In the last few weeks, many of you have asked us the same question. What is the monthly cost of living in the Netherlands? We know guys this is one of the major concerns for everyone coming here and it is present because you are unaware of the cost of various goods and services. In this post, we will try to cover a broad category of expenses you can expect when you start living in the Netherlands.
We hope that your spirits are not dampened by the recent pandemic and you are still looking forward to coming here soon. Today we will help you get an idea of what your monthly expenditure will look like. Now before you take out your pencils and notepads to note down all the costs that we will be mentioning, hold on for a moment. We have already made a budget for you. You can download our printable budget that is completely editable. Thus, you can customize it as per your needs. Click on the following image to get your own planner:
To simplify things, we have made a two-part blog post. In this first part, we will talk about all the mandatory costs that you have to bear when you are living in the Netherlands. So here will talk about your rent, daily commute costs and so much more. We will post the second part of this blog in the upcoming week. So without any further ado, let's dive into the good stuff.
Rent
Monthly rent would be the most significant component of your expenses. Renting a room in the Netherlands can be pretty expensive. You can either opt for a shared apartment wherein you have a private bedroom but other facilities like washrooms and kitchens are shared by at least 4-6 other people or you can rent a private studio. A private studio will cost you anywhere between 500-1000euros. Shared accommodation will cost you at least 400 euros. Of course, if eligible, you can apply for a housing allowance which will bring down your overall rent.
Groceries
All your grain, veggies, fruits, etc. will fall into this category. One of the best ways to save money is to cook and eat at home. We know this sounds tedious, but it will save you a lot in the long term. The added benefit of cooking at home is that you get to eat healthily, and you learn one of the most valuable life skills. People living alone spend around 100-150 EUR/month on groceries. Of course, this depends on your meal preferences, but the cost which we mentioned is an average cost one can expect. Our advice here is to purchase groceries from the local farmers market or local shops. Because supermarkets like Jumbo, Alber Hijn are expensive. The quality of the goods is alike at both the places, but the cost difference is considerably big.
You can also connect with some local vendors(using Facebook groups). These vendors take bulk orders and then travel to your city to deliver their fresh produce. It is an amazing way to get hold of quality and cheap produce.
Self-care and cleaning items
Now, along with food, you need other items like soaps, creams, shampoos, and various cleaning items to keep yourself and your home clean. A good thing about this category is that the items here will last more than a month and hence you don't have to spend on them every week. If you spend roughly 50euros a month on these then you should be fine. What we do is, we shop from Kruidvat stores. They always have some kind of offers on every item. For example, you can buy two full-size body wash for the cost of one and so on. Kruidvat even has their own skincare line which has a very good quality and is pretty cheap when compared to other skincare items. So yeah, that's another tip. When you are purchasing anything from a huge brand like Jumbo, Albert Hijn, or Kruidvat, you can try their homemade products that are ridiculously cheap and you won't even have to compromise on their quality.
Salons and Parlors
If you are someone who cannot cut their own hair and don't want to experiment, which we completely understand, then you need to visit a salon once in a while. For men or women, the basic haircut price is approximately 20euros. For women, who of course need more services than just a haircut, please remember that visiting a parlor is very expensive. We have this link of various female services wherein you can check charges for getting your eyebrows done, facials, and much more. To save money, we would recommend you to invest in skills like hair cuts or buy devices like hair clippers and epilators.
Travel
Travel costs can significantly vary depending on where you live. In the Netherlands, it is pretty common to live in one city and travel to another city daily for your job or studies.
If you live in a city where your university is then traveling cost will not be much. Harshil took a bus every day to my college and the monthly cost was under 70 euros. You can even lower these costs if you purchase some discount offers. You could also consider buying a bicycle in this case. A reliable second-hand bicycle costs between 60-130 EUR, and a new cycle will start from around 200 EUR. Our advice here is to purchase a bike because it can prove to be a better investment in the long run. However, Dutch weather is not very friendly during the fall and winter seasons. It rains all the time and on top of it, there are chilly winds that hit you in the face when you go out.
If you live in a different city, then you will have to take a train to your school or office. There are several discount offers which you can purchase to lower the cost of your everyday train journey. But on average, the monthly costs will be at least 150 euros.
Taxes
When you are renting a place, you are entitled to pay several government taxes which include the water tax, garbage tax, etc. This can be at least 40 euros per month. Every year you will receive a bill from the municipality listing the amount of yearly tax that you have to pay. You can opt to pay this amount all at once or you can pay the tax every month. If you are from a low-income group then you can apply for a remittance, i.e., you can plead the government to exempt you from the taxpaying duties. We will be making a completely different video on how to apply for this remittance.
Insurance
We have been saying this again and again in our past posts, if you are in the Netherlands then purchasing insurance is absolutely necessary. We have made an entire YouTube video wherein we talk about student insurance, general Dutch insurance, basic coverage and so much. Please check that out if you want to know about it. The amount for your health insurance, just like taxes can be paid at once for one year or can be paid monthly. You can speak to your insurance provider for this. The monthly cost is approximately 45 euros.
Phone recharge
This is again a very small detail, very easy to miss but is an absolute necessity. We are solely speaking for internationals now who would like to talk to people in their native country through a normal phone call. A monthly recharge will cost you between 10-20 euros. We both use Lebara sim cards and for a recharge of 16.5 euros per month, you will get 2gb internet data, unlimited international and local calls, and messages.
Laundry
This is another one of those compulsory expenses that you have to bear every month. Usually, you will be doing your laundry every week or every 10 days. Usually, every building has a communal laundromat wherein you can use the washing machines and the dryers for your clothes. Using the washing machine costs around 4 euros per usage and dryer costs around 2 euros per usage. So, doing your laundry once can cost you 6 euros. So, if you do your laundry say 4 times a month, it will cost you approximately 25 euros.
These were the important expenses which you incur every month. Please use our editable budget planner to get help with your finances. Let us know if we missed any question or if you have any future blog requests. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel!