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: $2,814 in The Hague versus $3,279 in Hoofddorp.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,239 in The Hague versus $4,456 in Hoofddorp.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,664 in The Hague versus $5,634 in Hoofddorp.

Living in The Hague costs roughly 14% less than in Hoofddorp, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: The Hague 105% above, Hoofddorp 139% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.07 €19.85

$23.31 €20.06

-1.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.7 €78.9

$93.1 €80.1

-1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.46 €13.30

$15.23 €13.10

1.51%

Cappuccino

$4.68 €4.02

$3.53 €3.04

32.58%

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

$4.30 €3.70

$2.91 €2.51

47.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 €3.74

$2.30 €1.98

89.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 €5.86

$7.71 €6.63

-11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 €6.65

$5.10 €4.39

51.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.53 €1.32

2.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.47 €2.13

-7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 €2.33

$2.72 €2.34

-0.37%

Eggs

$4.64 €4.00

$5.29 €4.55

-12.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.93 €12.84

$12.85 €11.06

16.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 €11.56

$13.75 €11.83

-2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.16 €17.35

$18.31 €15.76

10.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 €2.38

$3.08 €2.65

-10.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.85 €2.45

-19.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.44 €2.10

-15.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 €3.27

$3.30 €2.84

15.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.52 €2.17

-45.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.65 €1.42

-19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.23 €1.06

-1.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$1.72 €1.48

-45.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 €13.16

$9.41 €8.10

62.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 €5.11

$7.50 €6.45

-20.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.48 €1.27

-10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.60 €2.24

-22.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 €3.90

$5.08 €4.37

-10.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 €83.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 €4.10

$3.87 €3.33

23.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.60 €3.10

$2.94 €2.53

22.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.16 €30.25

$28.87 €24.84

21.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.41 €2.07

8.30%

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

$43.6K €37.5K

$38.1K €32.8K

14.55%

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

$40.8K €35.1K

$39.5K €34.0K

3.11%

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

$292 €251

$310 €267

-5.82%

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

$29.38 €25.28

$22.82 €19.64

28.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 €48.42

$54.6 €46.95

3.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 €44.80

$29.62 €25.49

75.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.49 €21.94

$11.74 €10.10

117.12%

Cinema Ticket

$17.20 €14.80

$10.81 €9.30

59.11%

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

$2,541 €2,186

$1,964 €1,690

29.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.5K

$17.6K €15.2K

-30.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 €85.7

$92.5 €79.6

7.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.25 €38.94

$39.30 €33.81

15.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.0

$102 €87.8

8.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 €121

$139 €120

1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 €1,479

$2,129 €1,832

-19.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 €1,149

$1,933 €1,663

-30.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,886 €2,484

$2,848 €2,450

1.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,388 €2,055

$2,531 €2,178

-5.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,429 €5,532

$6,342 €5,458

1.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,581 €3,942

$4,908 €4,223

-6.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,373 €3,763

$3,578 €3,079

22.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.36

1.19%

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

Last update for The Hague: August 31, 2026

Last update for Hoofddorp: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,719 in The Hague and $2,129 in Hoofddorp. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

The Hague pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $92.0 in The Hague vs $93.0 in Hoofddorp for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $357 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. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% 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 $2,129 in Hoofddorp. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Hoofddorp. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,814 per month in The Hague versus $3,279 in Hoofddorp – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 17% less than in Hoofddorp. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.