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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,814 in The Hague versus $2,412 in Enschede.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,239 in The Hague versus $3,738 in Enschede.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,664 in The Hague versus $5,064 in Enschede.

Living in The Hague is roughly 17% more expensive than in Enschede, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: The Hague 105% above, Enschede 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.07 €19.85

$21.68 €18.66

6.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.7 €78.9

$81.1 €69.8

13.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.46 €13.30

$16.36 €14.08

-5.50%

Cappuccino

$4.68 €4.02

$4.32 €3.72

8.33%

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

$4.30 €3.70

$3.68 €3.17

16.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 €3.74

$3.01 €2.59

44.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 €5.86

$6.54 €5.63

4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 €6.65

$6.87 €5.91

12.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.40 €1.20

12.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.51 €2.16

-9.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 €2.33

$2.88 €2.48

-5.90%

Eggs

$4.64 €4.00

$4.73 €4.07

-1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.93 €12.84

$14.16 €12.18

5.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 €11.56

$15.27 €13.14

-12.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.16 €17.35

$15.30 €13.16

31.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 €2.38

$2.93 €2.52

-5.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.37 €2.04

-13.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 €3.27

$5.08 €4.37

-25.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.15 €1.85

-36.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 €1.14

$2.09 €1.80

-36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.25 €1.08

-3.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.74 €0.63

27.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 €13.16

$14.25 €12.26

7.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 €5.11

$7.14 €6.14

-16.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.54 €1.33

-13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.03 €2.61

-33.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 €3.90

$3.11 €2.67

45.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 €83.5

$116 €100

-16.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 €4.10

$3.84 €3.31

23.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.60 €3.10

$2.71 €2.33

32.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.16 €30.25

$28.18 €24.25

24.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.44 €2.10

6.97%

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

$43.6K €37.5K

$43.8K €37.7K

-0.46%

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

$40.8K €35.1K

$40.9K €35.2K

-0.29%

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

$292 €251

$277 €238

5.45%

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

$29.38 €25.28

$22.65 €19.49

29.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 €48.42

$46.12 €39.69

22.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 €44.80

$34.51 €29.70

50.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.49 €21.94

$24.14 €20.77

5.59%

Cinema Ticket

$17.20 €14.80

$19.99 €17.20

-13.96%

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

$2,541 €2,186

$1,274 €1,096

99.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.5K

$8,258 €7,106

47.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 €85.7

$97.9 €84.3

1.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.25 €38.94

$38.72 €33.32

16.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.0

$96.4 €82.9

14.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 €121

$105 €90.5

33.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 €1,479

$1,358 €1,169

26.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 €1,149

$1,055 €908

26.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,886 €2,484

$2,581 €2,221

11.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,388 €2,055

$2,059 €1,772

15.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,429 €5,532

$4,773 €4,107

34.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,581 €3,942

$3,313 €2,851

38.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,373 €3,763

$2,978 €2,563

46.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

4.6

-26.09%

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

Last update for The Hague: August 31, 2026

Last update for Enschede: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,719 in The Hague and $1,358 in Enschede. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

The Hague pays 47% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $92.0 in The Hague vs $81.0 in Enschede. Groceries flip the comparison at $341 vs $350, with The Hague cheaper for home cooking.

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 Enschede: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

The Hague and Enschede differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,814 vs $2,412 including rent). Enschede is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 47% higher in The Hague, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,719 in The Hague versus $1,358 in Enschede. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,814 per month in The Hague versus $2,412 in Enschede – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Enschede runs roughly 20% less than in The Hague. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Enschede is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, The Hague and Enschede are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Enschede gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in The Hague. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.