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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,908 per month in The Hague vs $2,406 in Zwolle, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,295 per month in The Hague vs $3,512 in Zwolle, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,683 per month in The Hague vs $4,619 in Zwolle, rent included.

The Hague costs about 21% more than Zwolle, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both The Hague and Zwolle sit above the global median – The Hague by 117%, Zwolle by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 €14.83

$17.43 €14.92

-0.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.9 €78.7

$85.1 €72.8

8.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.10 €12.07

$11.71 €10.03

20.41%

Cappuccino

$4.27 €3.65

$3.82 €3.27

11.78%

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

$3.31 €2.83

$3.47 €2.97

-4.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.29

$2.88 €2.46

-6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 €6.12

$6.20 €5.31

15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 €4.90

$4.73 €4.05

20.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.19 €1.02

13.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 €1.98

$2.49 €2.13

-7.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 €2.60

$3.11 €2.67

-2.57%

Eggs

$5.03 €4.30

$4.75 €4.07

5.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 €12.16

$13.92 €11.91

2.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.34 €13.13

$16.19 €13.85

-5.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.36 €14.00

$16.68 €14.28

-1.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 €2.11

$1.91 €1.63

29.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 €2.08

$2.53 €2.17

-3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.86 €1.60

3.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 €4.01

$3.71 €3.18

26.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 €1.64

$1.94 €1.66

-1.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.71

$2.09 €1.79

-4.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.28 €1.09

-1.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.71 €0.61

21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.72 €11.75

$12.79 €10.95

7.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.97 €5.96

$7.06 €6.04

-1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.38 €1.18

0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.11

$2.69 €2.30

-8.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 €2.93

$6.16 €5.27

-44.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 €100

$114 €97.9

2.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.75 €4.06

$3.78 €3.24

25.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 €2.60

$3.16 €2.71

-3.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.19 €30.12

$26.97 €23.09

30.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 €1.90

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

$41.9K €35.9K

$40.2K €34.4K

4.35%

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

$35.0K €29.9K

$40.2K €34.4K

-13.01%

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

$242 €207

$290 €248

-16.46%

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

$25.69 €21.99

$26.07 €22.32

-1.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.91 €39.30

$46.52 €39.82

-1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.59 €36.46

$40.18 €34.39

6.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.11 €22.35

$23.08 €19.75

13.13%

Cinema Ticket

$16.81 €14.39

$16.26 €13.92

3.38%

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

$2,403 €2,057

$1,605 €1,374

49.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.0K

$9,243 €7,912

26.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$126 €108

$99.4 €85.1

26.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 €41.77

$62.6 €53.6

-22.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €99.7

$88.1 €75.4

32.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 €132

$130 €111

19.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 €1,482

$1,038 €888

66.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 €1,246

$1,040 €891

39.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,047 €2,608

$1,875 €1,605

62.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 €2,094

$1,539 €1,318

58.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,597 €5,647

$5,894 €5,045

11.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,804 €4,113

$6,920 €5,924

-30.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,566 €3,909

$3,054 €2,615

49.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.39

-8.88%

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

Last update for The Hague: April 27, 2026

Last update for Zwolle: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,732 in The Hague versus $1,038 in Zwolle. 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 50% 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 $85.0 in Zwolle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $342 – making Zwolle the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Zwolle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,908 in The Hague, $2,406 in Zwolle – roughly 21% apart. The Hague costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,362 per month in The Hague and $3,609 in Zwolle. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zwolle, 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 $2,908 in The Hague and $2,406 in Zwolle. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Zwolle. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Zwolle, where all-in costs run around $2,406, than in The Hague at $2,908. In Zwolle 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 $2,406 in Zwolle to $2,908 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 Zwolle. 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.