BLOG: 08 May, 2022
Living in Amsterdam [2022]: The Ultimate Guide to Living in the Capital
![Living in Amsterdam [2022]: The Ultimate Guide to Living in the Capital - Stekkies](https://www.iamsterdam.com/media/locations-ndtrc/museums/nemo-energetica-uitzichtspunt_digidaan.jpg?w=977)
BLOG: 08 May, 2022
Working and living in Amsterdam is something extraordinary. Every year, up to a million tourists visit the biggest city in the Netherlands to admire the beautiful canals and the world-famous museums. But it isn’t until you’re living there, that you truly get to know the city.
Enjoy a concert at the Vondelbunker, pretend to be in the jungle in the Hortus Botanicus, or discover the best vegan dishes at the Noorderlicht Café. These and many more hidden gems are waiting for you! What do you think? Are you ready to become an inhabitant?
Of course, you’d like to know how much you need to rent an apartment in Amsterdam.
As you probably could’ve guessed, Amsterdam is far from cheap. In fact, it’s one of the most expensive places to rent a flat in the Netherlands. Since everybody wants to live in Amsterdam, there’s also a shortage of homes which only causes the prices to increase.
The price of a rental flat depends on the neighbourhood you want to live in. The most wanted districts and neighbourhoods have rental prices that will reflect their popularity. In Oud-West and De Pijp, you’ll be paying around €30/m². If you don’t necessarily need to live in the current hotspots, you’ll get more worth for your money in vicinities that are still up and coming. The cheapest neighbourhoods in Amsterdam at this moment are Ijburg and Oostelijk Havengebied. The average rental prices over there are about €18/m².
Oh great! You want to move to Amsterdam! But Amsterdam is a large city, a metropolis even. So, how do you choose the best place to live in Amsterdam?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! We’ve listed the best areas to live in Amsterdam below and gave each one a small description with the major sights, parks, and some information on the accessibility. This way, you’ll be able to discover which neighbourhoods are the best choice for you.
Furthermore, we’ll hand you some intel on the current rental prices – because your budget will most likely be a decisive factor in the process of picking the best area to live in Amsterdam. Evidently, other factors play a big part too like the location of your work or the school of your kids.
The centre of Amsterdam is the most well-known and touristic part of the city. You’d expect it to be the most expensive part of Amsterdam as well, but that’s not the case at all.
Central Amsterdam comes with a plethora of sights and activities – getting bored is not an option here! Discover interesting museums, enjoy riding your bike along the canals, wander through the 9-straatjes, grab a drink at one of the authentic cafes in the Jordaan and admire a gorgeous sunset from the Amstel.
The average rental price has dropped in the last couple of years from €27 to €23 per square meter, making it an excellent time if you’re looking for an apartment in Amsterdam Centrum. A studio will cost you about €1145 a month, while a 2-bedroom apartment is about €1580.
Would you like to discover the best places to live in Amsterdam Centrum? Subscribe to Stekkies and find your new home!
Living in Amsterdam Noord is a big hit at the moment. This district on the other side of the Ij is so popular that thousands of new homes will be constructed in the next couple of years. The industrial character of the district can be seen in the NDSM wharf – the former shipyard that was transformed into a trendy and creative urban spot that, at times, reminds of Eastern Berlin. But other neighbourhoods like the Vogelbuurt and the Van Der Pekstraat are in full development too.
Thanks to the construction of metro line #52, the so-called North-South line, in 2018, you can get from Amsterdam Noord to the centre of the city in a couple of minutes – this, of course, is another benefit of living in the northern part of Amsterdam.
A trending neighbourhood usually means you’ll need a higher budget, but that’s not (yet) the case with Amsterdam Noord. Average rental prices are €20/m² which means you can rent a studio for about €1000 a month or a 2-bedroom-apartment for €1300-1400 per month.
If you’re now thinking “Yes, please, I’d love to live in Amsterdam Noord”, subscribe to the Stekkies platform and get your new apartment straight into your mailbox!
