Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between The Hague and Best

For one person, living is cheaper in Best: $2,198 a month against $2,766 in The Hague, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

The Hague, Netherlands
Best, Netherlands
The Hague
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,766
/mo nomad
Best
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,198
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in The Hague and in Best

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in The Hague and in Best actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,766 per month in The Hague vs $2,198 in Best, rent included.

  • The Hague $2,766
  • Best $2,198

A couple spends around $4,187 per month in The Hague vs $3,057 in Best, rent included.

  • The Hague $4,187
  • Best $3,057

A family of three spends $5,609 per month in The Hague vs $3,915 in Best, rent included.

  • The Hague $5,609
  • Best $3,915

The Hague costs about 26% more than Best, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both The Hague and Best sit above the global median – The Hague by 103%, Best by 62%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
The Hague
Best
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.36 €19.98
$22.20 €19.83
0.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.0 €81.3
$85.9 €76.7
6.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.95 €13.36
$12.39 €11.06
20.66%
Cappuccino
$4.24 €3.79
$3.50 €3.13
21.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.11 €3.67
$3.22 €2.88
27.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 €3.79
$2.57 €2.30
65.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.36 €6.57
$5.68 €5.08
29.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.91 €7.07
$4.82 €4.31
64.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
The Hague
Best
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 €1.29
$1.12 €1.00
28.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 €2.05
$1.92 €1.71
19.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.56 €2.29
$2.14 €1.91
19.63%
Eggs
$4.57 €4.08
$3.18 €2.84
43.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.50 €12.95
$11.09 €9.90
30.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.06 €11.67
$11.14 €9.95
17.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.31 €17.25
$14.90 €13.31
29.60%
Apples (1kg)
$2.66 €2.38
$1.96 €1.75
35.71%
Banana (1kg)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.58 €1.41
37.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.72 €1.54
17.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.64 €3.25
$5.12 €4.58
-28.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.15 €1.02
18.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 €1.13
$1.17 €1.05
7.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 €1.01
$1.05 €0.94
7.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 €0.83
$0.78 €0.70
19.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.77 €13.19
$11.25 €10.05
31.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.98 €5.34
$5.74 €5.13
4.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 €1.19
$1.43 €1.28
-6.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.63 €2.35
-25.10%
🚌 Getting Around
The Hague
Best
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.87 €4.35
$2.49 €2.22
95.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$83.4 €74.5
$72.7 €64.9
14.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.75 €4.24
$3.86 €3.45
23.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.48 €3.10
$2.84 €2.53
22.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.87 €30.25
$29.53 €26.37
14.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.54 €2.27
$2.41 €2.15
5.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.5K €36.2K
$26.5K €23.6K
53.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2K €35.0K
$38.7K €34.6K
1.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
The Hague
Best
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$283 €253
$184 €164
54.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.00 €25.01
$14.85 €13.27
88.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.8 €49.84
$38.38 €34.28
45.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
The Hague
Best
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.86 €41.86
$40.88 €36.52
14.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.12 €21.55
$25.29 €22.59
-4.63%
Cinema Ticket
$15.92 €14.22
$13.55 €12.10
17.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
The Hague
Best
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,577 €2,302
$1,260 €1,126
104.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.8K €10.5K
$5,129 €4,581
130.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
The Hague
Best
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.9 €85.6
$51.1 €45.66
87.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.00 €39.30
$33.16 €29.62
32.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.8
$72.5 €64.7
44.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137 €122
$57.8 €51.6
136.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
The Hague
Best
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 €1,526
$1,534 €1,370
11.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,332 €1,190
$1,098 €981
21.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,907 €2,597
$1,990 €1,777
46.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,430 €2,171
$1,347 €1,203
80.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,313 €5,639
$5,622 €5,022
12.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,515 €4,033
$4,407 €3,936
2.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
The Hague
Best
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,042 €3,611
$4,005 €3,577
0.94%
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: October 27, 2026

Last update for Best: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
The Hague
$1.3K
Best
$1.1K 17.6% $234
Monthly Utilities & Internet
The Hague
$367
Best
$237 35.5% $130
Eating Out
The Hague
$361
Best
$318 11.8% $43
Groceries & Markets
The Hague
$330
Best
$280 15.1% $50
Clothing & Footwear
The Hague
$172
Best
$97 43.8% $75
Getting Around
The Hague
$125
Best
$101 19.5% $24
Sport & Entertainment
The Hague
$79
Best
$68 13.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,708 in The Hague versus $1,534 in Best. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91 in The Hague versus $86 in Best. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 vs $280 – making Best the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇱 The Hague
🇳🇱 Best
🕒 Local time
02:01 2:01 AM
02:01 2:01 AM
Same time as The Hague
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
562,839
29,988
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.893 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • The Hague Best 100 km
From you
  • The Hague
  • Best

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Best cheaper than The Hague?
Yes – The Hague is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,149 per month in The Hague and $3,298 in Best. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Best, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,534 there versus $1,708 in The Hague.
What are total monthly expenses in The Hague and in Best?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,766 in The Hague and $2,198 in Best. That makes Best about 21% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 13% less in Best. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in The Hague or in Best?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Best, where all-in costs run around $2,198, than in The Hague at $2,766. In Best it covers expenses comfortably, while in The Hague it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is The Hague or Best more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, The Hague or Best?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Best is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 21% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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