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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,814 per month in The Hague vs $1,981 in Emmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,239 per month in The Hague vs $3,007 in Emmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,664 per month in The Hague vs $4,034 in Emmen, rent included.

The Hague costs about 42% more than Emmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both The Hague and Emmen sit above the global median – The Hague by 105%, Emmen by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.07 €19.85

$22.81 €19.63

1.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.7 €78.9

$84.5 €72.7

8.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.46 €13.30

$13.87 €11.93

11.46%

Cappuccino

$4.68 €4.02

$3.53 €3.04

32.58%

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

$4.30 €3.70

$3.43 €2.95

25.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 €3.74

$3.51 €3.02

23.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 €5.86

$5.89 €5.07

15.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 €6.65

$4.72 €4.06

63.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.08 €0.93

45.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.30 €1.98

-0.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 €2.33

$2.72 €2.34

-0.37%

Eggs

$4.64 €4.00

$4.61 €3.97

0.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.93 €12.84

$12.70 €10.93

17.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 €11.56

$13.31 €11.45

0.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.16 €17.35

$17.57 €15.12

14.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 €2.38

$2.81 €2.42

-1.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.46 €2.12

-6.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 €1.77

$1.88 €1.62

9.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 €3.27

$3.28 €2.82

15.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.91 €1.64

-28.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.94 €1.67

-31.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.24 €1.07

-2.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.73 €0.63

28.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 €13.16

$12.67 €10.90

20.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 €5.11

$6.99 €6.02

-15.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.47 €1.27

-9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.68 €2.30

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 €3.90

$2.36 €2.03

92.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 €83.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 €4.10

$8.94 €7.69

-46.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.60 €3.10

$2.01 €1.73

79.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.16 €30.25

$23.03 €19.82

52.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.47 €2.12

5.67%

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

$43.6K €37.5K

$42.7K €36.8K

2.05%

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

$40.8K €35.1K

$40.4K €34.8K

0.95%

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

$292 €251

$176 €151

66.16%

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

$29.38 €25.28

$19.25 €16.57

52.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 €48.42

$59.1 €50.9

-4.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 €44.80

$43.04 €37.03

20.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.49 €21.94

$22.87 €19.68

11.46%

Cinema Ticket

$17.20 €14.80

$13.97 €12.02

23.12%

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

$2,541 €2,186

$2,541 €2,187

-0.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.5K

$8,427 €7,251

44.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 €85.7

$77.7 €66.8

28.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.25 €38.94

$40.88 €35.18

10.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.0

$91.6 €78.8

20.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 €121

$105 €90.6

33.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 €1,479

$932 €802

84.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 €1,149

$802 €690

66.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,886 €2,484

$1,723 €1,483

67.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,388 €2,055

$1,393 €1,199

71.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,429 €5,532

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,581 €3,942

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,373 €3,763

$2,877 €2,476

51.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.65

-6.85%

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

Last update for The Hague: August 31, 2026

Last update for Emmen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,719 in The Hague versus $932 in Emmen. 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 52% 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 $85.0 in Emmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $323 – making Emmen 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 Emmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,814 in The Hague, $1,981 in Emmen – roughly 42% apart. The Hague costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,221 per month in The Hague and $2,971 in Emmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Emmen, 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 $85.0 in Emmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in The Hague, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Emmen, where all-in costs run around $1,981, than in The Hague at $2,814. In Emmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in The Hague it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. The Hague has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,981 in Emmen to $2,814 in The Hague. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Emmen. 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.