According to the municipality of Amsterdam, the former working-class district Oud-West is now a trendy neighbourhood that houses the ‘happiest people of Amsterdam’. That’s quite the motivator to move down there, right?
As Amsterdam Oud-West shares a direct border with the centre of the city, this neighbourhood is ideal for commuters going that way. But there are plenty more reasons to choose this side of the capital. For starters, you can find it tucked in between the Westerpark, the Vondelpark, and the Rembrandtpark, so you’ll never miss out on a nice green spot when you’re craving some nature. Other than that, you’ll also find plenty of hip restaurants and cute bars around as well as the Foodhallen, which is a great place for an evening out.
The prices of living in Amsterdam Oud-West are on the higher side with an average of €30/m². This means a studio will cost you about €1250 a month while a 2-bedroom apartment will set you back €1600 a month.
Would you like to rent a place in Amsterdam Oud-West? Find your new home by subscribing to Stekkies!
Amsterdam Nieuw-West officially only exists since 2010 and was created by merging the former neighbourhoods Geuzenveld-Slotermeer, Slotervaart, Osdorp, and Westpoort. It was developed to create a larger and cheaper housing offer in an expanding Amsterdam. It’s one of the cheapest places to live in Amsterdam, so this district is an excellent choice if you’re looking for the cheapest apartments in Amsterdam!
The neighbourhood didn’t have a very good reputation a couple of years ago, but it’s a lovely place to live in nowadays. Due to the cheaper prices, you’ll mostly find young tenants in this green district.
You’ll find everything you need within Amsterstam Nieuw-West: parks for resting time and shopping centres for your daily shopping. Foodies can go crazy at the Westmarket, a trendy market hall with plenty of flavours and styles.
Prices for living in Amsterdam Nieuw-West average around €20/m². A studio will cost you about €1060 a month, while a 2-bedroom-apartment will set you back about €1350.
Are you looking for a great new place in Amsterdam Nieuw-West? Subscribe to Stekkies and let them do the biggest part of the job!
Amsterdam Bos en Lommer – BOLO in short – is a multicultural neighbourhood that originated in the Thirties. It’s a lively place and a very popular spot to live. You’ll encounter an awesome mix between hipster cafes, Moroccan restaurants and Turkish bakeries.
Higher buildings are only found in the vicinity of Bos en Lommerplein, the rest of the neighbourhood features only low and middle high buildings with a maximum of four floors. This adds to the charming atmosphere of authentic BOLO.
Erasmuspark, which you can find at the edge of BOLO, is a wonderful green lung in the city. It’s also the only place where you’re legally allowed to barbecue! A great idea for a sunny day!
In Amsterdam Bos en Lommer, you pay roughly €27 per square meter. For a studio, this ends up being about €1115 a month while it’s about €1480 for a 2-bedroom-apartment.
Would you like Stekkies to find you a great place to live in Amsterdam Bos en Lommer? Subscribe to their BOLO page!
De Baarsjes is one of the best places to live in Amsterdam at the moment. The majority of the inhabitants are twenty and thirty-somethings who enjoy the trendy bars, restaurants, and the Marktkantine, one of the biggest event locations in the capital.
De neighbourhood has its specific character. You can still find the authentic tiny houses, but many renovating and building projects took place in the last decennium which gives it a modern feeling as well.
De Baarsjes is located centrally between Erasmuspark, Vondelpark and Rembrandtpark, so there’s no shortage of greenery and calmth! You can also find famous hotspots such as Mercatorplein, Hoofdweg and Postjesweg in this neighbourhood.
Accessibility is easy with well-developed public transport and by taking Hoofdweg you’re onto the Ring and out of the city in a jiffy.
The average rental price in Amsterdam De Baarsjes is €27 per square meter. For a studio, you’ll pay roughly €1250 a month, and for a 2-bedroom-apartment that would be €1525.
If you can’t wait to move into your new apartment in Amsterdam De Baarsjes, head over to Stekkies and subscribe to their service!
The trendy neighbourhood Houthavens (cfr. wood harbour) is located in the former harbour area. It’s an up-and-coming area that hasn’t even been discovered entirely by the locals themselves.
