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 $2,947 per month in Utrecht vs $2,842 in The Hague, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,160 per month in Utrecht vs $4,202 in The Hague, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,373 per month in Utrecht vs $5,562 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 120%, The Hague by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.14 €18.20

$17.50 €15.07

20.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 €75.4

$91.2 €78.6

-4.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.95 €12.01

$13.94 €12.00

0.07%

Cappuccino

$4.39 €3.78

$4.40 €3.79

-0.23%

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

$3.95 €3.40

$3.40 €2.92

16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 €2.71

$2.78 €2.39

13.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 €6.06

$7.08 €6.10

-0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 €5.04

$5.89 €5.08

-0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.31 €1.13

3.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 €2.17

$2.33 €2.00

8.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 €2.59

$2.94 €2.53

2.04%

Eggs

$5.39 €4.64

$4.86 €4.18

10.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.04 €12.09

$14.58 €12.55

-3.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.53 €14.24

$15.69 €13.51

5.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.40 €14.98

$16.40 €14.13

6.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$2.38 €2.05

-1.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.46 €2.12

0.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.95 €1.68

-1.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 €3.19

$4.66 €4.02

-20.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.99 €1.71

-2.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.08 €1.79

7.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.25 €1.08

8.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.98

$0.86 €0.74

31.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.32 €12.33

$13.84 €11.92

3.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 €6.21

$5.87 €5.06

23.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.45 €1.25

0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.30

$2.38 €2.05

12.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 €3.00

$3.37 €2.91

3.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 €64.7

$117 €100

-35.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 €3.17

$4.87 €4.20

-24.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 €2.19

$3.16 €2.72

-19.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.59 €22.89

$35.26 €30.36

-24.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 €1.95

$2.21 €1.90

2.71%

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

$39.8K €34.3K

$42.3K €36.4K

-5.97%

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

$39.8K €34.3K

$35.0K €30.1K

13.79%

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

$296 €255

$243 €209

21.62%

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

$26.03 €22.42

$25.72 €22.15

1.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.51 €40.05

$45.73 €39.38

1.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.94 €40.42

$43.17 €37.17

8.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.19 €19.97

$26.41 €22.74

-12.19%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.71

$16.89 €14.55

-5.74%

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

$2,609 €2,247

$2,369 €2,040

10.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K €9,630

$11.7K €10.0K

-4.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €98.6

$127 €109

-9.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 €52.2

$48.38 €41.66

25.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €92.7

$117 €101

-8.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €112

$154 €133

-15.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 €1,626

$1,692 €1,457

11.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 €1,310

$1,484 €1,278

2.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,826 €2,433

$3,068 €2,642

-7.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 €1,930

$2,431 €2,094

-7.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,022 €6,908

$6,528 €5,621

22.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,872 €5,057

$4,719 €4,064

24.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,615 €3,974

$4,597 €3,958

0.40%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for The Hague: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,888 in Utrecht versus $1,692 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 0% 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 $88.0 in Utrecht versus $91.0 in The Hague. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in Utrecht vs $346 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: $2,947 in Utrecht, $2,842 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 $4,420 per month in Utrecht and $4,262 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 $2,947 in Utrecht and $2,842 in The Hague. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 55% 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 $2,947 in Utrecht and $2,842 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 $2,842 in The Hague to $2,947 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.