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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,879 per month in The Hague vs $2,909 in Haarlem, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,275 per month in The Hague vs $4,195 in Haarlem, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,672 per month in The Hague vs $5,481 in Haarlem, rent included.

The Hague is about 1% cheaper than Haarlem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both The Hague and Haarlem sit above the global median – The Hague by 115%, Haarlem by 118%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 €15.01

$29.15 €25.47

-41.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €80.0

$104 €91.1

-12.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.81 €12.07

$14.07 €12.30

-1.85%

Cappuccino

$4.47 €3.90

$4.51 €3.94

-0.89%

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

$3.30 €2.88

$4.09 €3.57

-19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.34

$3.43 €3.00

-22.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 €6.04

$6.96 €6.08

-0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 €4.98

$5.78 €5.05

-1.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.40 €1.22

-5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 €1.98

$2.55 €2.23

-10.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 €2.55

$3.08 €2.69

-5.19%

Eggs

$4.91 €4.29

$4.75 €4.15

3.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 €12.80

$14.35 €12.54

2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.70 €13.72

$15.72 €13.73

-0.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.92 €14.78

$18.96 €16.57

-10.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$2.66 €2.32

-7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 €2.11

$2.54 €2.22

-4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.93 €1.69

2.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 €4.01

$4.06 €3.55

12.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$2.06 €1.80

-3.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.95 €1.70

5.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.09

$1.24 €1.09

0.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$0.94 €0.82

-4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 €12.19

$14.24 €12.44

-1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.84 €5.10

$7.79 €6.80

-25.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 €1.22

$1.51 €1.32

-7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.20

$2.50 €2.18

0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 €3.07

$3.11 €2.72

12.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 €106

$111 €97.2

8.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 €4.07

$5.77 €5.04

-19.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 €2.73

$2.60 €2.27

20.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.13 €29.82

$27.26 €23.82

25.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.02

$2.23 €1.95

3.59%

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

$42.4K €37.0K

$41.1K €35.9K

3.07%

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

$35.1K €30.7K

$39.0K €34.1K

-10.10%

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

$244 €213

$245 €214

-0.66%

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

$26.15 €22.85

$28.53 €24.93

-8.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.38 €40.52

$58.5 €51.1

-20.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.54 €37.17

$41.02 €35.84

3.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.04 €22.75

$23.85 €20.84

9.18%

Cinema Ticket

$16.55 €14.46

$16.60 €14.51

-0.30%

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

$2,409 €2,104

$2,698 €2,357

-10.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.4K

$6,175 €5,395

92.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$129 €113

$98.9 €86.4

30.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.16 €42.95

$52.2 €45.64

-5.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €105

$120 €105

0.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €136

$159 €139

-2.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,675 €1,463

$1,727 €1,509

-3.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 €1,286

$1,382 €1,207

6.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,010 €2,630

$2,584 €2,257

16.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 €2,163

$2,114 €1,847

17.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 €5,623

$7,923 €6,922

-18.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €4,049

$6,009 €5,250

-22.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,226 €3,692

$4,143 €3,620

1.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

-6.54%

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

Last update for The Hague: July 13, 2026

Last update for Haarlem: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,675 in The Hague versus $1,727 in Haarlem. 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 2% higher in The Hague, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in The Hague versus $104 in Haarlem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $360 – making The Hague 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 Haarlem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haarlem costs about 1% more than The Hague, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,318 per month in The Hague and $4,363 in Haarlem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in The Hague, 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 $104 in Haarlem. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,879 in The Hague and $2,909 in Haarlem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,879 in The Hague and $2,909 in Haarlem. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. The Hague costs $2,879 versus $2,909 in Haarlem. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 The Hague. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Haarlem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.