What’s Available

If you're considering renting in the Netherlands, but want to rent a place which is below the average rent cost, there are some points to consider:

• Minimum prices for one-bedroom apartment in Amsterdam have recently increased to €1800-2000(excl. utilities). Utrecht is around €1600-1800, and rent in The Hague and Rotterdam typically costs €1400-1600.

Properties priced lower are either

1. in very poor conditions
2. are from housing corporations, that don’t accept expats. They often come without flooring, and to apply, you'll need a BSN, DigiD and 3 months of payslips from a Dutch employer.
3. are social housing(reserved for low income groups of people, seniors etc)

So what are the alternatives?

If your annual income is less than €60k in Amsterdam or less than €50k in Rotterdam/ Hague, your best options are Facebook groups or direct-from-owner property listing websites. These platforms allow you to rent directly from the landlord without a middleman. Landlords here are more flexible, and properties are more affordable. However, be aware of potential scams.

Most popular places for finding rooms or for properties directly from owners:

• Kamernet - paid access, mostly rooms but also some properties
• DirectWonen - free access, properties directly from owners
• Amsterdam Apartments 4 Rent - free, mostly rooms
• Room.nl
• HospiHousing - Rooms for students

Renting a Room

If you're looking to rent a comfortable place in a nice area and save significantly, rooms are your best option. You can either team up with a friend or colleague and search together or find vacant rooms online and move in.

Searching with a friend can be much more challenging for two reasons:

• There are significantly more rooms available than whole properties where sharing is allowed. It's quite rare for all renters to move out at the same time. Usually, one person is moving out, and they're looking for a replacement. But obviously in this case you have zero choice about who to live with. Your roommate will be a complete stranger and if they have bad hygiene or make noises during the night, you will have no way of protecting yourself from this.
• Prices will be higher in newer contracts, unlike older ones that have been continuously occupied for a couple of years already, with only roommates changing.