🇳🇱 Netherlands · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in The Hague? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
What things cost
1-bed flat, central or international zone (Archipel, Statenkwartier, Benoordenhout)€1,500-2,200 / month
1-bed flat, outer or over the boundary (Laak, Escamp, Rijswijk, Voorburg)€1,050-1,550 / month
Utilities, internet and mobile, one person€160-230 / month
Municipal + Delfland water board charges, single renter≈€665 / year in 2026, billed separately from rent
School fees: subsidised Dutch international school vs fully private€5,000-9,000 vs €20,000-30,000 / year
Good to know
Population
≈570,000 in the city; ≈1.1 million across Haaglanden and roughly 2.4 million in the metropolitan region shared with Rotterdam
Status
Seat of the Dutch government, parliament, Supreme Court and the King's working palace — but Amsterdam is the constitutional capital
International presence
Around 200 international organisations and the largest diplomatic corps in the country; a substantial share of foreign residents hold privileged status rather than residence permits
Official language
Dutch, with English near-universal in the international zone and in institutional workplaces
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Time zone
CET (GMT+1), CEST (GMT+2) from late March to late October
Climate
Temperate maritime, moderated by the sea — mild, wet, very windy on the coast, with cool summers and rare hard frost
Coast
The only one of the four big Dutch cities with a beach and a protected dune reserve inside the municipal boundary
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized The Hague checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to The Hague
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.