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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,842 per month in The Hague vs $2,590 in Zaandam, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,202 per month in The Hague vs $3,729 in Zaandam, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,562 per month in The Hague vs $4,868 in Zaandam, rent included.

The Hague costs about 10% more than Zaandam, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both The Hague and Zaandam sit above the global median – The Hague by 112%, Zaandam by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.50 €15.07

$17.34 €14.93

0.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 €78.6

$87.9 €75.7

3.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.94 €12.00

$13.69 €11.79

1.83%

Cappuccino

$4.40 €3.79

$4.16 €3.58

5.77%

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

$3.40 €2.92

$3.86 €3.32

-11.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$3.26 €2.81

-14.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 €6.10

$7.13 €6.14

-0.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 €5.08

$5.62 €4.84

4.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.13

$1.23 €1.06

6.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 €2.00

$2.37 €2.04

-1.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 €2.53

$3.09 €2.66

-4.85%

Eggs

$4.86 €4.18

$4.83 €4.16

0.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 €12.55

$14.14 €12.17

3.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.69 €13.51

$15.43 €13.29

1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.40 €14.13

$17.39 €14.97

-5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.32 €1.99

2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.54 €2.19

-3.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.87 €1.61

4.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 €4.02

$3.99 €3.44

16.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.12 €1.82

-6.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.96 €1.68

6.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.24 €1.07

0.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.88 €0.76

-2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.84 €11.92

$13.22 €11.38

4.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 €5.06

$7.46 €6.42

-21.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.49 €1.28

-2.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.37 €2.04

0.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.37 €2.91

$3.51 €3.02

-3.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 €100

$93.1 €80.1

25.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 €4.20

$4.16 €3.58

17.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 €2.72

$2.43 €2.09

30.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.36

$26.96 €23.22

30.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 €1.90

$2.30 €1.98

-3.91%

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

$42.3K €36.4K

$38.4K €33.1K

10.11%

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

$35.0K €30.1K

$37.1K €32.0K

-5.72%

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

$243 €209

$279 €240

-12.89%

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

$25.72 €22.15

$23.58 €20.30

9.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.73 €39.38

$52.1 €44.89

-12.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.17 €37.17

$47.89 €41.24

-9.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.41 €22.74

$23.03 €19.83

14.68%

Cinema Ticket

$16.89 €14.55

$15.13 €13.03

11.63%

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

$2,369 €2,040

$2,101 €1,809

12.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.0K

$6,171 €5,314

89.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 €109

$114 €97.8

11.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.38 €41.66

$46.90 €40.39

3.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$114 €98.0

2.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 €133

$150 €129

3.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 €1,457

$1,407 €1,211

20.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 €1,278

$1,187 €1,022

24.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 €2,642

$2,334 €2,009

31.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,431 €2,094

$1,727 €1,487

40.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,528 €5,621

$5,479 €4,718

19.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,719 €4,064

$4,506 €3,880

4.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,597 €3,958

$4,845 €4,172

-5.12%

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 Zaandam: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,692 in The Hague versus $1,407 in Zaandam. 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 5% higher in Zaandam, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in The Hague versus $88.0 in Zaandam. Groceries tell a different story – $346 in The Hague vs $347 in Zaandam – 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 Zaandam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,842 in The Hague, $2,590 in Zaandam – roughly 10% apart. The Hague costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,262 per month in The Hague and $3,884 in Zaandam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zaandam, 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 $2,842 in The Hague and $2,590 in Zaandam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% less in Zaandam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Zaandam, where all-in costs run around $2,590, than in The Hague at $2,842. In Zaandam 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 $2,590 in Zaandam to $2,842 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 Zaandam. 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.