Cost of Living Comparison Between The Hague and Den Helder Cost of Living Comparison Between The Hague and Den Helder

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,833 per month in The Hague vs $2,062 in Den Helder, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,224 per month in The Hague vs $3,135 in Den Helder, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,615 per month in The Hague vs $4,208 in Den Helder, rent included.

The Hague costs about 37% more than Den Helder, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both The Hague and Den Helder sit above the global median – The Hague by 105%, Den Helder by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.03 €19.86

$20.21 €17.43

13.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.6 €78.9

$55.6 €47.93

64.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.03 €13.82

$8.75 €7.55

83.20%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €3.88

$3.87 €3.34

16.28%

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

$4.49 €3.88

$3.23 €2.78

39.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 €3.70

$3.15 €2.72

36.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 €6.06

$5.29 €4.56

32.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.69 €6.63

$5.33 €4.60

44.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.15 €0.99

34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 €2.03

$1.31 €1.13

79.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$0.85 €0.74

209.41%

Eggs

$4.83 €4.17

$4.29 €3.70

12.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 €13.00

$10.31 €8.89

46.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.24 €11.42

$15.02 €12.95

-11.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.07 €17.30

$16.65 €14.36

20.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 €2.40

$2.75 €2.37

1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 €1.96

$2.13 €1.84

6.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.27 €1.09

62.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 €3.23

$4.50 €3.88

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.42 €1.22

-3.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.10 €0.95

21.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.01 €0.87

20.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 €0.83

$0.74 €0.64

29.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.18 €13.09

$13.77 €11.87

10.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 €5.25

$7.17 €6.18

-15.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.36 €1.17

-2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.67 €2.30

-24.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.10

$9.85 €8.49

-51.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.0 €82.7

$164 €141

-41.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 €4.05

$4.14 €3.57

13.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.54 €3.05

$3.36 €2.90

5.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.23 €29.52

$38.63 €33.31

-11.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.64 €2.28

$2.39 €2.06

10.46%

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

$42.6K €36.7K

$43.3K €37.3K

-1.59%

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

$41.1K €35.5K

$41.3K €35.6K

-0.34%

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

$293 €252

$207 €178

41.60%

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

$29.18 €25.17

$16.07 €13.86

81.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 €48.95

$20.84 €17.97

172.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 €44.85

$24.78 €21.37

109.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 €21.50

$20.27 €17.48

23.04%

Cinema Ticket

$17.11 €14.75

$15.15 €13.07

12.94%

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

$2,510 €2,164

$1,815 €1,565

38.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.5K

$13.5K €11.6K

-9.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.2 €83.8

$119 €102

-18.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.03 €37.96

$49.71 €42.87

-11.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €96.3

$121 €105

-7.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 €124

$145 €125

-1.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 €1,467

$916 €790

85.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 €1,158

$794 €684

69.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,514

$1,859 €1,603

56.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,399 €2,069

$1,397 €1,205

71.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,449 €5,561

$3,016 €2,601

113.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,597 €3,964

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,390 €3,786

$2,574 €2,220

70.54%

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Den Helder: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,701 in The Hague versus $916 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 71% 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 $92.0 in The Hague versus $56.0 in Den Helder. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $301 – making Den Helder 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 Den Helder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – The Hague is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,249 per month in The Hague and $3,093 in Den Helder. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in The Hague and $56.0 in Den Helder. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,833 in The Hague and $2,062 in Den Helder. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Den Helder, where all-in costs run around $2,062, than in The Hague at $2,833. In Den Helder it covers expenses comfortably, while in The Hague it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Den Helder – 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 Den Helder. 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.