Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between The Hague and Zoetermeer

For one person, living is cheaper in Zoetermeer: $2,292 a month against $2,727 in The Hague, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in The Hague
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The Hague Living Index
112

Cost of Living Index in Zoetermeer
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Zoetermeer Living Index

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The Hague

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$2,727

/mo nomad

Zoetermeer

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$2,292

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in The Hague and in Zoetermeer

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in The Hague and in Zoetermeer actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,727 per month in The Hague vs $2,292 in Zoetermeer, rent included.

The Hague $2,727
Zoetermeer $2,292

A couple spends around $4,085 per month in The Hague vs $3,474 in Zoetermeer, rent included.

The Hague $4,085
Zoetermeer $3,474

A family of three spends $5,443 per month in The Hague vs $4,656 in Zoetermeer, rent included.

The Hague $5,443
Zoetermeer $4,656

The Hague costs about 19% more than Zoetermeer, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both The Hague and Zoetermeer sit above the global median – The Hague by 101%, Zoetermeer by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.22 €19.76

$20.45 €18.19

8.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 €79.4

$85.1 €75.7

4.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 €13.38

$11.00 €9.78

36.73%

Cappuccino

$4.35 €3.87

$4.48 €3.98

-2.90%

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

$4.15 €3.70

$3.28 €2.92

26.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 €3.81

$2.24 €2.00

91.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 €6.38

$5.14 €4.57

39.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.70 €6.85

$5.95 €5.29

29.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.35

$1.10 €0.98

38.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 €1.96

$1.11 €0.99

99.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 €2.20

$2.97 €2.64

-16.84%

Eggs

$4.51 €4.01

$4.50 €4.00

0.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 €13.29

$11.82 €10.51

26.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.87 €11.45

$13.36 €11.88

-3.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.53 €17.38

$16.78 €14.92

16.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 €2.37

$1.80 €1.60

48.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 €1.95

$2.41 €2.15

-8.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 €1.83

$1.46 €1.29

41.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 €3.27

$3.40 €3.02

8.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 €1.18

$1.68 €1.50

-20.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 €1.19

$1.51 €1.34

-11.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 €1.00

$1.12 €0.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.34 €12.76

$13.97 €12.43

2.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 €5.38

$6.81 €6.06

-11.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.15

$1.26 €1.12

3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.75

$2.52 €2.24

-21.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.38 €3.90

$3.48 €3.09

25.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.1 €83.7

$88.5 €78.8

6.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 €4.10

$4.68 €4.16

-1.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 €2.97

$3.49 €3.10

-4.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.19 €29.52

$66.8 €59.4

-50.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.53 €2.25

$2.21 €1.97

14.48%

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

$41.8K €37.2K

$41.5K €36.9K

0.73%

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

$38.8K €34.5K

$39.7K €35.3K

-2.18%

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

$283 €252

$90.7 €80.7

211.83%

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

$28.32 €25.19

$21.17 €18.83

33.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 €48.09

$55.7 €49.52

-2.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 €45.96

$35.19 €31.30

46.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.96 €21.31

$23.77 €21.15

0.80%

Cinema Ticket

$16.01 €14.24

$15.41 €13.70

3.89%

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

$2,402 €2,137

$2,699 €2,401

-11.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.5K

$12.5K €11.1K

-5.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.5 €85.9

$95.1 €84.6

1.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.92 €38.18

$38.25 €34.02

12.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €93.8

$110 €97.8

-4.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 €125

$141 €125

-0.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 €1,472

$1,384 €1,231

19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 €1,139

$1,151 €1,024

11.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 €2,463

$2,416 €2,149

14.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,244 €1,996

$1,907 €1,696

17.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,171 €5,489

$5,354 €4,763

15.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,415 €3,927

$4,391 €3,905

0.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,128 €3,672

$4,353 €3,872

-5.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.49

-2.58%

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

Last update for The Hague: October 18, 2026

Last update for Zoetermeer: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

The Hague

$1.3K 47%

Zoetermeer

$1.2K 50.2% 10.1% $130

Monthly Utilities & Internet

The Hague

$365 13.4%

Zoetermeer

$168 7.3% 54.1% $198

Eating Out

The Hague

$360 13.2%

Zoetermeer

$310 13.5% 13.9% $50

Groceries & Markets

The Hague

$331 12.1%

Zoetermeer

$300 13.1% 9.5% $31

Clothing & Footwear

The Hague

$173 6.4%

Zoetermeer

$173 7.5% 0.4% $0.7

Getting Around

The Hague

$133 4.9%

Zoetermeer

$125 5.4% 6.3% $8.4

Sport & Entertainment

The Hague

$84 3.1%

Zoetermeer

$66 2.9% 21.1% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,655 in The Hague versus $1,384 in Zoetermeer. 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 Zoetermeer, 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 $89.0 in The Hague versus $85.0 in Zoetermeer. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $300 – making Zoetermeer the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇱 The Hague

🇳🇱 Zoetermeer

🕒 Local time

12:20 12:20 PM

Same time as The Hague

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

562,839

126,998

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Zoetermeer: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,727 in The Hague, $2,292 in Zoetermeer – roughly 19% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,091 per month in The Hague and $3,437 in Zoetermeer. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zoetermeer, 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 $2,727 in The Hague and $2,292 in Zoetermeer. That's a gap of about 19%.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Zoetermeer. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zoetermeer, where all-in costs run around $2,292, than in The Hague at $2,727. In Zoetermeer 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 $2,292 in Zoetermeer to $2,727 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 Zoetermeer. 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.