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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,879 per month in The Hague vs $2,512 in Maastricht, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,275 per month in The Hague vs $3,700 in Maastricht, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,672 per month in The Hague vs $4,888 in Maastricht, rent included.

The Hague costs about 15% more than Maastricht, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both The Hague and Maastricht sit above the global median – The Hague by 115%, Maastricht by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 €15.04

$20.35 €17.82

-15.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €80.2

$69.2 €60.6

32.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.81 €12.10

$12.75 €11.16

8.31%

Cappuccino

$4.47 €3.91

$4.23 €3.71

5.67%

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

$3.30 €2.89

$3.45 €3.02

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.34

$2.70 €2.36

-1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 €6.05

$7.34 €6.43

-5.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 €4.99

$5.82 €5.10

-2.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.16

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 €1.98

$2.38 €2.08

-4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 €2.55

$3.22 €2.82

-9.32%

Eggs

$4.91 €4.30

$4.54 €3.98

8.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 €12.83

$13.65 €11.95

7.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.70 €13.75

$15.82 €13.85

-0.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.92 €14.82

$16.99 €14.88

-0.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.15

$2.30 €2.01

6.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 €2.12

$2.56 €2.24

-5.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.73

$2.00 €1.75

-1.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 €4.02

$3.81 €3.34

20.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$2.05 €1.79

-2.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.81

$2.00 €1.75

3.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.10

$1.28 €1.12

-2.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.79

$0.87 €0.76

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 €12.22

$14.21 €12.45

-1.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.84 €5.12

$6.82 €5.97

-14.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 €1.23

$1.58 €1.38

-11.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.20

$2.73 €2.40

-8.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 €3.07

$3.93 €3.45

-10.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 €106

$92.8 €81.3

30.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 €4.08

$11.37 €9.96

-59.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 €2.74

$2.13 €1.86

46.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.13 €29.89

$28.84 €25.26

18.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.02

$2.20 €1.92

5.00%

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

$42.4K €37.1K

$37.6K €32.9K

12.71%

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

$35.1K €30.7K

$33.2K €29.1K

5.63%

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

$244 €214

$354 €310

-31.18%

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

$26.15 €22.90

$25.16 €22.03

3.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.38 €40.62

$50.4 €44.14

-7.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.54 €37.26

$45.25 €39.63

-5.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.04 €22.80

$29.14 €25.52

-10.64%

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

$1,547 €1,355

55.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.4K

$8,039 €7,041

47.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$129 €113

$91.2 €79.9

41.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.16 €43.06

$39.11 €34.26

25.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €106

-0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €136

$131 €114

19.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,675 €1,467

$1,329 €1,164

26.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 €1,290

$1,098 €962

34.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,010 €2,636

$2,256 €1,975

33.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 €2,168

$1,732 €1,517

42.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 €5,637

$5,330 €4,668

20.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €4,059

$3,643 €3,190

27.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,226 €3,701

$3,376 €2,956

25.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.34

-7.83%

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

Last update for The Hague: July 13, 2026

Last update for Maastricht: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,675 in The Hague versus $1,329 in Maastricht. 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 25% 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 $92.0 in The Hague versus $69.0 in Maastricht. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $346 – making Maastricht 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 Maastricht: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

The Hague costs about 15% more than Maastricht, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $3,768 in Maastricht. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Maastricht, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,879 in The Hague and $2,512 in Maastricht. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Maastricht. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,879 in The Hague and $2,512 in Maastricht. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maastricht costs $2,512 versus $2,879 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 Maastricht. 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.