Are you traveling or moving to the Netherlands and wondering how much money you will need for your trip to the Netherlands? What do things cost in the Netherlands? Europe isn’t the cheapest continent to travel in and when you’re on a tight budget, costs can spiral.
To help you plan your travel budget, here’s an idea of what things cost in the Netherlands. The costs below are the average costs I encounter during my life in the Netherlands. I’ve selected individual items to give a broad idea of overall costs so you can compare it with your home country. This should help you plan your Netherlands travel budget. Please be aware that costs may differ in other parts of the Netherlands. The currencies are € EUR and $USD. Conversion rate as at time of publication.
You should plan to spend around € 50-70 ($ 55-75) per day on your vacation in the Netherlands (accommodation, food, drinks, sightseeing, and transportation). If you're traveling as a family of three or four, the price per person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared.
Accommodation
There are hundreds of hotels and hostels within the Netherlands and they almost all come with a filling breakfast. Below you can find the average prices per accommodation type in the Netherlands:
- Dorm bed: € 20-40 / $ 25-45 per night
- Budget hotel double room: € 70-100 / $ 75-110 per night
- Regular hotel double room: € 100+ / $ 110+ per night
- AirBnB room: € 50 / $ 55 per night
- Campsite: € 25-40 / $ 30-45 per night
If you’re on a tight budget and want to spend as little as possible on accommodation in the Netherlands, these are my accommodation recommendations for keeping costs low:
Couchsurfing is a great way to save money on your accommodation in the Netherlands. It allows you to stay with a local for free, sleeping on their couch, and gaining a more authentic look into life in this country.
Housesitting is another option, which is more suitable for those of you who prefer a little more comfort in your life. Through a house sitting website (e.g. Trusted Housesitters), you’ll be able to apply to take care of somebody’s house for free while they’re away, usually looking after their pets, too.
Doing volunteer work could also be a way to save money on accommodation. An example is WWOOFing or volunteer work via Workaway. Both sites allow you to work for a local in exchange for accommodation and sometimes also food
Food
Food can be expensive in the Netherlands, but there are plenty of ways to cut costs while you travel around the Netherlands. Cooking is going to be more affordable than eating out. It’s a great way to keep on track with your budget. Also buying fruits and vegetables at the local market will help you save money.
While meal prices in the Netherlands can vary, the average cost of food in the Netherlands is €30 ($ 35) per person, per day. When dining out, an average meal in the Netherlands should cost around € 15-20 ($17-25) per person.
In general, you should expect to spend the following per person on each meal and type of food:
- Basic breakfast out for one: € 10 / $ 12
- Lunch like a sandwich/slice of pizza with a soft drink: € 8 / $ 10
- À la carte meal in a local restaurant: € 12-20 / $ 13-22
- A box of noodle with beef or chicken to go: € 7-9/ $ 8-10
- Fresh strawberries: € 2,50 / $ 3
- A dozen eggs: € 2,50 / $ 3
- 1 kilogram of tomatoes: € 2,50 / $ 3
- 1 kilogram of potatoes: € 1,60 / $ 2
- A pack of stroopwafels: € 3-4 / $ 4-5
- Steak: 300 gram € 18-20 / $ 20-23
- Soup: € 4-8 / $ 5-10
- Toasts: € 4,50-5,50 / $ 5-6
- Regular pizza: € 6-8 / $ 6.5
- Dinner at a fastfood place: € 10 / $ 12
- Dinner at a mid-range restaurant: € 20 / $ 22
- Dinner at a higher-end restaurant: € 40+ / $ 45+
Tip: can you imagine yourself traveling to the Netherlands and trying your first haring or licorice candies? How about some other Dutch foods that you must try in the Netherlands?
Drinks
Keep an eye on your drink consumption while travelling in the Netherlands. Alcohol can sometimes be pricey, especially in restaurants. If you want to save money on drinks in the Netherlands, try to substitute the sodas, juices, and alcohol for tap water. Tap water is safe to drink in the Netherlands, so you don’t need to worry about buying bottled water.
- A 1.5l bottle of water: € 0,90 / $ 1
- Litre of milk: € 0,75 / $ 0.80
- Cup of coffee in expat area: € 2,50-5 / $ 3-6
- Bottle of local beer (330mls): € 2,60-5/ $ 3-6
- Glass of house wine in a restaurant: € 4-6 / $ 5-7
Transportation
How much does it cost to fly to the Netherlands? Well, it depends on the dates. I recommend SkyScanner because they can find the best deals across all of the airlines. Also make sure to read our other article: how to save money on your airplane ticket.
Most tourist districts in the city centers contain everything that you’ll want to see, and it’s small enough to walk from one end to the other. If you don’t feel like walking, exploring the Dutch cities by bicycle is also a great option. Renting a bike for the day can cost as little as €7 and is much cheaper than car parking prices and public transportation. You only need (public) transportation when traveling to other cities throughout the Netherlands. Unless you love cycling all day…. One of the best ways to get around the Netherlands is by train. It’s comfortable, easy, and inexpensive.
- Bicycle rent per day: € 7 / $ 8
- Train from Amsterdam airport to Amsterdam city center: € 4 / $ 5
- Taxi from Amsterdam airport to Amsterdam city center: € 40-50 / $ 41-49
- One-hour canal cruise: € 15 / $ 16
- 3km taxi ride in Amsterdam: € 9 / $ 10
- 1-hour tram, bus, metro ride: € 3 / $ 4
- 24-hour tram/bus pass: € 7,50 / $ 8
- 48-hour tram/bus pass: € 13,00 / $ 14
- 72-hour tram/bus pass: € 18 / $ 19
Another option is to rent a car and drive through The Netherlands. I personally don’t advise driving in the Netherlands. Parking is hard to find and expensive in large cities like Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, and Utrecht. Also navigating the streets filled with bicycles, trams, and pedestrians can be stressful. Nevertheless, if you decide to hire a car, make sure it has a diesel engine to save some money. Fuel in motorway service stations is more expensive than in the towns and cities.
- 1 Liter of benzine: € 1,50-1,80 / $ 1,60 – 2 (diesel is cheaper)
Other costs
- Laundry service 8 kg: € 4 / $ 5
- Laundry service 18 kg: € 8 / $ 10
If you have any other financial tips or things that should be included in this list, please leave a comment in the comment section below.If you have any question, feel free to ask. Safe travels!
Author: Daphne
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