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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,814 in The Hague versus $2,546 in Nijmegen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,239 in The Hague versus $3,801 in Nijmegen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,664 in The Hague versus $5,055 in Nijmegen.

Living in The Hague is roughly 11% more expensive than in Nijmegen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: The Hague 105% above, Nijmegen 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.07 €19.85

$26.06 €22.43

-11.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.7 €78.9

$100 €86.4

-8.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.46 €13.30

$13.87 €11.94

11.46%

Cappuccino

$4.68 €4.02

$4.44 €3.82

5.41%

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

$4.30 €3.70

$3.99 €3.44

7.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 €3.74

$2.67 €2.30

62.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 €5.86

$5.71 €4.92

19.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 €6.65

$5.74 €4.94

34.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.47 €1.26

6.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.05 €1.76

11.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 €2.33

$2.35 €2.02

15.32%

Eggs

$4.64 €4.00

$5.40 €4.65

-14.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.93 €12.84

$13.25 €11.41

12.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 €11.56

$14.92 €12.84

-9.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.16 €17.35

$16.33 €14.05

23.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 €2.38

$2.96 €2.55

-6.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.59 €2.23

-11.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 €1.77

$1.95 €1.68

5.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 €3.27

$5.78 €4.98

-34.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.12 €1.83

-35.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 €1.14

$2.58 €2.22

-48.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.31 €1.13

-7.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.79 €0.68

18.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 €13.16

$14.60 €12.56

4.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 €5.11

$7.49 €6.45

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.57 €1.35

-15.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.69 €2.31

-25.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 €3.90

$3.58 €3.08

26.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 €83.5

$146 €125

-33.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 €4.10

$4.20 €3.61

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.60 €3.10

$3.29 €2.83

9.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.16 €30.25

$47.10 €40.53

-25.35%

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

$43.1K €37.1K

1.17%

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

$40.8K €35.1K

$39.6K €34.0K

3.06%

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

$292 €251

$289 €249

1.00%

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

$29.38 €25.28

$23.86 €20.53

23.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 €48.42

$44.50 €38.29

26.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 €44.80

$31.87 €27.43

63.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.49 €21.94

$26.41 €22.73

-3.48%

Cinema Ticket

$17.20 €14.80

$16.09 €13.85

6.90%

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

$2,541 €2,186

$2,879 €2,477

-11.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K €10.5K

$17.1K €14.7K

-28.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 €85.7

$99.8 €85.9

-0.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.25 €38.94

$46.38 €39.91

-2.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.0

$112 €96.0

-1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 €121

$171 €147

-17.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 €1,479

$1,563 €1,345

10.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 €1,149

$1,056 €909

26.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,886 €2,484

$2,529 €2,176

14.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,388 €2,055

$1,684 €1,449

41.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,429 €5,532

$5,643 €4,856

13.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,581 €3,942

$4,326 €3,722

5.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,373 €3,763

$3,579 €3,079

22.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

-15.00%

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

Last update for The Hague: August 31, 2026

Last update for Nijmegen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,719 in The Hague and $1,563 in Nijmegen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

The Hague pays 22% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $92.0 in The Hague vs $100 in Nijmegen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $351 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 Nijmegen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nijmegen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% 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 $1,563 in Nijmegen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nijmegen – a meal for two runs $100 versus $92.0 in The Hague. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,814 per month in The Hague versus $2,546 in Nijmegen – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Nijmegen is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Safety-wise, The Hague and Nijmegen 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 Nijmegen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in The Hague. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.