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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,992 per month in Utrecht vs $2,879 in The Hague, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,240 per month in Utrecht vs $4,275 in The Hague, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,489 per month in Utrecht vs $5,672 in The Hague, rent included.

Utrecht costs about 4% more than The Hague, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Utrecht and The Hague sit above the global median – Utrecht by 124%, The Hague by 115%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.90 €18.26

$17.18 €15.01

21.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 €74.9

$91.5 €80.0

-6.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.83 €12.08

$13.81 €12.07

0.14%

Cappuccino

$4.62 €4.04

$4.47 €3.90

3.36%

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

$4.08 €3.57

$3.30 €2.88

23.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.83

$2.67 €2.34

21.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 €6.10

$6.91 €6.04

1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.93

$5.70 €4.98

-1.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.18

$1.32 €1.15

2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.12

$2.27 €1.98

7.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 €2.69

$2.92 €2.55

5.48%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.63

$4.91 €4.29

7.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 €12.27

$14.65 €12.80

-4.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.20 €14.15

$15.70 €13.72

3.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 €15.10

$16.92 €14.78

2.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$2.45 €2.14

-3.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.23

$2.42 €2.11

5.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$1.97 €1.72

-0.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 €3.29

$4.58 €4.01

-17.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$1.99 €1.74

1.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.95

$2.06 €1.80

8.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.19

$1.25 €1.09

8.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.90 €0.78

27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.39 €12.57

$13.96 €12.19

3.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.69 €5.85

$5.84 €5.10

14.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.27

$1.40 €1.22

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.38

$2.51 €2.20

8.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 €3.01

$3.51 €3.07

-1.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 €65.6

$121 €106

-37.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 €3.23

$4.66 €4.07

-20.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 €2.11

$3.13 €2.73

-22.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.76 €23.38

$34.13 €29.82

-21.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 €2.01

$2.31 €2.02

-0.43%

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

$41.0K €35.8K

$42.4K €37.0K

-3.30%

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

$39.7K €34.7K

$35.1K €30.7K

13.19%

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

$288 €252

$244 €213

18.25%

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

$26.02 €22.73

$26.15 €22.85

-0.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.92 €41.86

$46.38 €40.52

3.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.93

$42.54 €37.17

12.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.07 €20.16

$26.04 €22.75

-11.41%

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 €14.02

$16.55 €14.46

-3.08%

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

$2,628 €2,296

$2,409 €2,104

9.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K €9,593

$11.9K €10.4K

-7.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 €103

$129 €113

-8.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 €54.8

$49.16 €42.95

27.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €93.9

$121 €105

-10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €114

$156 €136

-16.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 €1,648

$1,675 €1,463

12.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,523 €1,331

$1,472 €1,286

3.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,924 €2,555

$3,010 €2,630

-2.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,309 €2,017

$2,476 €2,163

-6.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,310 €6,387

$6,436 €5,623

13.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,072 €4,432

$4,635 €4,049

9.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,271 €3,732

$4,226 €3,692

1.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.39

9.75%

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

Last update for Utrecht: July 13, 2026

Last update for The Hague: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,887 in Utrecht versus $1,675 in The Hague. 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 1% higher in Utrecht, 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 $86.0 in Utrecht versus $92.0 in The Hague. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Utrecht vs $348 in The Hague – 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

Utrecht vs The Hague: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,992 in Utrecht, $2,879 in The Hague – roughly 4% apart. Utrecht costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,487 per month in Utrecht and $4,318 in The Hague. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in The Hague, 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 $2,992 in Utrecht and $2,879 in The Hague. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 61% less in The Hague. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,992 in Utrecht and $2,879 in The Hague. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. The Hague has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,879 in The Hague to $2,992 in Utrecht. 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 The Hague. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Utrecht makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.