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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,842 in The Hague versus $3,194 in Hoofddorp.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,202 in The Hague versus $4,443 in Hoofddorp.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in The Hague versus $5,692 in Hoofddorp.

Living in The Hague costs roughly 11% less than in Hoofddorp, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: The Hague 112% above, Hoofddorp 138% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.50 €15.07

$23.44 €20.18

-25.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 €78.6

$92.9 €80.0

-1.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.94 €12.00

$15.61 €13.44

-10.70%

Cappuccino

$4.40 €3.79

$3.97 €3.42

10.83%

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

$3.40 €2.92

$3.20 €2.76

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$2.30 €1.98

20.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 €6.10

$6.84 €5.89

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 €5.08

$5.42 €4.67

8.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.13

$1.52 €1.31

-13.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 €2.00

$2.50 €2.15

-6.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 €2.53

$3.35 €2.89

-12.24%

Eggs

$4.86 €4.18

$5.15 €4.43

-5.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 €12.55

$14.87 €12.81

-1.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.69 €13.51

$16.89 €14.55

-7.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.40 €14.13

$17.50 €15.07

-6.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.85 €2.46

-16.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.56 €2.20

-3.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.12 €1.82

-8.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 €4.02

$4.25 €3.66

9.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.07 €1.78

-3.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.10 €1.81

-0.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.21 €1.04

3.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.22 €1.05

-29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.84 €11.92

$14.49 €12.47

-4.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 €5.06

$7.43 €6.40

-21.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.55 €1.33

-6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.82 €2.43

-15.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.37 €2.91

$4.61 €3.97

-26.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 €100

$91.8 €79.1

26.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 €4.20

$3.91 €3.37

24.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 €2.72

$2.53 €2.18

24.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.36

$29.01 €24.98

21.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 €1.90

$2.31 €1.99

-4.33%

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

$42.3K €36.4K

$38.7K €33.4K

9.25%

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

$35.0K €30.1K

$37.3K €32.1K

-6.08%

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

$243 €209

$289 €249

-15.77%

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

$25.72 €22.15

$29.59 €25.48

-13.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.73 €39.38

$52.3 €45.06

-12.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.17 €37.17

$29.00 €24.97

48.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.41 €22.74

$11.50 €9.90

129.65%

Cinema Ticket

$16.89 €14.55

$14.99 €12.91

12.68%

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

$2,369 €2,040

$2,054 €1,769

15.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.0K

$6,356 €5,473

83.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 €109

$97.2 €83.7

30.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.38 €41.66

$48.41 €41.69

-0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$126 €109

-7.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 €133

$138 €119

11.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 €1,457

$2,043 €1,759

-17.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 €1,278

$1,705 €1,468

-12.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 €2,642

$2,889 €2,488

6.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,431 €2,094

$2,554 €2,199

-4.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,528 €5,621

$6,293 €5,419

3.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,719 €4,064

$5,062 €4,359

-6.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,597 €3,958

$3,582 €3,085

28.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

-7.62%

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

Last update for The Hague: June 2, 2026

Last update for Hoofddorp: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,692 in The Hague and $2,043 in Hoofddorp. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

The Hague pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $91.0 in The Hague vs $93.0 in Hoofddorp for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $373 per month, with The Hague 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 Hoofddorp: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

The Hague is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

The Hague pays 28% more on average, 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: $1,692 in The Hague versus $2,043 in Hoofddorp. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in The Hague runs roughly 27% less than in Hoofddorp. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,369 in The Hague versus $2,054 in Hoofddorp. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

For families, The Hague is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hoofddorp, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, The Hague and Hoofddorp 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 The Hague gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Hoofddorp. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.