The Netherlands is considered an expensive European country and Amsterdam, its most expensive city. If you are considering moving to Amsterdam, you will end up living in an amazing, entertaining and multicultural environment. However, you will have to consider that one of the biggest part of your salary will have to be destined to rent. The biggest expense you will have when moving to Amsterdam is definitely the accommodation.
Renting a studio in Amsterdam costs at least 1000 euros per month. The bigger the apartment and the closer to the centre, the more you will have to pay. You can find 2-bedrooms apartments for 1500-3000 euros. Most of the time, apartments are shared. You will need a minimum income to be able to rent.
There are a lot of things one needs to know before renting an apartment in Amsterdam: the cost of living, other expenses, what to expect for our budget, how much deposit you are required to leave, what type of contract or income you need to prove and much more. If you want to read more about it and get to know how to rent in Amsterdam, keep reading this article. I hope you will find my experience to be helpful!
Renting in Amsterdam
Before moving to Amsterdam, you should know that it is the most expensive city in the Netherlands. This is mostly because of the high demand of people who want to live there. A lot of its population works in touristic companies, one of the main incomes of the city, as well as big companies whose headquarters are there such as Oracle, KLM, and ING.
Not so long ago I created a Complete Guide to Living in Amsterdam, where I would explain in detail everything you need to consider when moving to this city. Every single part of your expenses, such as health insurance, food, entertainment and so on. It also included some tips and Government help in case you are eligible for it.
Here there are some questions about what to expect when wanting to rent in Amsterdam, how much does it cost, where to find the best deals and what to expect. Keep reading:
How Much Does it Cost to Rent in Amsterdam?
The answer to this is simple, there are accommodations for all the budgets. Renting an apartment on your own can end up being quite expensive (from at least 1500 euros, and up), so what most workers do is sharing a house. It is not something only students do, it is very common to find adults, grown-up professionals who decide they prefer to spend their money on other things or even save some move, and share their house with other working people. This makes sense since, if you are going to be working the whole week and spend your weekend doing awesome activities in the city, how much time would you spend at home?
Renting a room in Amsterdam it will cost around 500 euros. This includes expenses, at least most of the times. You can find cheaper deals and more expensive ones, but this is the average price. The most common way of finding a room is through Facebook, on pages such as Amsterdam Free Ads or Rent a Room Amsterdam. You can also ask your Dutch friends, they seem to know the best deals and what it is more convenient.
Renting a flat is a little bit more expensive. Here there are some of the things you need to consider when renting a flat:
- Normally renting one-bedroom flat costs over 1000 euros. A two-bedroom flat around 1500-1700. Each room you add to the house is like adding another 400-500 euros to the total budget.
- The cheapest places to live in Amsterdam is Amsterdam Zuidoost. Other cheaper neighbourhoods are Amsterdam Noord, Geuzenveld and De Aker. You will be able to find a place to rent for 1000 euros. These places tend to be spacious but most likely unfurnished. This is something you always need to take into account.
- Normally, flats come with facilities and expenses included but this is something you need to ask before renting.
- Flats closer to the centre tend to be older and smaller. If you are able to pay for it, there are also luxury and amazing buildings.
- Ijburg is a great option to find new apartments to a relatively accessible price and close to Amsterdam.
- You won’t have to worry about schools and supermarkets, these are everywhere. If you own a bike you will be 10-15 minutes away from everything.
What are The Best Neighbourhoods?
This is very relative. I would say that a lot of people prefer to live inside the canals ring, which is where all the fun is. If you have a family or you enjoy from having a calm life or a garden, living in Amsterdam Noord or Amsterdam Zuid is a better option. For new and modern apartments, the best place is Ijburg. For party people, the Red Light District.
In any case, I would like to point out that there is no unsafe neighbourhood. As a young girl living alone in Amsterdam, I must admit I have never felt unsafe. Not coming home at midnight, nor going to the train station not even close to the Red Light District. I have to admit Amsterdam is a very safe city in the eyes of this Argentinian girl, so I wouldn’t un-recommend a neighbourhood because of safety matters.
The biggest problem you will have when living in the centre would be the noisy and party tourists in the centre. This is why I decided to live in Amsterdam West, close to Rembrandtpark. It is also great to be able to go through Rembrandtpark and Vondelpark on your way to work or coming back from there, which also allows you to stop and enjoy them it the weather is great.
What about Cities Close to Amsterdam?
I would strongly recommend this for families and young couples or if you simply can’t afford the sky-high prices people pay to live in Amsterdam. Living in Haarlem, Zaandam, Amstelveen, Breukelen, Hilversum, or Hoofddorp are great options. There are also very little towns such as Uithoorn, Nieuw-Vennep, Wormerveer. These are dormitory cities, small cities very close to Amsterdam for those who have to work in the big city or enjoy spending there your free time, but don’t want or can’t live there.
What Do I Need to be Eligible to Rent?
When renting a room, you will only need to prove that you have some sort of income and that you can pay the deposit. On my experience, it has always been a month of deposit, but it can also be that you are asked for two months.
When renting an apartment, things change. You are asked for more requirements such as contract of work, taxes and yearly incomes from both you and whoever is going to live with you. They need to know you will be able to pay for it. In some cases, your salary has to be at least 200% of the rent and it can go up to 300% of the rent. This means that only 50-30% of your salary can be destined for your rent in order to be eligible to rent. Otherwise, you will need somebody to be your guarantee.
You can easily ask the agency you want to contact to rent, there are not many more requirements, but each agency and each apartment has different needs and it varies a little bit.
Tips To Rent in Amsterdam
- Try to find adds on Facebook or other websites. These are the most common ones: Pararius, Kamernet, Expatrentals, and Funda.
- If you contact an agency, ask for how much the fee would be if you end up renting with them. It is important to consider it within your budget.
- Always ask if facilities and expenses are included. You need to make sure that new flats have heating, isolation, floor, running water, electricity, wifi and so on.
- Buying in Amsterdam is cheaper than renting. If you know the decision of living in this amazing city is permanent, you may want to consider investing in a property, which would benefit you in the long run.
- Do you have a car? Parking in Amsterdam can be freaking expensive. Therefore, finding a place which includes a parking space close by or allows you to park on the street for free is a must if you want to own a car in this city.
- Make quick decisions: things fly fast, if you like a flat or a room, you need to make a decision on the spot or that same day at the latest. Don’t make the mistake of letting it be because Dutch are efficient and want to make the most out of their time. If somebody else wants it before you have made up your mind, it will be gone in front of your eyes.
- If you have children, consider living outside of Amsterdam. The cities surrounding the capital are much more convenient for children to go to school on their bikes, play in the street and have a much more countryside-like lifestyle, 30 minutes away from the big city.
