In this guide
New to the Netherlands? Start with our complete moving guide and set up your DigiD.
💡 Looking for a complete banking comparison? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026 — covers ABN, ING, Bunq, Wise, Revolut & 5 others by expat use case.
The Hague in Facts
Photo: The Hague, the Netherlands. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
- Size: CBS counted 568,192 residents in the municipality of The Hague at the start of August 2026 (CBS table 37230NED).
- International organisations: Europol states that it is headquartered in The Hague (europol.europa.eu, 8 October 2026). Check the websites of other organisations you are interested in for their location and vacancies.
- Support for newcomers: The Hague International Centre guides international newcomers to live, work and study in The Hague region, with separate information for highly skilled migrants, EU/EEA migrant workers, family migrants, students and diplomats (thehagueinternationalcentre.nl, 8 October 2026).
- Coast: the municipality of The Hague includes the seaside districts Scheveningen and Kijkduin.
We do not give star ratings, neighbourhood rents or travel times, because we have no official source for them.
Choosing a Neighbourhood
Neighbourhood character, rent and travel times depend on the exact address, so check them yourself:
- compare current listings for the neighbourhoods you consider and note the rent per square metre;
- use the NS journey planner and the HTM route planner for the commute from a specific address;
- ask the municipality, or visit the area at different times of day;
- check which schools serve the address if you have children.
Neighbourhoods that expat guides frequently mention include Statenkwartier, Bezuidenhout, Scheveningen, Archipelbuurt, Benoordenhout, Laakkwartier, Ypenburg and Leidschenveen. We do not describe or rank them here.
Cost of Living
Rent
Pararius reports the average rent that new tenants paid per square metre for free-sector homes in the second quarter of 2026: The Hague EUR 22.42 (up 5.9% on a year earlier), Amsterdam EUR 28.69, Rotterdam EUR 22.79, Utrecht EUR 21.61 and Eindhoven EUR 20.25 (Pararius Huurmonitor Q2 2026). Multiply by the floor area to estimate a monthly rent before service costs.
Health Insurance
The average basic health insurance premium in 2026 is €157 per month (Rijksoverheid), and the compulsory deductible (eigen risico) is €385 per year. Take out Dutch basic insurance no later than 4 months after arriving; the cover applies from the day of arrival (Government.nl).
Other Costs
We give no figures for groceries, transport or leisure because we have no official source. Compare current prices yourself. Use the housing budget checker to test a rent against your own take-home pay, and read our cost of living guide.
Housing: How to Find a Place
Rental Process
- Prepare documents. Landlords often ask for an employment contract, ID or passport and payslips.
- Search online. Funda, Pararius, Kamernet and expat groups.
- Check whether you need an affordable housing permit. The municipality of The Hague says you sometimes need one when you rent a property, and that you should apply on time (denhaag.nl).
- Respond quickly when a suitable home appears, with your documents ready.
- Deposit: the maximum deposit is two months of basic rent for contracts from 1 July 2023 (Rijksoverheid).
Housing scams exist: never transfer money before you have seen the property and checked who the landlord is. Our rental scams guide explains what to look for. Check the energy label too; see our guide on the Dutch energy market.
Dean is a paid rental alert service for Dutch rentals. Dean says on its own site (heydean.nl/en) that it checks more than 1,000 rental sources against your search profile, with a 3-day free trial and prices from EUR 0.33 per day (heydean.nl/en, 7 October 2026). It does not rent you a home, so you still need to respond quickly.
Buying Property
We give no price per square metre for The Hague, because we have no official figure. Read our expat mortgage guide for how mortgages for expats work, and check recent sales prices for your area before you plan a purchase.
International Schools
Check each school’s own website for admission rules, curriculum, fees and waiting lists, and ask the municipality which schools serve your address. Some employers cover school fees as part of a relocation package, so ask during negotiation. For more details, see our international schools guide.
Getting Around
Check routes and times on the NS and HTM journey planners. Cycling is a common way to get around in Dutch cities; see our cycling in the Netherlands guide. The nearby city of Leiden has its own expat guide.
Working in The Hague
Europol is headquartered in The Hague (europol.europa.eu). For other employers, check their websites for vacancies and language requirements. The Hague International Centre has information for highly skilled migrants, EU migrant workers, family migrants, students and diplomats, and information for employers who hire internationals. Events listed on its site in autumn 2026 include the IamExpat Fair The Hague on 7 November 2026 and The Hague Justice Week from 16 to 20 November 2026 (thehagueinternationalcentre.nl, 8 October 2026).
Practical Essentials
When You First Arrive
- Register at the municipality (gemeente). If you will live in the Netherlands longer than 4 months, register within 5 days of arriving (Government.nl); the municipality’s page is Registering at the municipality on denhaag.nl. Our BSN Planner lists the documents.
- BSN. You receive your burgerservicenummer when you register.
- Health insurance. Within 4 months. See our expat insurance guide.
- DigiD. Required for government services. See our DigiD guide.
- Bank account. See our bank account guide.
If you need a residence permit, the Visa and Permit Finder can help you identify the route.
Money Transfer
For transferring money internationally, compare what banks and providers charge for the exact amount and currency pair. Wise publishes its fees per currency on its website. Bank quotes can include an exchange-rate margin, so compare the final recipient amount.
Our Verdict
We do not rank The Hague against other cities. Check the rent per square metre in current listings against your budget, the commute from specific addresses, the schools you need, and the support available through The Hague International Centre.
Explore More Expat Guides
- Complete Guide to Moving to the Netherlands — Everything you need
- International Schools in the Netherlands — How to compare schools
- Best Expat Insurance — Health and other key insurance
- Highly Skilled Migrant Visa — Work permit information
- Netherlands vs Germany for Expats — Country comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Hague a good city for expats?
It depends on your job, budget and family. Facts we can verify: CBS counted 568,192 residents in The Hague at the start of August 2026; Europol states that it is headquartered in The Hague; and The Hague International Centre guides international newcomers to live, work and study in the region, with separate information for highly skilled migrants, EU migrant workers, family migrants, students and diplomats. We do not rank the city against others.
How much does it cost to live in The Hague?
Pararius reports that new tenants in the free sector paid on average EUR 22.42 per square metre per month in the second quarter of 2026, up 5.9% on a year earlier. That compares with EUR 28.69 in Amsterdam, EUR 22.79 in Rotterdam and EUR 21.61 in Utrecht (Pararius Huurmonitor Q2 2026). Multiply by the floor area for a rough monthly rent before service costs. Health insurance averages EUR 157 per month in 2026 (Rijksoverheid). We do not give a total monthly budget because we could not verify the other costs.
Do I need a permit to rent a home in The Hague?
Sometimes. The municipality of The Hague says that if you are going to rent a property you sometimes need an affordable housing permit, and that you should apply for it on time at the municipality (denhaag.nl). Ask the municipality whether it applies to the home you want.
How do I register when I arrive?
If you will live in the Netherlands for longer than 4 months, register with the municipality within 5 days of arriving (Government.nl). You receive your BSN when you register. The municipality's own page is called Registering at the municipality (denhaag.nl).
Does The Hague have international schools?
Check each school's own website for admission rules, curriculum and waiting lists, and ask the municipality which schools serve your address. We could not verify tuition fees, so we do not quote them. Our international schools guide explains how to compare options.
How do I get from The Hague to other Dutch cities?
Check train times for your own route and time of day on the NS journey planner. We do not quote travel times because they depend on the station and service pattern.