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: $2,879 in The Hague versus $2,435 in Enschede.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,275 in The Hague versus $3,844 in Enschede.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,672 in The Hague versus $5,252 in Enschede.

Living in The Hague is roughly 18% more expensive than in Enschede, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: The Hague 115% above, Enschede 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 €15.04

$19.32 €16.92

-11.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €80.2

$87.2 €76.4

4.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.81 €12.10

$14.02 €12.28

-1.50%

Cappuccino

$4.47 €3.91

$4.01 €3.51

11.47%

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

$3.30 €2.89

$2.81 €2.46

17.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.34

$2.07 €1.81

28.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 €6.05

$6.83 €5.98

1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 €4.99

$5.85 €5.12

-2.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.16

$1.26 €1.10

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 €1.98

$2.32 €2.03

-2.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 €2.55

$3.30 €2.89

-11.52%

Eggs

$4.91 €4.30

$4.55 €3.99

7.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 €12.83

$12.96 €11.35

13.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.70 €13.75

$15.47 €13.55

1.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.92 €14.82

$16.64 €14.57

1.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.15

$2.20 €1.93

11.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 €2.12

$2.53 €2.21

-4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.73

$1.95 €1.70

1.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 €4.02

$3.73 €3.26

22.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$2.14 €1.88

-7.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.94 €1.70

6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.10

$1.21 €1.06

3.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.79

$0.74 €0.64

21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 €12.22

$14.36 €12.58

-2.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.84 €5.12

$7.01 €6.14

-16.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 €1.23

$1.54 €1.35

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.20

$2.85 €2.50

-11.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 €3.07

$2.95 €2.58

18.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 €106

$117 €102

3.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 €4.08

$4.13 €3.62

12.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 €2.74

$2.45 €2.15

27.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.13 €29.89

$26.20 €22.95

30.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.02

$2.18 €1.91

5.96%

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

$42.4K €37.1K

$41.8K €36.6K

1.54%

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

$35.1K €30.7K

$36.7K €32.1K

-4.28%

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

$244 €214

$256 €225

-4.92%

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

$26.15 €22.90

$29.36 €25.72

-10.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.38 €40.62

$42.00 €36.78

10.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.54 €37.26

$35.93 €31.47

18.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.04 €22.80

$6.99 €6.12

272.53%

Cinema Ticket

$16.55 €14.49

$15.59 €13.66

6.16%

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

$2,409 €2,110

$1,097 €961

119.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.4K

$9,196 €8,054

29.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$129 €113

$89.6 €78.5

43.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.16 €43.06

$38.72 €33.92

26.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €106

$96.6 €84.6

24.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €136

$108 €94.8

43.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,675 €1,467

$1,461 €1,279

14.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 €1,290

$1,057 €926

39.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,010 €2,636

$2,650 €2,321

13.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 €2,168

$2,212 €1,937

11.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 €5,637

$4,636 €4,060

38.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €4,059

$3,248 €2,845

42.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,226 €3,701

$2,947 €2,581

43.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

-13.04%

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

Last update for The Hague: July 13, 2026

Last update for Enschede: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,675 in The Hague and $1,461 in Enschede. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

The Hague pays 43% 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 $87.0 in Enschede for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $337 per month, with Enschede cheaper across the board.

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 18% in total monthly costs ($2,879 vs $2,435 including rent). Enschede is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 43% 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: $1,675 in The Hague versus $1,461 in Enschede. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,879 per month in The Hague versus $2,435 in Enschede – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Enschede runs roughly 4% less than in The Hague. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,435 in Enschede versus $2,879 in The Hague, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Enschede but tight or insufficient in The Hague. The gap between the two cities makes Enschede the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 18% less than in The Hague. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.