Why internationals end up here
The Hague has the most concentrated international community in the Netherlands, and it is not an accident: government, embassies, international courts and organisations, and the companies that orbit them.
Practically, that means three things for a buyer. International schooling is unusually well provided for, English is unremarkable in daily life, and certain neighbourhoods have been expat neighbourhoods for generations, with the price premium that implies.
It is also the only major Dutch city with a proper coastline, which changes the character of living here more than newcomers expect.
The districts
| Area | Character | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Statenkwartier | Elegant early twentieth-century housing, long-established expat area, near the sea | Families prioritising schools and community, with the budget to match |
| Benoordenhout | Green, quiet, spacious, traditionally diplomatic | Buyers wanting space and calm over street life |
| Archipelbuurt and Willemspark | Central, characterful, walkable to the centre and the woods | Those who want period housing without suburban distance |
| Bezuidenhout | Mixed, well connected, close to Central Station | Commuters, and better value than the classic expat areas |
| Scheveningen and Duindorp | Coastal, from apartment blocks to former fishing village streets | People who genuinely want the beach, and accept the summer crowds |
| Ypenburg and Leidschenveen | Newer build, family-oriented, more space per euro | Buyers wanting a modern house with a garden and parking |
| Laak and parts of Escamp | More affordable, mixed stock, uneven street by street | Buyers on tighter budgets who will do local homework |
What to check here specifically
Pre-war stock and foundations
Large parts of central The Hague date from the early twentieth century. That means characterful housing and the associated questions: foundation condition, roof and window frames, insulation, and whether the building has been maintained or merely decorated. A structural survey is worth its cost on almost anything pre-war.
Apartments and the VvE
Much of the attractive central stock is divided into apartments, so the owners association matters as much as the apartment. Reserve fund, maintenance plan, and recent minutes, every time. See our VvE guide.
Leasehold
Leasehold occurs in The Hague, though less pervasively than in Amsterdam. Never assume freehold from a listing: check the deed. See our erfpacht guide.
Coastal considerations
Near the sea, salt air is hard on window frames, render, and metalwork. Ask when the exterior was last treated and how often it needs doing, because the maintenance cycle is genuinely shorter than inland.
Schools before streets
If international schooling matters, resolve the school first and choose the neighbourhood second. Places are limited and waiting lists real, and a house that is perfect but forty minutes from the school stops being perfect in January.
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The Hague generally sits below Amsterdam and broadly in line with or slightly below Utrecht, with very wide variation between districts: the difference between Statenkwartier and Laak is larger than the difference between many separate cities.
City averages are not useful when bidding. What matters is recent comparable sales in that street, for that housing type, at that size, which is data a local agent has and public price pages do not. Ask for it before you decide on a number.
Frequently asked questions
It has the most concentrated international community in the Netherlands, strong international schooling, and a coastline, which makes it one of the easiest Dutch cities to settle into as a newcomer. Prices are generally below Amsterdam, though the established expat districts carry a clear premium.
Statenkwartier, Benoordenhout, Archipelbuurt, and Willemspark are the long-established international districts, with Bezuidenhout offering better value and good connections. Ypenburg and Leidschenveen suit families wanting newer housing with more space.
Foundation and maintenance condition in pre-war housing, the owners association file for any apartment, whether the land is freehold or leasehold, and the exterior maintenance cycle near the coast, where salt air shortens the life of frames and render.
Yes, though less pervasively than in Amsterdam. The deed should always be checked rather than assuming freehold, since leasehold affects monthly costs, mortgage financing, and resale value.
The school, if international education matters to you. Places are limited and waiting lists are real, and a long daily school run undermines an otherwise good location choice.
Written and maintained by Robbert Winnemuller, founder of DutchKey. He works in Dutch residential property in Flevoland and built DutchKey after seeing how often international buyers signed Dutch contracts nobody had explained to them. He is not the agent you are matched with: DutchKey introduces you to independent, buyer-only agents, and these pages exist to make you a harder client to mislead.