The Hague: what to see and whether to move there

What the city runs on and who it suits

The Hague is not the Dutch capital, yet the government, parliament, the king and most of the state apparatus sit here. Layered on top is the international tier: the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, Europol, Eurojust, the OPCW, and something like two hundred international organisations in total. Corporate weight too - Shell was historically headquartered here, and although the head office moved to London, the operations and jobs stayed.

That produces a distinctive resident profile: diplomats, lawyers, civil servants, NGO staff and contractors. Roughly one resident in ten is tied to the international sector, and the city is built around them, with international schools, English-language services and an administration used to dealing with foreigners.

The Hague is noticeably calmer than Amsterdam or Rotterdam, and the only one of the three on the sea. It suits families, people on long international postings, and anyone who wants a large city without the friction. It does not suit those chasing nightlife, cheap rent or a startup scene.

Neighbourhoods and where newcomers actually live

The international zone - Statenkwartier, Benoordenhout, Archipelbuurt, Belgisch Park - is the diplomatic belt near the dunes and Scheveningen: handsome late 19th-century houses, international schools, and prices close to Amsterdam's. Duinoord and Zeeheldenkwartier are cheaper and livelier, closer to the centre. Bezuidenhout works well for the station and the park.

Living in Scheveningen itself is its own proposition: loud and touristy in summer, deserted and windswept in winter, but with the sea at the door. Leidschenveen-Ypenburg to the south-east is new build and the budget option for a family with a car. Neighbouring Voorburg, Rijswijk and especially Wassenaar are formally separate municipalities but functionally part of the same conurbation; Wassenaar is the most expensive address in the country.

Where not to rent sight unseen: Schilderswijk, Transvaal and parts of Laak are among the poorest districts in the Netherlands, densely built with weak housing stock and visible street crime. They are fine by daylight, and the temptingly cheap listings from there are cheap for a reason.

Cost of living

The Hague costs less than Amsterdam but more than most Dutch cities, with an enormous internal spread: the international zone prices like the capital, while central and southern districts sit well below. Rough 2026 figures.

A single person lands around 2,500-3,200 euros a month. Families face one extra heavyweight line: international schools charge fees, and the annual bill per child easily reaches five figures unless an employer covers it. Renting a tram ride from the international zone rather than inside it typically cuts housing costs by about a third.

Practical matters: transport, climate, language, banking

There is no conventional metro, but a dense HTM tram network and the RandstadRail lines do the job. Rotterdam is about 25 minutes away, Amsterdam 50, Schiphol 30. Inside the city everything happens by bike, the beach included - roughly twenty minutes from the centre to Scheveningen.

The coastal climate means more wind than Rotterdam gets: 3-8 degrees in winter, 18-23 in summer, rain spread through the year. The upside is dune air and open sky; the downside is sand indoors and eight months of wet wind.

English works better here than anywhere else in the country - the international sector means cafes and even municipal counters operate in it. Official correspondence still arrives in Dutch, and permanent residence and citizenship require the integration exam.

Internet is fast and fibre is everywhere. A bank account needs a BSN, issued on municipal registration; The Hague runs a dedicated desk, The Hague International Centre, which processes international hires faster than the standard queue.

Moving here and getting legal

Dutch immigration routes are national, and The Hague offers no separate scheme of its own. EU citizens simply register an address.

For everyone else the standard path is highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) status through an IND-recognised sponsor: the 2026 salary threshold is around 5,942 euros gross a month for applicants aged 30 and over, lower for younger candidates. International organisations and the courts accredit their staff through a separate and generally simpler procedure.

Alternatives include the EU Blue Card, the graduate orientation year, the startup visa via an accredited facilitator, points-based self-employment, and the DAFT treaty for US citizens with an investment of roughly 4,500 euros.

The expat tax break known as the 30% ruling requires a salary of roughly 48,000 euros a year and is being scaled back, with parameters revised almost annually, so any calculation should use current figures rather than last year's.

There is no Dutch nomad visa. More at /country/netherlands, residence routes at /vnz, nomad visas at /nomad_visa, taxes at /all_taxes.

Is The Hague worth living in

For a family with children and a long contract, The Hague is probably the best city in the Netherlands: sea, dunes, schools, safety, an unhurried pace and half an hour to two other major cities.

The drawbacks are real, though. The city is more socially split than any other in the country: the richest and poorest districts in the Netherlands sit twenty minutes' walk apart. The international zone is a bubble, priced accordingly, and it is entirely possible to spend a year there without meeting a Dutch person. Nightlife and the creative scene are thin, with young people leaving for Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Leiden. It is windier than the national average.

National problems apply here too: rental scarcity, income requirements, registration queues and healthcare gated behind a GP.

If you work for an international organisation or are relocating with children, yes without hesitation. If you are twenty-five and looking for a scene, go twenty-five minutes south instead.