Originally, this particular dock was meant for the transport and storage of wood and later evolved into an industrial area. But the recent project ‘The New Houthaven’ has changed all that! Now, gorgeous industrial offices and luxurious apartments can be found on the green islands.
Houthavens will become a durable and climate-neutral neighbourhood with little space for cars – some islands will even be entirely carfree. Public transport (with Amsterdam Central Station mere minutes away!) is the way to go here.
The rental prices for an apartment in Amsterdam Houthavens are around €27/m². For a studio, you’ll pay about €1260 a month while a 2-bedroom-apartment will be €1600.
Would you like to live in an environmentally friendly neighbourhood? Amsterdam Houthavens is a great choice! Let Stekkies help you find you new place in Houthavens.
Are you looking for a lively, bustling, and creative neighbourhood? Then living in De Pijp Amsterdam is the perfect choice for you!
The local flair has always been attractive for the artistic locals, but neither students nor young families can resist the lure. From calm parks and lively, authentic markets to trendy bars and world-class restaurants; there is something for everyone!
With metro line #52 – the so-called North-South line, you can reach the extremities of the capital within ten minutes.
In Amsterdam De Pijp the rental prices are the most expensive in the city with an average of €30/m². For a studio, you’ll pay around €1360 a month, and for a 2-bedroom-apartment that can go up to about €1700 a month.
Finding a home in this popular neighbourhood might seem difficult, but Stekkies will help you find a great apartment in Amsterdam De Pijp in no time!
Thanks to a large amount of new rental homes, Amsterdam Hoofddorppleinbuurt outgrew its working-class district status and became hugely popular in a couple of years. And it’s not hard to know why!
A wide range of green spots, trendy coffee bars, and a top-notch connection with the centre makes living in Amsterdam Hoofddorppleinbuurt a favourite for both students and families.
De neighbourhood has an excellent location with the Ring that’s just around the corner – useful for people working both in and outside the city – and an extensive tram and metro network.
A popular neighbourhood often comes with higher prices and unfortunately, that’s also the case in Hoofddorppleinbuurt. The average rental price per square meter is €27 to €28. That way, you’ll be paying about €1230 for a studio and €1600 for a 2-bedroom-apartment.
If you can’t wait to find a new apartment in Hoofddorppleinbuurt Amsterdam, subscribe to Stekkies and get every new home directly into your mailbox!
Would you like to move to Amsterdam Oud-Zuid? Well, we completely understand why! The wide lanes with stately buildings make it easy to understand why this area is called one of the fanciest ones in the capital. You can also find many of Amsterdam’s famous sights such as the Concert Building, Vondel Park, Van Gogh Museum, and the P.C. Hooft street.
Despite the many cultural highlights, the atmosphere is always cosy and you’ll feel far away from the overwhelming amount of tourists that visit the capital daily.
Ready for a night out? Make your reservation in one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city.
It won’t surprise you that living in Amsterdam Oud-Zuid will come with a price tag. The average rental price is €26/m². For a studio, you’ll pay roughly €1170 a month, while a 2-bedroom-apartment will set you back about €1700.
Are you ready to discover your new apartment in Amsterdam Oud-Zuid? Subscribe to Stekkies and let them find you your new home!
Rivierenbuurt is one of the larger areas in southern Amsterdam. It’s located directly at the river Amstel and it offers a combination of a calm residential area while still living in a metropolis.
The neighbourhood was constructed during the Twenties and Thirties for the middle working class. You’ll find many wide lanes and architecture in the style of the Amsterdam School. The water is always close by as is Beatrix Park, which makes Rivierenbuurt a charming and lively neighbourhood to live in, in Amsterdam.
Thanks to the North-South metro line, public transport will get you easily around the city, but the highway (De Ring) is close by as well.
Living in Amsterdam Rivierenbuurt will cost you an average of €26 per square meter. You’ll pay about €1220 a month for a studio and €1615 for a 2-bedroom-apartment.
