Townleap

Cost of Living: Frankfurt vs The Hague (2026)

Germany vs Netherlands — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Frankfurt
The Hague
$1358/mo
Rent
$1548/mo
73/100
Livability
75/100
87/100
Safety
90/100
85/100
Healthcare
88/100
5 yr
PR path
5 yr
Internet
99 Mbps
Freelance setup
Freiberufler
  • VAT-free under €25k
  • €1200/yr accountant
WiseStripe
ZZP'er
  • VAT-free under €20k
  • 5.3% social
  • €1200/yr accountant
WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRFrankfurt is 12% cheaper on rent ($1358/mo vs $1548/mo). The Hague is safer — homicide rate 0.7 vs 2.7 per 100k. Both countries will let you complain about the government in public — and mean it.
Frankfurt and The Hague are almost suspiciously well-matched. Flip a coin.
Household
Frankfurt
Metric
The Hague
$1358/mo
🏠
Rent (1BR centre)
$1548/mo
$943/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
$731/mo
$8,049
🧳
Cost to land
$6,793
2.7 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
0.7 / 100k
🚨
Crime perception
lower is better
20 / 100
26°C
☀️
Summer high
20°C
1°C
❄️
Winter low
2°C
Internet speed
99 Mbps
9.7 μg/m³
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
9.9 μg/m³
8.7 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
9.0 / 10
100/100
🗣️
Street English
100/100
$74k
💼
GDP per capita
$86k
2.3% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
3.3% · Boringly steady
73 / 100
🏅
Livability Score
75 / 100
Grid reliability
94/100 — Reliable
🗽
Freedom House
97/100
5 years
📋
Time to PR
5 years
See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated May 2026

💰
Cost of Living
Frankfurt
$190/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
The Hague
0.7 homicides per 100k
☀️
Weather
26°C vs 20°C summers
🗣️
English
The Hague
higher proficiency score

Sun

How much sky you actually get

36% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
45% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
8.1h
Shortest day
Dec
7.7h
16.3h
Longest day
Jun
16.7h

Sun clocks out before 5pm in both cities come December. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

Democracy trend
stable
declining
Inflation trend
improving
Industries
governmentlegal-internationaltechsecurity
Startup ecosystem
nascent
Grid reliability
94/100
5 yrs
Time to PR
5 yrs
Moderate
🇺🇸 Your visa
Moderate
Easy
EU visa
Easy
Complex
RU visa
Complex
Moderate
UA visa
Easy
Partner can work immediately
Spouse works
Partner can work immediately
Not recognized
eingetragene Lebenspartnerschaft (now: Ehe)
Partner pathway
Recognized
geregistreerd partnerschap / samenwonend

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · IEA · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request
Abortion access
On request
12 wk
Gestational limit
24 wk

Not punishable within 12 weeks with mandatory counseling and 3-day waiting period.

On request up to 24 weeks. 5-day reflection period removed in 2023.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

66/100
Rainbow Index
59/100
Legal
Marriage
Legal
Joint adoption
Adoption
Joint adoption
Yes
Job protection
Yes
Yes
Hate crime law
Yes

Source: Rainbow Europe (ILGA-Europe)

The Short Version

  • Rent is 12% cheaper in Frankfurt ($1358/mo vs $1548/mo for a 1BR city centre).
  • Summers are noticeably warmer in Frankfurt (26°C vs 20°C).
  • The Hague is safer by homicide rate (0.7 vs 2.7 per 100k).

Frankfurt vs The Hague — Common Questions

Is Frankfurt cheaper than The Hague?

Frankfurt is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1358/month in Frankfurt vs $1548/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Frankfurt or The Hague?

The Hague is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Frankfurt has a rate of 2.67 per 100,000 and The Hague has 0.73 per 100,000.

Should I move to Frankfurt or The Hague?

Frankfurt and The Hague are almost suspiciously well-matched. Flip a coin. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Frankfurt or The Hague?

Frankfurt: EU Blue Card (Germany) (complex process, Up to 4 years). The Hague: Netherlands Highly Skilled Migrant (complex process, Up to 5 years). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Frankfurt or The Hague?

Frankfurt is warmer in summer (26°C vs 20°C). The Hague has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

What's the cost of rent in Frankfurt vs The Hague?

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1358/month in Frankfurt, $1548/month in The Hague (Numbeo). That's 12% cheaper rent in Frankfurt.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

Maybe the real city was the comparisons we made along the way.

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