best, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both The Hague and Best sit above the global median – The Hague by 104%, Best by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.83 €19.89

$23.50 €20.47

-2.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.8 €80.8

$89.5 €78.0

3.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.51 €13.52

$13.32 €11.60

16.44%

Cappuccino

$4.57 €3.98

$3.62 €3.15

26.24%

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

$4.46 €3.89

$3.37 €2.93

32.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 €3.64

$2.66 €2.32

56.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.72 €5.86

$5.90 €5.14

13.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 €6.36

$5.64 €4.91

29.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.24 €1.08

25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.98

$1.93 €1.68

18.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 €2.21

$2.45 €2.14

3.67%

Eggs

$4.62 €4.03

$5.25 €4.57

-12.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.92 €13.00

$11.59 €10.10

28.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.19 €11.49

$14.77 €12.87

-10.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.68 €17.14

$16.39 €14.28

20.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.29

$2.02 €1.76

30.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 €1.96

$1.70 €1.48

32.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 €1.78

$1.71 €1.49

19.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 €3.34

$5.33 €4.64

-27.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 €1.17

$1.16 €1.01

15.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.17 €1.02

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.05

$1.08 €0.94

12.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.85

$0.79 €0.68

22.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.16 €13.21

$11.74 €10.23

29.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.99 €5.22

$5.66 €4.94

5.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.16

$1.55 €1.35

-13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$2.62 €2.28

-25.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.50 €3.92

$2.51 €2.19

79.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.1 €82.8

$73.5 €64.1

29.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.16

$3.51 €3.06

35.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 €3.16

$2.81 €2.45

28.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.79 €30.31

$29.47 €25.67

18.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.68 €2.33

$2.41 €2.10

11.20%

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

$42.9K €37.3K

$26.9K €23.4K

59.38%

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

$40.2K €35.0K

$40.1K €34.9K

0.20%

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

$288 €251

$194 €169

48.70%

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

$29.40 €25.61

$15.88 €13.83

85.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 €50.0

$39.22 €34.17

46.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 €45.74

$39.68 €34.57

32.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.22 €21.97

$24.30 €21.17

3.79%

Cinema Ticket

$17.65 €15.37

$13.90 €12.11

26.98%

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

$2,525 €2,200

$1,319 €1,149

91.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K €10.7K

$5,373 €4,681

129.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.7 €85.1

$52.7 €45.87

85.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.35 €38.64

$34.10 €29.71

30.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €95.0

$75.7 €66.0

44.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 €126

$59.6 €51.9

142.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 €1,483

$1,536 €1,339

10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 €1,146

$1,136 €990

15.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,870 €2,500

$2,089 €1,820

37.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,317 €2,019

$1,389 €1,210

66.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,281 €5,472

$5,198 €4,528

20.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,673 €4,071

$4,451 €3,878

4.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 €3,814

$4,128 €3,596

6.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.54

-3.95%

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

Last update for The Hague: September 12, 2026

Last update for Best: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,702 in The Hague versus $1,536 in Best. 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 6% higher in The Hague, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in The Hague versus $89.0 in Best. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $318 – making Best 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

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

Yes – The Hague is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,191 per month in The Hague and $3,422 in Best. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,794 in The Hague and $2,281 in Best. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 29% less in Best. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Best, where all-in costs run around $2,281, than in The Hague at $2,794. In Best it covers expenses comfortably, while in The Hague it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Best – 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 Best. 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.