Would you like Stekkies to send you all the new homes in Rivierenbuurt straight into your mailbox? Subscribe to their ‘find a home in Amsterdam Rivierenbuurt’ page!
While Zuidas in Amsterdam was originally a working district – in fact, it’s the business heart of the city – it’s no longer considered weird to want to live in this neighbourhood too. The high residential towers give Zuidas an international feeling.
Luckily, you don’t need to move far away for your daily needs. Supermarkets, restaurants, and hotels are popping up like mushrooms in a forest!
Accessibility won’t be a problem either. You can drive straight onto the highway (the A10 will be made underground!), Schiphol is only 10 minutes away, and with the tram, you can get to any corner of the city in no time.
Would you like to live in Amsterdam Zuidas? Great choice! Subscribe to Stekkies and find your new home!
Buitenveldert has always been a very popular location to live. Thanks to the wide variety of homes, many different inhabitants are attracted: from people with a smaller to a large budget.
Since it’s located on the edge of Zuidas, Buitenveldert is particularly loved by families and expats. However, thanks to the close proximity of the VUA, it’s also a favourite student district. You can find one of the largest shopping centres of Amsterdam in Buitenveldert, while the forest Amsterdams Bos is close by as well. It will be hard to find a more ideal location than this!
Thanks to the North-South metro line, going to and getting back from the centre is very easy. But all highways are close by too.
The average rental price in Amsterdam Buitenveldert is around €23 per square meter. You’ll pay roughly €1160 a month for a studio and €1570 for a 2-bedroom-apartment.
If you’d like to move to Amsterdam Buitenveldert, subscribe to Stekkies and get help in finding your new home!
Amsterdam Oost is a loved district amongst locals and includes amongst others the new neighbourhoods Ijburg, the Zeeburg islands, Watergraafsmeer and Amsteldorp.
You’ll find busy shopping streets, many parks, and lots of cultural highlights in Amsterdam Oost. There’s been a rise in bars and restaurants in the last couple of years which has created a lovely mix with the traditional eastern restaurants that were there already. The second most popular market in Amsterdam, the Dappermarkt, attracts plenty of visitors every Sunday.
Despite rental prices being on the rise, it’s still possible to find relatively cheap apartments in this district. The variety in the housing offer makes Amsterdam Oost an appealing and popular spot to live in Amsterdam.
The average rental prices in Amsterdam Oost are €27/m². A studio will set you back about €1200 a month, while a 2-bedroom-apartment will cost you about €1560.
If you can’t wait to move to Amsterdam Oost, subscribe to Stekkies and find your new home soon!
Watergraafsmeer was the part of Amsterdam where the rich inhabitants of Amsterdam built their mansions. The most well-known estate is Frankendael, which unfortunately is the only example left today. Other than that, the neighbourhood is also known as the birthplace of the legendary soccer player Johan Cruijff.
From the Twenties on, Watergraafsmeer became a lively working-class district and that’s still the best way to describe it. It’s probably the area where you’ll find the most affordable homes in the entire capital. On top of that, it’s a very green area with many allotments.
This diversity turned Watergraafsmeer into a popular neighbourhood. There is something for everybody!
During the last year (2021), the average rental prices in Watergraafsmeer fluctuated from €19 to €24 per square meter. Usually, you’ll end up paying about €1450 for a studio and €1480 for a 2-bedroom-apartment.
If you’re looking for an apartment in Amsterdam Watergraafsmeer, subscribe to Stekkies and let them find your new home for you!
Oostelijk Havengebied might seem like a new neighbourhood thanks to the many new buildings, but it has quite a rich history. The former navy terrain was transformed into a trendy area with bars, local breweries, and the new Muziekgebouw close to ‘t Ij, where you can enjoy plenty of classical concerts.
The neighbourhood has a more international feeling than the rest of the city and reminds of the East Docklands in London at times. You’ll typically find a high-rise that is geared towards inhabitants with a higher budget.
Location-wise, Oostelijk Havengebied has a leg up on many other areas, since it’s situated directly next to Amsterdam Central Station (hello, public transport!) and right on the waterfront. Access roads are also close-by, although finding a parking spot might sometimes be a problem.
