Essentials
- Budget Accommodation
- Willbe Hostel, Stayokay Hostel Den Haag (~€35/night for dorms)
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Centrum (near Binnenhof) or Scheveningen (beachfront)
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Zeeheldenkwartier (trendy, cafes) or Bezuidenhout (quiet, near station)
- City
- The Hague (Den Haag), South Holland, Netherlands
- Population
- 560,000
- Internet Speed
- Average 110 Mbps (Fiber widely available)
- Currency & Banking
- 1 EUR ≈ 1.09 USD. Major banks: ING, ABN AMRO, Rabobank.
- Tap Water
- Drinkable, high quality (Dunea)
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type C/F sockets
- SIM Card
- KPN, Vodafone, T-Mobile (Odido). Prepaid ~€15-20/10GB.
- Banking for Expats
- Bunq, Revolut, and ING (requires BSN). Maestro/V-Pay widely used.
- Accommodation
- HousingAnywhere, Kamernet, Pararius (~€1,400-€2,200/month for apartments)
- Cashless Friendly
- Yes, extremely. Debit cards (Maestro/V-Pay) preferred over Credit Cards.
- Short Term Rentals
- The Student Hotel (The Social Hub), Airbnb (~€80-€150/night)
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- Spaces (Rode Olifant) - Approx €250/month; Tribes Den Haag Central Station.
- Best Cafe for Work
- Bookstor (Noordeinde 164) - Historic vibe; Hometown Coffee & More.
- Networking Events
- Venture Café Rotterdam/The Hague Thursday Gatherings; Meetup.com Hague Tech.
- Social Events for Expats
- Expats in The Hague FB Group; InterNations monthly mixers at Hilton.
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Uber, Bolt, or HTM Taxi (+31 70 390 7722)
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- OV-fiets (€4.50/24h), Donkey Republic, Felyx (e-scooters)
- Best Beach Nearby
- Scheveningen Beach (15 mins by tram), Kijkduin (quieter)
- Top Regional Airline
- KLM (operating from nearby Schiphol or Rotterdam Airport)
- Top International Airline
- KLM, Delta, Lufthansa
- Highway Access
- A12 (Utrecht/Germany), A4 (Amsterdam/Rotterdam)
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Den Haag Centraal and Den Haag HS (Hollands Spoor)
- Public Transport Passes
- OV-chipkaart (Anonymous or Personal). HTM Day Pass €7.10.
- Regional Travel
- NS Trains (Rotterdam 25m, Amsterdam 50m, Delft 15m)
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- HMC Westeinde (Lijnbaan 32), HMC Bronovo
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Delight Yoga (Scheveningseweg), Yoga Seads (Scheveningen)
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Basic-Fit (multiple), TrainMore (Lange Houtstraat). ~€30-€60/month.
- Laundry Services
- Wasserette De Schone Was (Weimarstraat 61); CleanLease.
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Thuisbezorgd.nl, UberEats, Wolt
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Haring (Raw herring with onions) at Simonis; Haagsche Hopjes (candy).
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- The Veggie (Prins Hendrikstraat), Foood (Centrum)
- Best Dessert Spots
- Dudok (Apple pie), Patisserie Jarreau
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Haagse Markt (Herman Costerstraat) - Europe's largest outdoor market.
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Bol.com, Amazon.nl, Coolblue
- Grocery Delivery
- Albert Heijn (AH.nl), Picnic, Crisp
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Grote Markt (Central); Plein (near Binnenhof)
- Local Brewery
- Kompaan Beer Bar (Binckhorsthaven 26)
- Wine Bars
- Bouzy (Denneweg 142), Pierre Wine Bar
- Street Food Stalls
- Hofhouse (Food court near Central Station), Haagse Markt stalls.
- Popular International Cuisine
- Indonesian (Soeboer, Garoeda) - The Hague has the best Indo food in NL.
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Binnenhof (Parliament), Peace Palace (Vredespaleis)
- Museums & Art Venues
- Mauritshuis (Girl with a Pearl Earring), Kunstmuseum Den Haag.
- Historical Sites
- Noordeinde Palace, Ridderzaal
- Religious Sites
- Grote Kerk (St. James' Church), Nieuwe Kerk
- Annual Events
- Prinsjesdag (September), King's Day (April 27), Jazz in de Gracht.
- Cultural Districts
- Museumkwartier, Binckhorst (industrial-chic)
- Theater Venues
- Koninklijke Schouwburg, AFAS Circus Theater (Scheveningen)
- Local Markets
- Haagse Markt (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat)
- Music Scene
- Paard (Principal pop venue), Grey Space in the Middle.
- Street Art
- The Hague Street Art (Binckhorst area murals)
- Cooking Classes
- Kookparty (Vestingstraat), Keuken van de Wereld.
- Art Galleries
- Nouvelles Images, Galerie Ramakers
- Historic Buildings
- Oude Stadhuis (Old City Hall), Escher in Het Paleis.
- Local Heritage
- The Stork (symbol of the city), Indonesian-Dutch heritage (Pasar Malam).
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- PostNL, DHL Servicepoints (widely available in Albert Heijn stores)
- Tech Repair Services
- ThePhoneLab Den Haag, MicroFix
- Table Tennis Spots
- Settlers Table Tennis Club, public tables in Westbroekpark
- Language Classes
- Direct Dutch Institute, Volksuniversiteit Den Haag
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Centrale Bibliotheek (Spui 68)
- Community Centers
- The Hague International Centre (City Hall)
- Gaming Lounges
- Sir Winston Fun & Games (nearby Rijswijk)
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Holland Casino Scheveningen
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €6,200 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = €248,000)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €4,500 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = €180,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €5,800 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = €348,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €4,200 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = €252,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €5,500 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = €440,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €3,900 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = €312,000)
- Corporate Tax
- 19% up to €200k, 25.8% above that.
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 15%
- Tax System
- Resident-based/Worldwide income; 30% Ruling for skilled migrants.
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 49.5% (above €73,031)
- VAT
- 21% Standard, 9% Reduced (Food/Books)
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, EU Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive (ATAD) compliant.
- Property Tax
- Yes, OZB (Onroerendezaakbelasting) based on WOZ value (approx 0.05-0.1%).
- Property Transaction Tax
- 10.4% standard, 2% for primary residence, 0% for first-time buyers under 35 (<€510k).
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- 30% Ruling (tax-free allowance for 5 years for qualifying expats).
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Meijendel Dunes (Wassenaar), Westduinpark
- National Parks Nearby
- National Park Hollandse Duinen (Covers the coastal stretch)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- LF1 North Sea Cycle Route; Haagse Bos (The Hague Forest)
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Skyview de Pier (Scheveningen), The Hague Tower (Penthouse Resto)
- Birdwatching Locations
- Meijendel nature reserve marshes
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Not permitted on beach except for New Year's Eve (Duindorp/Scheveningen fires).