During the last few years prices of Amsterdam housing market skyrocket. Areas that have been cheap and avoided, now are pricey and in demand. Basically, there are no cheap places to live in Amsterdam, and it’s because of high accommodation costs. Amsterdam is the capital of an economically advanced country and it’s just expensive. But there are certain areas that are less pricey than others. So what is the cheapest place to live in Amsterdam?
The cheapest places to live in Amsterdam is Amsterdam Zuidoost. Other cheap places to live in Amsterdam are as follows: Amsterdam Noord, Geuzenveld and De Aker. The further away from the city center, the prices are lower, especially outside the Amsterdam ring.
In this article, I will share with you my experience in the cheapest places to live in Amsterdam. I will mention accommodation but also other factors that influence the general cost of living in this city. Of course, it’s not a cheap place but you can make a living here if you have an average job, you live with more people or you just rent a room. I would also mention that renting a room in Amsterdam is very common.
Amsterdam Property Value Map and Average Property Prices
On this Amsterdam property value map, you can see how drastically prices went up during the last few years. The price per square meter has representation in colors. You can also choose a year and check the price history. I encourage you to visit the map website and play with prices.
According to this map, the cheapest places to rent or buy an apartment in Amsterdam are Zuidoost, Aker, Geuzenveld and Amsterdam Noord. Not a long time ago no one really wanted to live in Noord, but today it’s a great area to live in. It has developed during the last few years and what’s very important there is now a great connection with Amsterdam city center. Free ferries cruise 24/7 and there is also a metro connection. Unfortunately, since a few months ago, you have to pay for parking is this area what adds some extra costs. Still, it’s one of the most affordable areas to live.
How Much Does It Cost To Buy A House/Apartment in Amsterdam?
You can see on the map that prices in each area of Amsterdam have increased. While the average price of a house/apartment in the Netherlands is 300 000 euros, in Amsterdam it is 450 000 euros.
The prices per square meter in the city center vary from 6500 to 8000 euros. Out of the canal belt, you can find an apartment starting from 4500 euros per square meter. But even there in areas such as Vondelpark prices can reach even 8000 euros. Outside the ring, you must be ready for prices around 2500 – 3500 euros.
Why Prices in Amsterdam are so High?
According to Property Consultancy Knight Frank research, the prices of accommodation in Amsterdam increased by 64% in the past 5 years. This is research from 2019.
- Amsterdam is a Capital of the highly advanced country. It’s a headquarter of global companies and brings to the Netherlands businesses from all over the world
- Brexit scarcity makes big companies relocate their headquarters from the UK to Europe. Thanks to the open Dutch market, and effortless business procedures many global companies choose the Netherlands.
- Amsterdam is quite a small city and there is limited space for housing. There are not enough apartments and it increases prices. It’s very popular to rent a room in Amsterdam.
- Amsterdam is a popular tourist destination and there is a big need for accommodation for visitors. This brings foreign investors to Amsterdam and in result raise property prices.
- It’s not only about Amsterdam. Prices rise all over the world and if you look at other countries and even in other markets you can see a significant increase in prices.
Will Prices of Accommodation in Amsterdam Keep on Growing?
That’s a great question and I don’t believe anyone can give you a correct answer. There is a market cycle and always after rapid price growth, there is a correction and sometimes a market crisis. The last global property market crisis started in 2006 and housing prices reached a bottom in 2012. During the time of a world recession, the Netherlands didn’t struggle as much as other countries. There is a drop in prices in years 2011-2013, it’s not even that big drop, but more of market stagnation.
Because of limited housing opportunities, the Netherlands is different than other property markets and it’s not as much affected. Also because of many big companies in Amsterdam, there are more and more people coming to this city! When I talk to people everyone complains about the housing market.
Costs of living
Living in Amsterdam is expensive and that’s a matter of fact. The Netherlands was ranked number 16th of 136 most expensive countries to live. The Netherlands is expensive, Amsterdam is very expensive and when it comes to the city center of Amsterdam it’s…. yeah…
The costs of living are totally different for all of us. For example, a student can survive on a budget in Amsterdam for 920-1230 euros. 1 person on a normal budget needs 1600-2100 euros.
There are some common expenses that all of us have such as health insurance, transportation, phone, etc. On the other hand, there are also many government benefits you can get in the Netherlands. Some of them are based on your income and the amount of money you spend on accommodation. If you have a low income and you don’t pay much for an apartment you can get a rent benefit. You can apply for it on the government website. You can also apply for child benefits, public daycare support, health insurance benefits.
We created a complete guide to the costs of living in Amsterdam. We estimate the average monthly expenses for 1,2, 3 and 4 person families. We also consider the different sizes of the wallet so you can find guides for living on a budget or with expensive taste.
Places to Live Near Amsterdam
Have you heard of “Dormitory Towns“? This term describes small towns close to the big cities, which serve exclusively as a sleeping place. There is a lot of people who only sleep in these cities and they spend almost all day long in big cities. This is very common all over the world and as prices rise during the last few years it becomes a more and more popular solution.
Many people want to live in big cities but most can’t afford it, or just want a quiet place to live. Among some cheap places to live close to Amsterdam are Zaandam, Amstelveen, Breukelen, Hilversum, and Hoofddorp. There are also very little towns such as Uithoorn, Nieuw-Vennep, Wormerveer.
There are also cities close to Amsterdam that aren’t cheap at all. Haarlem is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in the Netherlands. It’s located between Amsterdam and Zandvoort and prices are comparable to prices in Amsterdam.
Before you Move To Dormitory Town
There are a few things that you should consider before moving to a dormitory town. As you want to save some money you need to take into consideration the costs of transportation. In short, they are high. Public transport in the Netherlands is the best I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world but it’s also pricey. If you go this route you need an OV-chipkaart. It’s a public transport card which will give you some discounts.
If you plan to go to Amsterdam by car it’s also a headache. Parking prices are very high. There are some ways to save on parking in Amsterdam but still, you must commute to the city center from parking that’s located quite far.
There are also cons of living in dormitory tows. Not only the accommodation is cheaper but you can also save some money when you go out. It’s difficult not to spend money in Amsterdam. You pay for everything and there is such a lot of things to do. Try not to spend money when you go out with your friends to the bar.
What is The Cheapest Place To Live in The Netherlands?
The cheapest places to live in the Netherlands are far from Amsterdam. The provinces Groningen, Zeeland, and Limburg are the cheapest ones.
Cheapest Way to Live in Amsterdam
Basically it depends on your situation. For example if you are a student you can apply for student housing or rent a room. Renting a room is very popular in Amsterdam. I know that while being raised in some small towns you can’t imagine that but in Amsterdam, there is nothing odd by living in a rented room. For a room in Amsterdam, you pay from 400 to 700 euros, depends on location. I rent a room in Amsterdam Zuidoost and I pay for it 500 euros/month.
Get Social Benefits such as zorgtoeslag, child benefits and huurtoeslag.
Search for cut prices online or go to some budget supermarkets such as Lidl or Aldi. From my experience, it’s best to buy meat in Turkish/Maroccan/Islamic shops. They have fresh meat at very good prices. In Tanger, I buy an Entrecote steak for 9 euros per kilo. You won’t get that price anywhere else.
Wrap Up
Now you know what are the cheapest places to live in Amsterdam. I also mention budget towns to live close to Amsterdam. I hope this article gives you some overview on how to live Amsterdam on a budget. If you have any question feel free to contact me! Cheers
