How High is Apartment Rent in Amsterdam?

Welcome to Amsterdam! Whether you're planning a visit or have already moved here, it's important to know the apartment rent prices. Amsterdam is known for its beautiful canal houses and adorable tourist attractions, but what about the cost of living? This guide will give you everything you need to know about apartment prices in Amsterdam for both short-term rentals and long-term leases.

The housing market in Amsterdam has seen 20% year over year increases, the rental market – although relatively small – has been far more forgiving in terms of cost. Amsterdam apartment rent prices have gone up steadily since 2015 – which is round about the year the Dutch economy was steering clear of the 2008 economic recession.

Even though this increase has been steep, it isn't nearly as bad as the price increase for owned property. Here is the average rent price of unfurnished residential property in the Netherlands from 2010 to 2021:

As you can see, the average rent price has gone up from around €12 per square meter to round about €16. On average, a single bedroom apartment in Amsterdam is around 60 square meters. This hypothetical apartment has gone up from €720 to €960 per month, excluding utilities.

These statistics are however, mildly deceptive, as they include both free market rent apartments as well as social rent apartments.

Recently Built Apartments

Especially for newly built apartments that can easily cost double the average from the previous paragraph. If you're considering moving to Amsterdam, you should know what to expect with your housing costs before you arrive.

As the government has been incentivizing building apartments around Amsterdam, a lot of large investment companies such as Bouwinvest have been realizing large apartment buildings in districts such as West, East and North Amsterdam.

These apartment buildings are extremely modern, energy efficient, and relatively affordable (around 1500 a month is typical).

There is a municipality run website that keeps track of all building projects in the city. It's called AmsterdamWoont. These projects are often open to pre-enrollment, which means you may be able to snag an apartment before it hits the market.

Between individuals letting apartments and investment companies, the latter is almost always more affordable.

Shortage Drives Up Prices

The Dutch government has taken steps to address this issue by requiring landlords to put up apartments for rent on their websites so that they're easily accessible by anyone looking for a place to stay.

However, there are still many challenges facing apartment hunters: landlords may be unwilling or unable to make repairs quickly enough; they may not accept tenants who don't have Dutch bank accounts (although this requirement appears less common than it once did); they may require large deposits up front before moving into an apartment; etc.

If any of these issues present themselves during your search you'll want the help of an experienced real estate agent who can help negotiate between tenants and landlords on your behalf while keeping your best interests at heart.

Studios are a Rare Find

Studios are rare and hard to find, 1 bedroom or 1 bedroom plus study tend to be the most common apartments in Amsterdam. Studios are mostly found in the centre of Amsterdam (e.g., Centrum).

Studio's rents range from €500 - €800 per month depending on location, floor level and size. Most studios come with a separate kitchenette which has its own sink, microwave oven and small refrigerator/freezer.

Toilet facilities tend to be shared at some buildings but may also be found within the apartment itself (usually as an ensuite). You'll likely need your own bedding and blankets (you can get these cheaply at Ikea or other stores), so please remember this when calculating how much you will pay for rent each month!

What Should You Expect to Pay?

As in any city, apartment rent prices can vary greatly. Most of the newer built apartments have fair and steady pricing, though you should expect any rent to be increased by the maximum amount of 3.3% per year.

If you are looking for a ballpark estimate of rent in the city though, here you are:

• Studios range from €700 to €1.000. If you can find one, it's usually bang in the middle of the city center.
• Rooms go between €600 and €900. Shared bathroom and kitchen, the works.
• For 1-3 bedroom apartments, expect anywhere from €1.500 to €2.500, depending on the neighbourhood. On average, around €30 per square meter per month is considered reasonable

Conclusion

Amsterdam is an amazing city and there are many great reasons to live here. It is by no means a cheap city however. Hopefully you know what to expect in terms of reasonable pricing now.

Apartment rent is as high as it's ever been, and it's showing no signs of coming back down in the foreseeable future.