Thinking of moving to Amsterdam for your studies? Picturing canal views and gezellig student life? Adorable. But the reality is far less romantic and far more expensive.
According to rental platform Kamernet, student rents across the Netherlands rose by an average of 6.2% last quarter, bringing the national average to €683 per month.
Spoiler alert, Amsterdam is way above this average. 😬
Amsterdam is still the queen of pain
According to Kamernet, the average rent for a student room in Amsterdam now sits at a painful €979 per month, up 3.2% from last year. 👑
It remains the undefeated champion of Dutch rent prices, towering over Utrecht with an average of €803 for a student room, and Haarlem at €770.
READ MORE | The cost of living in Amsterdam: all you need to know in 2025
But the rest of the Netherlands isn’t catching a break either. Here’s how much average student room rental prices increased across Dutch cities. 👇
| City | Average rent | Percentage increase |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Amsterdam | €979 | 3.2% |
| 2. Utrecht | €803 | 1.4 % |
| 3. Haarlem | €770 | 4.2% |
| 4. Rotterdam | €756 | 4.7% |
| 5. Den Haag | €753 | 4.1% |
| 6. Leiden | €638 | 18.4% |
| 7. Breda | €628 | 5.2% |
| 8. Eindhoven | €620 | 13.6% |
| 9. Den Bosch | €612 | 5.9% |
| 10. Nijnmejen | €599 | 11.3% |
| 11. Tilburg | €563 | -2.4% |
| 12. Groningen | €547 | 9.8% |
| 13. Zwolle | €536 | 0.0% |
| 14. Delft | €521 | 12.3% |
| 15. Maastricht | €511 | 3.4% |
| 16. Leeuwarden | €460 | 14.1% |
| 17. Ede | €450 | 8.4% |
| 18. Wageningen | €450 | 19.7% |
| 19. Enschede | €397 | 4.2% |
So, no, fleeing Amsterdam won’t necessarily save you unless you’re heading to Tilburg, the only city with a price drop.
Or who’s down to commute in Enschede? No clubs, but you’ll be able to afford an iced coffee. 😅
What’s driving these painful prices?
Jim Bijwaard, Kamernet’s Chief Operating Officer, points to one painfully simple reason: supply can’t keep up with demand.
“For many students, this means: little choice and higher costs,” Bijwaard explains.
Translation: too few rooms, too many students, and landlords acting like they’re not renting, but auctioning off square meters to the highest bidder. 💸
Whether braving the Amsterdam market or trying your luck in a smaller city, the crisis isn’t just real — it’s expensive, relentless, and very much still here.
Got a rent horror story, a secret housing tip, or just want to vent with fellow students? Drop it in the comments — let’s bond over our shared financial trauma. 💔
