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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,843 per month in The Hague vs $2,511 in Purmerend, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,171 per month in The Hague vs $3,523 in Purmerend, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,499 per month in The Hague vs $4,534 in Purmerend, rent included.

The Hague costs about 13% more than Purmerend, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both The Hague and Purmerend sit above the global median – The Hague by 112%, Purmerend by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.02 €14.66

$17.45 €15.03

-2.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.2 €81.2

$51.4 €44.32

83.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.69 €11.80

$13.45 €11.59

1.78%

Cappuccino

$4.45 €3.83

$4.12 €3.55

8.01%

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

$3.32 €2.86

$3.49 €3.01

-4.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 €2.32

$2.58 €2.22

4.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 €6.06

$6.24 €5.37

12.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 €4.95

$5.58 €4.81

2.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.24 €1.07

8.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 €2.00

$2.25 €1.94

3.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.58

$3.31 €2.85

-9.67%

Eggs

$5.09 €4.39

$4.88 €4.20

4.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 €12.45

$13.51 €11.64

6.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.17 €13.07

$15.53 €13.38

-2.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 €14.30

$17.48 €15.06

-5.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$2.37 €2.04

-1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.20

$2.51 €2.16

1.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

$1.98 €1.70

-1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 €4.16

$4.00 €3.44

20.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.07 €1.78

-4.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.08 €1.79

0.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.05

$1.27 €1.09

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$0.87 €0.75

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.64 €11.75

$13.84 €11.93

-1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.88

$6.94 €5.98

-18.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.51 €1.30

-7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.07

$2.74 €2.36

-12.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 €3.03

$3.66 €3.16

-3.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 €103

$91.8 €79.1

30.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 €4.11

$4.22 €3.64

12.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 €2.72

$2.32 €1.99

35.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.03 €30.18

$28.54 €24.59

22.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.22 €1.91

3.60%

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

$41.2K €35.5K

$34.4K €29.6K

19.83%

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

$34.7K €29.9K

$36.1K €31.1K

-3.71%

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

$237 €205

$256 €221

-7.36%

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

$25.72 €22.16

$25.61 €22.07

0.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.91 €39.55

$47.73 €41.13

-3.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.32 €37.32

$40.58 €34.96

6.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.07 €22.46

$23.03 €19.84

13.20%

Cinema Ticket

$16.89 €14.55

$16.27 €14.02

3.81%

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

$2,374 €2,045

$1,997 €1,721

18.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$7,716 €6,648

53.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$128 €110

$94.0 €81.0

36.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.58 €42.72

$45.38 €39.10

9.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$103 €89.0

14.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 €132

$130 €112

17.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 €1,463

$1,423 €1,226

19.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 €1,285

$1,197 €1,031

24.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,984 €2,571

$2,269 €1,955

31.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,405 €2,072

$1,757 €1,514

36.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,658 €5,737

$5,912 €5,094

12.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,683 €4,035

$4,695 €4,045

-0.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,293 €3,699

$4,046 €3,486

6.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.03

-0.74%

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

Last update for The Hague: June 9, 2026

Last update for Purmerend: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,698 in The Hague versus $1,423 in Purmerend. 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 6% 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 $94.0 in The Hague versus $51.0 in Purmerend. Groceries tell a different story – $346 in The Hague vs $346 in Purmerend – 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 Purmerend: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,843 in The Hague, $2,511 in Purmerend – roughly 13% apart. The Hague costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,264 per month in The Hague and $3,767 in Purmerend. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 31% less in Purmerend. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,374 per month in The Hague and $1,997 in Purmerend. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Purmerend, where all-in costs run around $2,511, than in The Hague at $2,843. In Purmerend it covers expenses comfortably, while in The Hague it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. The Hague has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,511 in Purmerend to $2,843 in The Hague. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Purmerend. 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.