Prices in Oostelijk Havengebied, Amsterdam are on the low side with an average of €18/m². You’ll pay about €1300 for a studio and €1400 for a 2-bedroom-apartment.
Are you totally into living in Amsterdam Oostelijk Havengebied? Excellent! Stekkies will find a new home for you!
Zeeburg, a neighbourhood in the eastern edge of the city, is exploding both in surface and in population. One construction project after another arises. The popular neighbourhood Ijburg is also a part of this area.
With its location on the waterfront and with the historical centre nearby, it won’t come as a surprise that Amsterdam Zeeburg is a great place to live in.
The fact that Zeeburg is still a neighbourhood emerging to be the next hotspot, is pretty clear when you look at the rental prices. With an average of €22/m², this is one of the more affordable places to rent an apartment in Amsterdam.
You can even find a studio for less than €900! For a two-bedroom apartment, you are looking at a cost of approximately €1350 per month.
Are you really excited about finding a rental in Amsterdam Zeeburg? Sign up quickly on Stekkies!
We have to admit, Ijburg, is located a bit further away from the city centre, but we can assure you that you won’t regret this fun part of Amsterdam.
This eastern part of Amsterdam is the youngest and is one of the six islands that were created to meet the increasing growth of the capital.
It was only in 2002 that the first resident moved to this part of the city. But don’t worry, at the moment there are 21000 people living here, so you won’t feel alone.
The luxurious – and often floating!- houses are beautifully located close to the water. Perfect to enjoy everything Ijburg has to offer. And if this wasn’t enough, on Centrumeiland you can find the city’s beach, the biggest one in Amsterdam. Do you like watersports? Or do you prefer to chill in a beach club? Ijburg has it all to your liking! If you have enough of the water or are looking for some shade on a hot day, we recommend the Theo Van Gogh – park or the Diemerpark.
Because of its little bit more remote location, the prices are more affordable when you compare them to other neighbourhoods. The average rental price per m² is €17. If you want to rent a studio your rent per month would be around € 1030, while a two-bedroom apartment will cost you €1250.
If you like living near the Ij, Amsterdam, then find your new rental apartment in Amsterdam Ijburg here.
Southeast Amsterdam is the only part of the city that is not directly connected to the other parts and is therefore not ‘fixed’ to the capital. But that doesn’t mean you are located far away from everything, on the contrary: by bike or public transport you reach the city centre or the other neighbourhoods in no time.
What makes the Southeast so appealing is its multicultural character. If you like the melting pot of influences than this area is the place for you. If this hasn’t convinced you, maybe the fact that this is a very green neighbourhood will help you decide. The many different parks and the Gaasperplan (also known as ‘the little beach’) are lovely places for your kids to go out and play. That’s why this area is very popular with families, but also singles and the elderly are big fans of living in this part of Amsterdam!
In Amsterdam Southeast the rental prices are around €20/ m². If you want to rent a studio the rent will be roughly €1100 per month, and for a two-bedroom the price will be more like €1300 per month.
If you want to live in Amsterdam Zuidoost you came to the right place here at Stekkies. Find your new rental in Amsterdam Zuidoost here.
Amsterdam Westpoort is the largest business district in the country and forms the fourth largest harbour in Western Europe. It is an industrial area that borders the trendy Houthavens neighbourhood, and it is especially on that border that new building projects are up and coming.
The district is located at the banks of the North Sea Canal, that’s why many homes have a beautiful view of the water.
In the city's western part, you find the village of Ruigoord, a creative place where many artists live and work. Theater Amsterdam is located in the east, where you can enjoy cabaret and many concerts in this superb location near the water. And at last in the south, there is another hip event spot called The Box.
Average rental prices will be around €23 for this area. The rent per month for a studio will be €1015, and for a two-bedroom apartment around €1500.
Quickly subscribe so Stekkies can help you find the perfect rental here at Westpoort Amsterdam.
Finding a home in Amsterdam isn’t an easy task; there are different methods to approach it. You can either choose social housing, regulated medium-rent housing, rent a place in the private sector or either choose to buy a property.
