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 $2,894 per month in The Hague vs $2,252 in Best, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,283 per month in The Hague vs $3,192 in Best, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,673 per month in The Hague vs $4,131 in Best, rent included.

The Hague costs about 28% more than Best, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both The Hague and Best sit above the global median – The Hague by 117%, Best by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.17 €14.87

$20.42 €17.68

-15.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €80.3

$94.1 €81.5

-1.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.22

$11.70 €10.13

20.60%

Cappuccino

$4.47 €3.87

$3.33 €2.89

34.23%

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

$3.43 €2.97

$3.19 €2.77

7.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.31

$2.91 €2.52

-8.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 €5.92

$5.31 €4.60

28.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 €5.13

$5.86 €5.08

1.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.12 €0.97

22.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.93

$1.99 €1.73

12.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 €2.63

$3.13 €2.71

-2.88%

Eggs

$5.02 €4.35

$4.78 €4.14

5.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.22 €12.31

$13.12 €11.36

8.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.46 €13.39

$16.23 €14.06

-4.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 €14.53

$16.77 €14.52

0.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.07

$2.19 €1.89

9.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 €2.18

$2.59 €2.24

-3.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.96 €1.69

1.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 €3.98

$3.62 €3.13

27.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.66

$2.13 €1.84

-9.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$1.97 €1.71

2.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.22 €1.06

3.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$0.50 €0.43

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.77 €11.92

$10.59 €9.17

30.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.60 €4.85

$5.59 €4.84

0.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.50 €1.30

-2.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.71 €2.35

-8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.43 €2.97

$2.55 €2.21

34.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$119 €103

$72.4 €62.7

64.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.83 €4.18

$3.51 €3.04

37.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.09 €2.67

$2.04 €1.77

51.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.36 €30.63

$29.29 €25.36

20.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.90

$2.25 €1.95

-2.22%

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

$42.3K €36.7K

$25.0K €21.6K

69.40%

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

$35.1K €30.4K

$27.8K €24.1K

26.01%

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

$243 €211

$170 €147

43.28%

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

$26.56 €23.00

$22.80 €19.74

16.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.86 €38.85

$44.93 €38.91

-0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.86 €37.12

$29.38 €25.44

45.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.42 €22.02

$21.15 €18.31

20.19%

Cinema Ticket

$16.62 €14.39

$14.82 €12.83

12.15%

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

$2,435 €2,109

$1,159 €1,004

110.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.1K

$5,121 €4,435

128.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$129 €112

$65.5 €56.8

96.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.96 €42.40

$31.23 €27.05

56.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €104

$87.6 €75.9

37.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 €133

$66.7 €57.8

129.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,449

$1,832 €1,587

-8.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 €1,259

$1,132 €980

28.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,585

$2,563 €2,220

16.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 €2,088

$1,428 €1,237

68.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,313 €5,467

$5,262 €4,557

19.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,717 €4,085

$4,419 €3,827

6.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,285 €3,711

$4,041 €3,499

6.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

14.29%

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

Last update for The Hague: July 25, 2026

Last update for Best: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,673 in The Hague versus $1,832 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 $94.0 in Best. Groceries tell a different story – $346 in The Hague vs $331 in Best – so Best 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

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

Yes – The Hague is pricier by about 28%, 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 $4,341 per month in The Hague and $3,378 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 $2,894 in The Hague and $2,252 in Best. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Best. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,894 in The Hague and $2,252 in Best. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.