Amsterdam rent prices by property type
Ballpark figures for 2026 for a long-term rental in Amsterdam:
| Property type | Monthly rent (excluding utilities) |
|---|---|
| Room in a flat-share | €1,000 – 1,500 |
| Studio | €1,800 – 1,900 |
| 1-bedroom apartment | €2,100 – 2,300 |
| 2-bedroom apartment | €2,500 – 3,000 |
Prices vary strongly by district. For a two-bedroom flat of comparable size, expect €2,600–3,300 in the Jordaan, €2,500–2,800 in De Pijp, and around €2,500–2,700 in Amsterdam Noord or €2,500–2,800 in Oost. Your choice of neighbourhood is therefore your first budget lever: see our guide to Amsterdam's neighbourhoods to compare sixteen neighbourhoods and towns.
Utilities: the line everyone forgets
On top of the rent come the utilities: gas, electricity, water, internet and municipal taxes. Expect €250 to €400/month depending on the size of the home and your consumption. For the rest of the monthly budget — groceries, transport, going out — see our cost of living in Amsterdam.
Watch the wording of listings:
- inclusief = utilities included;
- exclusief = excluding utilities (add the amount above).
A "cheap" exclusief listing can end up costing more than an inclusief one: always compare with utilities included.
The local taxes a tenant pays
This is the blind spot of nearly every relocation budget: in the Netherlands some local taxes are owed by the occupant, not the owner. They arrive by post a few months after you move in, and they surprise people.
- Waste collection (afvalstoffenheffing): in Amsterdam, from roughly €350 a year, more depending on how many people are registered at the address on 1 January.
- Water authority charges (waterschapsbelasting): for a tenant, the resident share plus the treatment levy come to roughly €240 a year for a single person and €450 or more for a household.
- Drinking water (Waternet), metered: budget €15-25 a month for a household.
That is €50-75 a month appearing nowhere in the listing. Some of these can be folded into the servicekosten of a furnished home: check the breakdown, line by line, before signing. Property tax (OZB) does stay with the owner.
The deposit and first month
At signing, plan for some starting cash:
- deposit: 1 to 2 months' rent;
- sometimes the first month in advance.
For a rent of €2,100, that means €4,200 to €6,300 to pay at once. Be wary, though, of any "extra" such as key money or contract fees: never pay this kind of sum.
The income required by landlords
This is the point that blocks the most files. Dutch landlords often ask for an income equal to around 3 to 4 times the rent, depending on the landlord.
| Monthly rent | Household income often required |
|---|---|
| €1,800 | ~€5,400 – 7,200 |
| €2,100 | ~€6,300 – 8,400 |
| €2,500 | ~€7,500 – 10,000 |
If you don't reach that threshold, there are two solutions: a guarantor (garantsteller) with sufficient income, or a larger deposit negotiated. The detail of the documents to provide is in our BSN, inschrijving and income guide.
Example of a full budget (1-bedroom apartment)
- Rent: €2,100
- Utilities: €320
- Real monthly cost: ~€2,420
- Starting cash (2 months' deposit + 1st month): ~€6,300
- Household income to prove: ~€6,300 – 8,400
The hidden costs of renting in Amsterdam
None of these shows up in the advertised rent, yet all of them end up on your bank statement. Beyond rent and utilities, budget for:
- home contents insurance (inboedelverzekering) and personal liability cover (aansprakelijkheidsverzekering): €10 to €25/month for both, and effectively indispensable;
- the tenant's local taxes (waste, water authority, drinking water): see the dedicated section above, €50-75 a month in practice;
- agency fees, if you hire an agency to search for you: around 1.5 times the monthly rent;
- furnishing: many Dutch rentals are kaal (bare, sometimes without flooring or light fittings) or gestoffeerd (semi-furnished). A "bare" home can require several thousand euros of equipment, our article on furnished and unfurnished leases breaks down the three levels;
- energy in winter: in a poorly insulated older building (label E to G), the gas bill can climb steeply from November to March. The energy label on the listing is not decorative detail;
- any sum demanded "to secure the home" (key money, contract fees): not a hidden cost but a warning sign, so don't pay it.
The first-year budget, line by line
Take a couple renting a one-bedroom flat at €2,100 a month in the free sector.
At signature (one-off):
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| First month's rent | €2,100 |
| Deposit (2 months) | €4,200 |
| Agency fees (~1.5 × rent) | ~€3,150 |
| Furnishing a gestoffeerd home | €2,000 – 6,000 |
| Upfront total | €11,500 – 15,500 |
Every month after that:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Rent | €2,100 |
| Energy, water, internet | €250 – 400 |
| Tenant's local taxes | €50 – 75 |
| Insurance (contents + liability) | €10 – 25 |
| Health insurance (per adult) | €142 – 185 |
| Real monthly cost, two adults | ≈ €2,700 – 3,050 |
Our budget calculator runs this calculation for a specific home. Rent therefore accounts for only about 75% of the real cost of housing. That gap is what breaks budgets built on rent alone, and the reason an income of three to four times the rent is not an arbitrary demand.
How to cut the bill
- Flat-sharing: the most economical route, especially at the start (see our guide to flat-sharing in Amsterdam).
- Widen to neighbouring towns: Amstelveen, Haarlem, Diemen and Zaandam offer more space for less.
- Aim for up-and-coming districts: Amsterdam Noord remains more affordable than south of the IJ.
Want to anchor your search to your real budget? Let's talk about your move: together we'll work out your housing budget and target the homes you can genuinely afford.
In summary
In Amsterdam in 2026, the real cost of a home = rent + €250–400 in utilities, a deposit of 1 to 2 months, and an income to prove of around 3 to 4× the rent. Getting this budget right before you search means avoiding disappointment and aiming straight from the first listing.
Official sources
- City of Amsterdam: municipal taxes, including the waste levy payable by the occupant.
- Waterschap Amstel, Gooi en Vecht: water authority charges.