A housing permit is a personal document that you need when you want to rent a social home. You need it for any home that costs less dan €763.70 per month or €1068.83, when you want to rent a regulated medium-rent home. There are income criteria for both types of housing.
If you rent through a housing cooperative, you do not have to arrange the permit yourself, they will do that for you. And if you buy a room or student residence, you don’t need a housing permit.
If you earn (as a single or as a family) less than €45.014 per year, you are eligible for social housing. To get on the list you need to register with Woningnet – they designate the homes between residents in Amsterdam (and in the other cities of the country as well). They charge a one-time cost of €50 and a repeated annual cost of €8 [dd. 12/03/2022].
If you are between 18 and 27 years old, you can use what they call a youth contract. This is a 5-year contract specifically intended for working or part-time studying youngsters without a family. The homes are divided like a lottery system or go to the person who has been registered the longest. With a youth contract, you can also remain registered on Woningnet, so that you can immediately move on to a new social rental home when your youth contract has ended.
You can also rent a home from a private individual. According to the law, they must calculate the maximum amount to which they can rent out the house via a points system.
When this amount is lower than €763.47, the house automatically becomes a social rental home.
You need a housing permit before you can move in, which means that your annual household income may not exceed €45014.
A regulated medium-rent home is also rented out by private individuals. This type of home has a basic rent (meaning: the amount you actually have to pay) of €1068.83 per month.
The landlord either decides to set the amount lower than that maximum or he must do so because of ground lease conditions, private agreement, or zoning plan.
To rent this type of home you need a housing permit, which you will receive when your family income isn't higher than € 64407 per year.
In the free sector, a private individual rents out a house. Based on the number of points, it is determined whether the house should be rented out as social housing or not. If this is not the case, the rent is liberalized; in other words, the landlord can decide for himself how much he rents out the property.
You can find these homes through different real estate agents. Because homes in Amsterdam are so popular, it is important to react quickly.
But you can hardly scour all the brokerage sites all day, right?
It is a lot easier when you register with Stekkies, then you will be the first one to receive a new home in your mailbox when it is placed online.
If you have sufficient funds, you can also choose to buy a home. You can find these through real estate agents or housing agencies. Or you can search within one of the many new construction projects in the city. The average sales price for apartments is €626 919 and for houses €1 076 707.
No matter how beautiful a social rental home is in theory, in practice, you often have to wait years for an apartment. Or maybe you earn just too much to qualify?
But that does not mean that you can just put €1300 or more on the table to rent an apartment. In that case, house sharing can be a solution.
Sharing houses or co-housing means that the common areas of the house are shared and that each resident has his or her own bedroom. There is also no question of subletting (the so-called landlady rental). Over the past decade, co-housing has become increasingly popular and has been a response to the very high rents in Amsterdam. In 2020, however, the regulations were changed, so that co-housing is no longer so obvious.
Good news, co-housing with two people, even if you don't belong to the same household, is always allowed! If you have a good friend with whom you would like to coop, then go and look for your new home together with Stekkies!
In order to be able to share a house with more than two people, the landlord needs a special conversion permit (which converts the house from dependent to independent).
In order to obtain this permit, a number of requirements must be met:
In practice, it can therefore be quite difficult to share an apartment in Amsterdam with three or more friends. Landlords will not be eager to carry out all this extra work when they can just as easily rent out the house to one household.
Studying in Amsterdam is the dream of many students.
The pleasant bustle of this metropolis is a nice addition to the interesting studies that you will be following. But of course, you are not the only student who wants to live in Amsterdam. Many Dutch and foreign students want to chase the same dream.
So how do you find a room in Amsterdam?
First of all, you need to know the different options:
To be able to rent a room or student residence, you must register on Studentenwoningweb. On that platform, you will find both independent and dependent homes.
Again, it is important to register as early as possible, because the system works with a waiting period. The person who has been registered the longest will be the first to be given the opportunity to view the property. There are also other priority rules, for example for first-year students who live far away.
