Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between The Hague and Den Helder

For one person, living is cheaper in Den Helder: $2,005 a month against $2,766 in The Hague, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

The Hague, Netherlands
Den Helder, Netherlands
The Hague
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,766
/mo nomad
Den Helder
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,005
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in The Hague and in Den Helder

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 Den Helder actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,766 per month in The Hague vs $2,005 in Den Helder, rent included.

  • The Hague $2,766
  • Den Helder $2,005

A couple spends around $4,187 per month in The Hague vs $3,061 in Den Helder, rent included.

  • The Hague $4,187
  • Den Helder $3,061

A family of three spends $5,609 per month in The Hague vs $4,117 in Den Helder, rent included.

  • The Hague $5,609
  • Den Helder $4,117

The Hague costs about 38% more than Den Helder, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both The Hague and Den Helder sit above the global median – The Hague by 103%, Den Helder by 47%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
The Hague
Den Helder
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.36 €20.04
$19.39 €17.37
15.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.0 €81.6
$53.9 €48.34
68.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.95 €13.40
$8.25 €7.39
81.21%
Cappuccino
$4.24 €3.80
$3.72 €3.33
13.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.11 €3.68
$2.98 €2.67
37.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 €3.81
$3.02 €2.70
40.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.36 €6.59
$5.01 €4.49
46.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.91 €7.09
$4.88 €4.38
62.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
The Hague
Den Helder
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 €1.29
$1.11 €0.99
29.73%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 €2.06
$1.24 €1.11
85.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.56 €2.30
$0.82 €0.73
212.20%
Eggs
$4.57 €4.09
$4.20 €3.76
8.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.50 €13.00
$10.10 €9.05
43.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.06 €11.71
$14.50 €12.99
-9.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.31 €17.30
$15.85 €14.20
21.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.66 €2.38
$2.60 €2.33
2.31%
Banana (1kg)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.96 €1.76
11.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.02 €1.81
$1.22 €1.09
65.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.64 €3.26
$4.19 €3.76
-13.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.40 €1.26
-2.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 €1.13
$1.01 €0.90
24.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 €1.01
$1.03 €0.93
9.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 €0.83
$0.70 €0.62
32.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.77 €13.24
$13.59 €12.17
8.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.98 €5.36
$7.22 €6.47
-17.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 €1.20
$1.32 €1.18
1.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 €1.77
$2.63 €2.36
-25.10%
🚌 Getting Around
The Hague
Den Helder
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.87 €4.37
$9.43 €8.45
-48.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$83.4 €74.8
$154 €138
-45.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.75 €4.25
$3.83 €3.43
24.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.48 €3.11
$3.10 €2.78
12.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.87 €30.35
$36.21 €32.45
-6.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.54 €2.28
$2.47 €2.22
2.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.5K €36.3K
$41.1K €36.8K
-1.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2K €35.1K
$39.0K €35.0K
0.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
The Hague
Den Helder
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$283 €254
$201 €180
40.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.00 €25.09
$15.19 €13.61
84.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.8 €50.0
$20.22 €18.11
175.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
The Hague
Den Helder
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.86 €41.99
$23.99 €21.50
95.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.12 €21.62
$19.17 €17.18
25.82%
Cinema Ticket
$15.92 €14.26
$14.70 €13.17
8.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
The Hague
Den Helder
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,577 €2,310
$2,878 €2,579
-10.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.8K €10.6K
$13.0K €11.6K
-9.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
The Hague
Den Helder
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.9 €85.9
$116 €104
-17.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.00 €39.43
$46.63 €41.79
-5.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €94.1
$119 €106
-11.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137 €123
$136 €122
0.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
The Hague
Den Helder
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 €1,531
$883 €791
93.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,332 €1,194
$744 €666
79.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,907 €2,605
$1,792 €1,606
62.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,430 €2,178
$1,347 €1,207
80.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,313 €5,657
$2,912 €2,610
116.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,515 €4,046
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
The Hague
Den Helder
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,042 €3,622
$2,429 €2,177
66.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.4
2.8
21.43%

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

Last update for The Hague: October 27, 2026

Last update for Den Helder: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
The Hague
$1.3K
Den Helder
$744 44.2% $589
Monthly Utilities & Internet
The Hague
$367
Den Helder
$237 35.5% $130
Eating Out
The Hague
$361
Den Helder
$283 21.5% $77
Groceries & Markets
The Hague
$330
Den Helder
$289 12.3% $41
Clothing & Footwear
The Hague
$172
Den Helder
$188 9.2% $16
Getting Around
The Hague
$125
Den Helder
$211 68.5% $86
Sport & Entertainment
The Hague
$79
Den Helder
$53 32.2% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,708 in The Hague versus $883 in Den Helder. 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 66% higher in The Hague. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91 in The Hague versus $54 in Den Helder. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 vs $289 – making Den Helder the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇱 The Hague
🇳🇱 Den Helder
🕒 Local time
10:40 10:40 AM
10:40 10:40 AM
Same time as The Hague
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
562,839
56,296
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • The Hague Den Helder 100 km
From you
  • The Hague
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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 Den Helder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Den Helder cheaper than The Hague?
Yes – The Hague is pricier by about 38%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,149 per month in The Hague and $3,007 in Den Helder. 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 Den Helder, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $883 there versus $1,708 in The Hague.
Is eating out cheaper in The Hague or in Den Helder?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $91 in The Hague and $54 in Den Helder. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in The Hague and in Den Helder?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,766 in The Hague and $2,005 in Den Helder. That makes Den Helder about 28% cheaper.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in The Hague or in Den Helder?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Den Helder, where all-in costs run around $2,005, than in The Hague at $2,766. In Den Helder it covers expenses comfortably, while in The Hague it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in The Hague or in Den Helder?
It depends on your priorities. The Hague has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,005 in Den Helder to $2,766 in The Hague. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, The Hague or Den Helder?
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 the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Den Helder. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, The Hague makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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