South Holland has several large cities close together. The Hague is the provincial capital and the seat of government, Rotterdam is the largest city in the province, and Delft and Rijswijk lie between them. Renters here therefore often choose an area rather than a single city.
This page covers the nine South Holland cities that have their own Addressly page. For each city you can read where it lies, which neighbourhoods make good starting points and what to look out for in a listing. The city pages then show today's listings.
Leiden and Delft are university cities. Students are also looking for rooms and smaller homes there, especially around the start of the academic year. Keep that in mind if you want a smaller place yourself.
The cities fall into three groups. The Hague, Rijswijk, Delft and Rotterdam form a continuous line from north-west to south-east. Leiden, Leiderdorp and Wassenaar are in the north of the province. Zoetermeer lies east of The Hague, and Gouda further east, on the railway line between Rotterdam and Utrecht.
Because distances are short, it is easy to include neighbouring municipalities. For someone working in The Hague or Delft, a home in Rijswijk can be just as practical as an address in the city itself.
The largest city in the province, and a sprawling one: a home five minutes from Blaak is very different from one near Zuidplein. Kralingen-Crooswijk and Prins Alexander are quieter with good connections, while Rotterdam-Noord is closer to the centre. So don't treat ‘Rotterdam’ as one search area; choose the parts of the city that fit your route.
The Hague is the provincial capital and seat of government, with ministries a few streets from the coast. Scheveningen is by the sea, Centrum and Segbroek are more central, and Escamp and Loosduinen are further from the centre. International staff, students and families search here for very different reasons, so first decide whether you want the sea, the centre or somewhere quieter.
A university city with a compact historic centre. Students, PhD researchers and LUMC staff look for the same homes, and it gets especially busy around the start of the academic year. Binnenstad-Noord and -Zuid are closest to the university; Leiden-Noord, Merenwijk, Stevenhof and the Mors are further out but still an easy cycle.
Lies between The Hague and Rotterdam and revolves largely around TU Delft. The historic centre around the canals and the Markt appeals to anyone who wants to live without a car. Wippolder sits right next to the campus and has a lot of student housing; Voorhof is further out and more residential.
Lies east of The Hague and grew from older settlements into a city of planned residential districts. The Stadscentrum has shops and facilities, while Dorp has more of a village character. Palenstein and Driemanspolder are older districts, Rokkeveen and Oosterheem later expansions. Building age and distance to facilities therefore vary by address.
A separate municipality between The Hague and Delft. ‘Central’ can mean two things here: the old village centre of Oud-Rijswijk or the Bogaard shopping area, which is being redeveloped. RijswijkBuiten, between Rijswijk and Delft, is a new district with many family houses with gardens. For a new build, check how much of the street is finished.
Lies between The Hague and Leiden, close to the Meijendel dunes; De Tapuit visitor centre is a starting point for walks. Kerkehout in the south has a core of smaller family houses. Parking-disc zones apply around the centre, so if you have a car, always ask about the parking arrangements.
Borders Leiden and is a natural addition for anyone studying or working there. The Winkelhof shopping centre, the Oude Dorp and the Oude Rijn Lint are three different starting points. The municipality has a programme to raise streets affected by subsidence; ask whether the street is included and what that means for access.
Lies on the railway line between Rotterdam and Utrecht and has two stations: Gouda and Gouda Goverwelle. The centre has shops, restaurants and events; Goverwelle and Bloemendaal each have their own neighbourhood shopping centre. From the address, check which station you would use and how it connects to your destination.
Start with the city you travel to most often, then add the places that border it. If you work in The Hague, Rijswijk, Delft and Wassenaar are the obvious additions. If you study in Leiden, Leiderdorp comes first. That keeps your search area manageable and stops you responding to homes that don't work for your daily journey.
In Leiden and Delft, demand for rooms and studios peaks around the start of the academic year. If you are looking for a smaller home yourself, start well in advance and be clear about what you want: a room, a studio or a self-contained home. In a tight city, a profile that is too broad mostly produces noise.
Rijswijk, Wassenaar and Leiderdorp are independent municipalities, even though they border a larger city. A listing may use the big city's name for an address in the neighbouring municipality, or the other way round. So look at the full address, and check the journey at the time you would actually travel, not only outside rush hour.
With Addressly you can select several cities in one search profile. Matching listings are monitored, and Addressly can send viewing requests from your own inbox. You stay in direct contact with the landlord and arrange the viewing yourself.
Want to set up a search that covers more than one city? Our guide on responding faster to rental listings explains how to build your profile.
No. Rijswijk is an independent municipality between The Hague and Delft, with its own centre in Oud-Rijswijk, the Bogaard shopping area and the new RijswijkBuiten district. For someone working in The Hague or Delft, it can still be a practical addition.
Around the start of the academic year, many new students and researchers look for a room or small home at the same time. Outside that period it is usually somewhat calmer.
Leiderdorp borders Leiden directly. Wassenaar lies between Leiden and The Hague, close to the dunes. For both, check the route to your faculty or workplace.
Gouda has two stations and lies on the line between Rotterdam and Utrecht. Compare a home there on the total door-to-door journey, and on the facilities you use every day, such as the town centre or a neighbourhood shopping centre.
Full refund until we send your first viewing request — no questions asked.
Content last reviewed Sept. 13, 2026.