The Hague is the Netherlands' international city. It is the seat of government, home to parliament and the ministries, and to a dense cluster of global institutions, from the International Court of Justice to Europol, which gives it a diplomatic, formal character unlike anywhere else in the country. It also has something the others lack: a coastline. With about 569,000 residents it is the third city, and the most international of the big four.
This guide covers what moving to The Hague actually involves: where people live, what housing costs, and how to choose a neighbourhood. It is written for people set on The Hague who want the practical picture rather than a tourist introduction.
What living in The Hague is like
The Hague runs on government, law and international organisations, and that shapes its whole feel. About 39% of residents were born abroad, the highest share of the major cities, and a large slice of them work for embassies, tribunals, NGOs and multinationals. English is deeply embedded, and the expat infrastructure, from international schools to relocation services, is the strongest in the country.
It is also more spread out and less frenetic than Amsterdam, with grand nineteenth-century avenues, green squares and the beach at Scheveningen a tram ride from the centre. The city pairs a formal, institutional core with genuinely diverse inner districts, so its character shifts a lot between areas.
The Hague's neighbourhoods, and how to choose one
Where you live in The Hague depends heavily on why you are here. You can compare every Hague neighbourhood on our six expat profiles, but a few patterns stand out.
The classic international areas sit near the coast and the International Zone. Statenkwartier, Benoordenhout and Zorgvliet cluster the embassies, international schools and diplomatic housing, elegant, leafy and expensive. Scheveningen and Kijkduin add the seaside option, from apartments with a sea view to family homes near the dunes.
The centre is dense, diverse and lively, and around it lie the most international districts by the numbers, Schildersbuurt and Laakkwartier, where more than half of residents were born abroad and homes are the most affordable in the city, near 250,000 to 270,000 euro. These are working-class, densely built and a world away from the diplomatic quarters.
Families who want space and new housing look to the south-eastern suburbs. Ypenburg, Leidschenveen and Wateringse Veld are modern, green and built for family life, with home values around 475,000 to 500,000 euro.
Housing, and what it costs
The Hague is more affordable than Amsterdam and Utrecht, with an average home value around 342,000 euro, though the gap between districts is wide. About 56% of homes are rented, and international demand keeps the market for good rentals competitive, particularly in the coastal and diplomatic areas.
Social housing makes up roughly 31% of the stock, concentrated in the inner districts. Newcomers mostly rent privately, and the city's strong relocation and expat-housing sector makes the search more manageable here than in most Dutch cities, if you are willing to pay for the popular areas.
Getting settled: transit, work and daily life
The Hague is easy to live in without a car, with trams and buses across the city and two main stations linking Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Schiphol within about half an hour to an hour. Rotterdam in particular is close enough that the two cities work almost as one job market.
Work centres on government, law, international institutions and the professional services around them, alongside a growing technology and security sector. Daily life mixes the formal and the relaxed: institutions and embassies during the week, the beach and the dunes at the weekend. English will carry you a long way here, more than in most of the country.
The Hague in numbers
How The Hague compares with the other 16 cities we cover, on the demographics that shape daily life. The last column is the average across those cities.
| Metric | The Hague | Other cities |
|---|---|---|
| Average home value | €342k | €384k |
| Rented homes | 56% | 53% |
| Homes that are flats | 76% | 51% |
| International residents | 39% | 25% |
| Income per resident | €33k | €34k |
| Population density | 12.0k/km² | 7.6k/km² |
| Residents over 65 | 15% | 17% |
| Average household size | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Cars per household | 0.7 | 0.8 |
Source: PlanetExpat, from official open data. See the full The Hague data.
The Hague's districts in numbers
One level deeper: how The Hague's districts differ from each other on the same figures, ordered by population from largest to smallest. This is the spread the city average hides.
| District | Residents | Home value | International | Rented | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laakkwartier en Spoorwijk | 45k | €249k | 57% | 69% | 17.3k/km² |
| Schildersbuurt | 30k | €269k | 57% | 81% | 20.9k/km² |
| Bouwlust | 29k | €266k | 46% | 74% | 9.3k/km² |
| Ypenburg | 27k | €501k | 25% | 42% | 7.2k/km² |
| Wateringse Veld | 24k | €475k | 26% | 38% | 8.5k/km² |
| Centrum | 22k | €360k | 46% | 78% | 12.8k/km² |
| Moerwijk | 22k | €230k | 51% | 82% | 12.5k/km² |
| Morgenstond | 21k | €258k | 46% | 75% | 12.6k/km² |
| Leidschenveen | 20k | €510k | 26% | 34% | 6.4k/km² |
| Bezuidenhout | 20k | €386k | 41% | 55% | 10.4k/km² |
| Scheveningen | 19k | €421k | 25% | 51% | 9.4k/km² |
| Rustenburg en Oostbroek | 19k | €255k | 53% | 46% | 20.5k/km² |
The 12 most populous of 32 districts. Source: PlanetExpat, from official open data. Compare every The Hague neighbourhood.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Hague a good place to live for expats?
For many it is the most expat-friendly city in the country. It has the largest international community, the best expat infrastructure and schools, the sea on its doorstep, and a calmer pace than Amsterdam. The trade-off is a more formal, less lively feel.
Is The Hague cheaper than Amsterdam?
Yes. The average home is worth around 342,000 euro against 458,000 in Amsterdam, though the coastal and diplomatic areas are expensive. Overall it offers more space for the money than the capital.
Where do expats live in The Hague?
Diplomats and international-school families cluster in Statenkwartier, Benoordenhout and near the International Zone, with Scheveningen popular for the coast. Younger and budget-conscious arrivals look to the centre and the diverse inner districts, and families to the new south-eastern suburbs.
Do you need to speak Dutch in The Hague?
Less than almost anywhere in the country. The dense international sector means English is standard at work and widely used in daily life. Dutch still helps with admin and with integrating beyond the expat community.
How international is The Hague?
It is the most international of the big Dutch cities, with about 39% of residents born abroad, rising above half in some inner districts. Its role as a centre of global institutions concentrates internationals more than anywhere else.
Ready to find your neighbourhood?
Every area scored on the six expat profiles, from official open data.