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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,842 per month in The Hague vs $1,785 in Lelystad, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,202 per month in The Hague vs $2,818 in Lelystad, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,562 per month in The Hague vs $3,851 in Lelystad, rent included.

The Hague costs about 59% more than Lelystad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both The Hague and Lelystad sit above the global median – The Hague by 112%, Lelystad by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.50 €15.06

$25.02 €21.52

-30.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 €78.5

$93.4 €80.3

-2.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.94 €11.99

$13.87 €11.93

0.50%

Cappuccino

$4.40 €3.79

$4.10 €3.53

7.32%

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

$3.40 €2.92

$3.12 €2.69

8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$1.85 €1.59

50.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 €6.09

$5.36 €4.61

32.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 €5.07

$5.67 €4.87

3.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.13

$1.22 €1.05

7.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 €2.00

$1.62 €1.39

43.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 €2.53

$2.58 €2.22

13.95%

Eggs

$4.86 €4.18

$4.55 €3.92

6.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 €12.54

$6.74 €5.80

116.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.69 €13.50

$15.50 €13.33

1.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.40 €14.11

$17.36 €14.93

-5.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.28 €1.96

4.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.58 €2.22

-4.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.93 €1.66

1.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 €4.01

$3.56 €3.06

30.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.11 €1.82

-5.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.90 €1.63

9.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.24 €1.07

0.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.82 €0.71

4.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.84 €11.91

$9.91 €8.53

39.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 €5.05

$7.14 €6.14

-17.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.33 €1.15

9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.46 €2.12

-3.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.37 €2.90

$3.56 €3.07

-5.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 €100

$114 €97.9

2.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 €4.19

$4.21 €3.62

15.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 €2.72

$2.42 €2.09

30.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.33

$27.34 €23.52

28.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 €1.90

$2.23 €1.91

-0.90%

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

$42.3K €36.4K

$34.7K €29.8K

21.98%

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

$35.0K €30.1K

$37.9K €32.6K

-7.74%

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

$243 €209

$241 €208

0.80%

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

$25.72 €22.13

$15.14 €13.02

69.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.73 €39.33

$35.43 €30.48

29.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.17 €37.13

$43.40 €37.33

-0.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.41 €22.72

$23.53 €20.24

12.24%

Cinema Ticket

$16.89 €14.53

$14.16 €12.18

19.28%

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

$2,369 €2,037

$2,777 €2,389

-14.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.0K

$6,381 €5,489

82.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 €109

$99.6 €85.7

27.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.38 €41.62

$50.4 €43.35

-3.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$97.8 €84.1

19.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 €133

$118 €101

31.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 €1,455

$684 €588

147.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 €1,276

$466 €401

218.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 €2,639

$1,389 €1,195

120.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,431 €2,091

$799 €687

204.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,528 €5,615

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,719 €4,060

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,597 €3,954

$2,504 €2,154

83.59%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lelystad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,692 in The Hague versus $684 in Lelystad. 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 84% higher in The Hague, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in The Hague versus $93.0 in Lelystad. Groceries tell a different story – $346 in The Hague vs $310 in Lelystad – so Lelystad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Lelystad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

The Hague costs about 59% more than Lelystad, 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 $4,262 per month in The Hague and $2,678 in Lelystad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lelystad, 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 $91.0 in The Hague and $93.0 in Lelystad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,842 in The Hague and $1,785 in Lelystad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lelystad, where all-in costs run around $1,785, than in The Hague at $2,842. In Lelystad it covers expenses comfortably, while in The Hague it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lelystad costs $1,785 versus $2,842 in The Hague. 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 Lelystad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, The Hague makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.