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 $2,814 per month in The Hague vs $2,615 in Maastricht, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,239 per month in The Hague vs $3,830 in Maastricht, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,664 per month in The Hague vs $5,045 in Maastricht, rent included.

The Hague costs about 8% more than Maastricht, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both The Hague and Maastricht sit above the global median – The Hague by 105%, Maastricht by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.07 €19.83

$20.95 €18.01

10.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.7 €78.9

$91.3 €78.5

0.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.46 €13.29

$12.93 €11.12

19.57%

Cappuccino

$4.68 €4.02

$4.44 €3.82

5.41%

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

$4.30 €3.70

$4.08 €3.51

5.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 €3.74

$3.14 €2.70

38.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 €5.85

$8.88 €7.63

-23.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 €6.64

$5.90 €5.07

30.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.34 €1.15

17.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.61 €2.24

-12.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 €2.33

$2.77 €2.38

-2.17%

Eggs

$4.64 €3.99

$4.87 €4.18

-4.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.93 €12.83

$15.15 €13.03

-1.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 €11.55

$14.54 €12.50

-7.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.16 €17.33

$16.81 €14.45

19.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 €2.38

$2.67 €2.30

3.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.50 €2.15

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.01 €1.73

2.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 €3.27

$4.48 €3.85

-15.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.96 €1.68

-30.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 €1.14

$2.50 €2.15

-46.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.41 €1.21

-14.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.86 €0.74

9.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 €13.15

$14.28 €12.27

7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 €5.10

$6.96 €5.98

-14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.53 €1.31

-13.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.86 €2.46

-29.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 €3.90

$3.12 €2.68

45.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 €83.4

$92.6 €79.6

4.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 €4.10

$11.47 €9.86

-58.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.60 €3.10

$3.46 €2.97

4.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.16 €30.23

$28.81 €24.77

22.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.44 €2.10

6.97%

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

$43.6K €37.5K

$42.4K €36.5K

2.77%

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

$40.8K €35.1K

$40.2K €34.5K

1.46%

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

$292 €251

$308 €265

-5.17%

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

$29.38 €25.25

$18.01 €15.48

63.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 €48.37

$51.2 €43.99

9.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 €44.76

$48.32 €41.54

7.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.49 €21.92

$29.10 €25.02

-12.41%

Cinema Ticket

$17.20 €14.79

$15.74 €13.53

9.28%

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

$2,541 €2,184

$1,300 €1,118

95.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.4K

$11.4K €9,800

6.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 €85.6

$85.8 €73.7

16.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.25 €38.91

$38.90 €33.44

16.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.9

$117 €100

-5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 €121

$132 €114

6.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 €1,478

$1,328 €1,142

29.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 €1,148

$1,191 €1,024

12.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,886 €2,481

$2,188 €1,881

31.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,388 €2,053

$1,752 €1,506

36.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,429 €5,527

$5,498 €4,726

16.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,581 €3,938

$3,726 €3,203

22.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,373 €3,760

$3,369 €2,897

29.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

4.42

-23.08%

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

Last update for The Hague: August 31, 2026

Last update for Maastricht: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,719 in The Hague versus $1,328 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 30% 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 $91.0 in Maastricht. Groceries tell a different story – $341 in The Hague vs $351 in Maastricht – so The Hague 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 Maastricht: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

The Hague costs about 8% more than Maastricht, 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 $4,221 per month in The Hague and $3,923 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 $2,814 in The Hague and $2,615 in Maastricht. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Maastricht. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maastricht, where all-in costs run around $2,615, than in The Hague at $2,814. In Maastricht 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. Maastricht costs $2,615 versus $2,814 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.