How to find an apartment in The Hague

In The Hague, the first thing to check is the rent. Homes in the social and mid-rent segments need a housing permit with an income limit, so your income decides which listings you can take. Then set a budget, choose the areas and nearby towns that fit your commute, and prepare your application before you need it.

This guide covers privately advertised apartments in The Hague (Den Haag) and the towns around it. Social housing through a housing association has its own registration route and waiting times.

How renting in The Hague works

The Hague is the seat of the Dutch government and home to international organisations such as the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court and Europol, as well as many embassies. Many people move to the city to work for these employers, often from abroad.

The Hague International Centre names Funda and Pararius as the largest rental databases and notes that some people use a rental agent or relocation specialist. If you use an agent, it recommends checking that they are registered with the Chamber of Commerce and preferably belong to a recognised trade association.

Two tips from the centre are specific to international moves:

• Ask for a diplomatic clause. It lets you end the contract early if your employer transfers you. Ask for it before you sign, not after.
• Expect the permit to come up before the keys. For homes that need a housing permit, the centre notes that many agencies will not hand over the keys until you can show you have applied.

Students at Leiden University's campus in The Hague, The Hague University of Applied Sciences and other institutions mostly search for rooms and student housing, which have their own providers. This guide focuses on apartments.

Do you need a housing permit in The Hague?

Often, yes. The gemeente Den Haag requires a housing permit (huisvestingsvergunning) for a self-contained home with 186 points or fewer under the points system, or with a rent of up to €1,228.07 a month. In 2026, the income limits are:

• Rent up to €932.93 (social rent): €51,537 for a single person, €56,910 for a household of two or more.
• Rent from €932.93 to €1,228.07 (mid-rent): €70,149 for a single person, €93,531 for a household of two or more.

If your household earns more than the limit, you cannot get a permit for that home. In practice, a well-paid single person or couple will mainly be looking at free-sector homes above €1,228.07. Check this before you apply, because it rules listings in or out.

The municipality lists other conditions too. You must be 18 or older, have Dutch or EU/EEA nationality or a valid residence permit, and have at least 12 m² of usable floor space per person. Rooms in shared housing, and tenancies that began before 1 July 2019, do not need a permit.

To apply, you need a signed rental contract or the landlord's written consent, a declaration from the owner, and proof of income no older than three months. Self-employed applicants, students and non-Dutch nationals need extra documents. The fee is €56.75. The Dutch version of the page says you hear within two weeks if your application is complete; otherwise the municipality decides within eight weeks.

Two more points from the municipality:

• The fine falls on you. Renting a home that requires a permit without one can lead to a €410 fine for the tenant.
• The permit is not registration. Applying does not register you at the address. You still need to register with the municipality separately.

If you rent from a housing association, the association usually arranges the permit.

Rijswijk, Leidschendam-Voorburg, Delft and the other nearby towns are separate municipalities with their own rules. Check the municipality's website before signing a lease there.

Neighbourhoods and nearby towns to consider

Start from where you will work. Employers, including the international organisations, are spread across the city and the region, so an address that suits one job may not suit another.

Within the city, the municipality's districts include Centrum, Scheveningen, Segbroek, Loosduinen, Escamp, Laak, Haagse Hout and Leidschenveen-Ypenburg. Compare them by the journey and the listings you actually see.

Towns people often consider:

• Rijswijk. Directly south-east of The Hague. Tram 1 runs from Scheveningen through the city centre and Rijswijk to Delft, and Rijswijk has its own railway station.
• Voorburg and Leidschendam. Together the municipality of Leidschendam-Voorburg, east of the city, with railway and RandstadRail stations.
• Delft. South of The Hague, reached by train and by tram 1 and tram 19.
• Zoetermeer. East of The Hague, connected by RandstadRail.
• Leiden. North-east of The Hague, a university city with direct trains to The Hague.

Use the commute finder to see which areas you can reach by public transport or bike for a weekday morning arrival, then check trips from a real address in the 9292 journey planner at the time you would travel. If you are also considering Rotterdam, RandstadRail line E links the two cities; see our Rotterdam guide.

Set a realistic budget

Check the current average rent in The Hague for apartments, studios and rooms. Hesra's rent pages show median advertised rents from ads we observed, so they reflect asking prices rather than what every home costs.

Use the budget explorer for The Hague to see how many recent ads fit your maximum rent, and compare nearby places such as Rijswijk, Delft or Leiden. The rent affordability calculator shows what a listing's income requirement means for your salary.

Keep the permit limits in mind as you set your maximum. If your income is above the mid-rent limit, a budget that only reaches mid-rent homes may leave few listings you can actually take.

Prepare, search and apply

Prepare before you search, so you can reply as soon as a suitable listing appears:

1. Gather your documents. Use our rental application document checklist. If you are moving with an employer, ask HR early for an employer's statement.
2. Write a short introduction. Our rental application letter templates include one for moving from abroad.
3. Save a search for each place you would accept. In Hesra, each saved search covers one city or town with an optional maximum rent, so The Hague, Rijswijk and Delft each need their own. Rental alerts email you when a new listing matches.
4. Check the rent against the permit limits. Before replying, confirm whether the home needs a permit and whether your income fits.

On a paid plan, you can enable automatic applications for a search. They apply only to new exact matches, using your profile and documents. Check whether you qualify for a permit before you enable them, and set your maximum rent with the income limits in mind.

Where tenants in The Hague can get help

• The Fair Rent Team (Huurteam). The municipality's Fair Rent Team checks whether your rent follows the rules using the points system, and advises on maintenance problems. It is for people registered in The Hague who rent a home or room from a private landlord. If you moved in within the last six months it can check any rent; after that, it helps if your basic rent is below €932.93.
• Report landlord abuses. The municipality's reporting point covers discrimination, intimidation, deposits above two months' rent, missing written contracts and double agency fees. It is free and you can report anonymously.
• The Hague International Centre. It offers free consultations for internationals on settling in, including housing.
• The Huurcommissie. The independent rent tribunal. The Hague International Centre notes that you can ask for a rent check within six months of your contract starting.

Avoid rental scams

The Hague International Centre warns that scammers target internationals who are new to the country and under time pressure. Its smart checks include:

• Never pay a deposit before you, or someone you trust, has viewed the home. Do not go ahead if a viewing is not possible.
• Run a reverse image search on the listing photos and check whether the text appears elsewhere.
• Confirm who owns the property, for example through the Dutch land registry, and search for the landlord or agency online.
• Treat these as warning signs: keys sent by post, email-only contact, a refusal to let you register, no written contract, payment by cash or to a foreign account, and early requests for your ID.

If something has gone wrong, report it to the police and to the Fraudehelpdesk.

Common questions

Do I need a housing permit in The Hague?

You need one for a self-contained home with a rent of up to €1,228.07 a month or 186 points or fewer, and your household income must be under the limit. Rooms in shared housing and free-sector homes above that level do not need one.

Can I rent a mid-rent apartment in The Hague on a high salary?

Not if your household income is above the 2026 limit of €70,149 for a single person or €93,531 for two or more people. You will not get a permit for a mid-rent home. Focus on free-sector listings instead.

How long does it take to find an apartment in The Hague?

There is no reliable typical timeframe. For homes that need a permit, allow up to two weeks for a complete application, or longer if documents are missing. If your start date is fixed, book temporary accommodation as a fallback.

What is a diplomatic clause?

A clause in the lease that lets you end the contract early if your employer transfers you elsewhere. The Hague International Centre recommends asking for one. Whether a landlord agrees is up to them, so ask before you sign.

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