A student residence works with a campus contract, which means that you must leave the residence at the latest 6 months after completing your studies. Do you want to continue living in Amsterdam after your studies? Then register as early as possible on Woningnet, so that the waiting time for a regular social rental home starts to run. If you are registered with Studentenwoningweb, you are not entitled to housing for young people from Woningnet.
When the main resident rents out part of the house to someone else, we call this lodging or landlady rental. Provided that the main resident occupies at least 50% of the house exclusively and he/she must have lived there for at least two years.
As a student resident, you have an average of about 12m² of private space within the rented accommodation.
Finally one last side note: always make sure you get a rental contract!
Do you want to work in Amsterdam as an expat? That sounds like an amazing adventure! But what are the things you should take into account?
Which neighbourhood you will live in, of course, primarily depends on your budget (or the budget of the company you work for).
In the first part of this article, you will find an overview of the districts in Amsterdam and why you should choose a certain area.
Of course, a lot will also depend on your work location, whether or not you have children (and whether they have to go to an international school) and your general interests (would you like a nice atmosphere and nightlife or do you need more peace and quiet? Or do you prefer a greener neighbourhood?)
When the company you work for assigns you to go work for them in Amsterdam, than this part is very easy. On the other hand, if you don’t have job yet, take a look at a job placement platform for expats. You can find it here, or here, for example.
In Amsterdam you can find just about every leisure activity you can think of. You will certainly discover a new hobby!
If you are looking for new friends, an expat club might be a good idea. Although Facebook is also a great place to make first contact with other expats in Amsterdam.
The Dutch like to ride a bicycle a lot. Get one the moment you arrive in town and you'll feel right at home in no time. Public transport is also well organized in Amsterdam. You can cross the city by bus, tram, or metro, and by train, you can easily reach every major destination in the Netherlands (or in neighbouring countries).
Co-housing in an apartment or house is popular in Amsterdam – especially among people in their twenties and thirties who do not have a family just yet.
By sharing the living spaces in combination with a private bedroom, it is possible to reduce costs, and renting an apartment in Amsterdam in the free sector suddenly becomes affordable. Stekkies can help you and your group of friends to an apartment that is suitable for living together.
Though there are also people who want to co-house or live together in a different way based on a certain conviction.
For example, you have Central Living in Amsterdam, where each family unit departs from an independent home (with kitchen and bathroom), with certain areas that are shared (often there is a pavilion, a laundry room, etc.).
In addition, Amsterdam also has a number of living communities, commuting projects and eco-neighbourhoods. More information can be found at Servicepunt Anders Wonen, Anders Leven.
An Almshouse is a collection of small houses that are built under one roof and are situated around a communal courtyard. Originally they were intended for single women, who were allowed to live there for free and where they received raw materials and healthcare.
Nowadays all 34 remaining Amsterdam courtyards are renovated and are considered special historical heritage. A part is managed by individuals, a part by the church, and another by housing cooperations.
It is possible to live in one of the 'Hofjes' in Amsterdam. Many of them are rented out as social housing, while others are meant for student rooms or are intended as rental accommodation for a specific audience (for example 55+).
Would you like to live in one of the little Almshouses in Amsterdam? It is not easy to get one, but the best idea is to follow them on social media. A message will be posted online when there is one available. If there is a vacancy, don’t wait too long to send in your application!
Congratulations you have found a home in the beautiful city of Amsterdam! What do you need to do next to be legally okay to live in your new home?
When you’ve found a place, it’s important to notify the municipality that you want to move. Otherwise, you risk getting fined.
When you move within Amsterdam itself or from another district to the capital, you can arrange your registration online or by post. You can do this 4 weeks in advance up until 5 days after the move.
If you come to temporarily live in Amsterdam from abroad and you stay less than 4 months, you can register with the municipality via a personal appointment (but this isn’t necessary). You will then receive a BSN number, which you need to be allowed to work in the Netherlands. Do you plan on staying longer than 4 months? You must personally register with the municipality in the Personal Record Database (BRP). Just make a personal appointment with the municipality, and they will arrange everything to fix your registration.
