Amsterdam is a thriving city, full of career and education opportunities. If you're looking to move to Amsterdam, you are probably wondering how long it takes to find an apartment to live in. We'll point you in the right direction!
But before you pack up your belongings and head over to the Netherlands, it's important that you understand the housing market in Amsterdam. It's notoriously competitive—especially for short stay tenants—and recent legal changes have made it even more difficult to find an affordable place to live.
In this post, we'll go over what those changes are and how they affect your ability to find an apartment in Amsterdam.
Even Tougher than Before
If you're thinking of moving to Amsterdam, you've probably heard that it's a pricey city to live in. But did you know that the housing market is even more competitive than it used to be? Recent legal changes have made it even more difficult to find a place to live in Amsterdam, even if you're only planning on staying for a short time.
Amsterdam has always been notorious for being a very difficult city to find a place to live in. Recent legal changes force landlords to register any and all rooms, apartments and what not they rent out, and permits are required for short term and group stay apartments.
This has made an already tense housing market even tighter.
Few Months to Half a Year
On average, you should expect your apartment search to take anywhere between 2 and 6 months. This is the average time it takes residents to find a long stay apartment or room in Amsterdam.
You will be able to find apartments you can live in for a few months while you search for something more permanent however.
If you're looking for a room, Kamernet is a great place to start. If you're looking for a full blown apartment, we usually point people to Funda and Pararius.
These are all reputable websites that work with established, trustworthy agents. Don't let yourself be fooled by con-artists and scammers – they are plenty now that the market is tight!
Automate Your Search
Finding a place to live for months can be a very frustrating and daunting task. That's why we created RoofHunt to do the searching for you.
Instead of having to browse hundreds of listings every day, you simply tell RoofHunt what you're looking for, and we'll search all reliable websites for you.
Every day, we send you one email with a dozen listings that match your preferences, and you're free to browse the latest on offer in the app.
We offer this service absolutely for free. Because finding a place to live shouldn't suck this much.
On average, you should expect your apartment search to take anywhere between 2 and 6 months. This is the average time it takes residents to find a long stay apartment or room in Amsterdam. You will be able to find apartments you can live in for a few months while you search for something more permanent however.
The Amsterdam rental market is known as a “fast market”. The shortage of available housing and great demand for these properties means that apartments are on the market for only a few days before they're successfully rented. This means that potential renters need to act quickly if interested in a property.
Moving in. After approval, moving into an apartment could happen as quickly as a week, especially if it's already vacant and ready for a new tenant. However, if you're juggling multiple factors related to your current lease or coordinating an out-of-state move, this timeline might extend to a month.
If you are searching for a rental Amsterdam, then use the Pararius website, which offers the largest range of apartments for rent Amsterdam. Your search will be quick and easy.
Despite starting construction on over 5,000 homes in 2023, Amsterdam fell short of its ambitious goal of 7,500 new units, highlighting ongoing challenges in addressing the city's chronic housing shortage.
For example, a fully equipped 1 bedroom apartment in Amsterdam's city center will set you back a minimum price of €2,500. Head a little further out of the city in its suburbs and you're looking at a monthly rental price of around €1,600 instead.
It's easy for newcomers and expats to settle in, given the city's cosmopolitan spirit, rich cultural life and large international community – combined with a compact size to make getting around a breeze. Many consider Amsterdam one of the best places to live in the Netherlands.
passport or valid photo ID. proof of earnings, such as Dutch bank statements or employment contract (sometimes the landlord may ask your employer to provide a reference) you may also be asked for your citizen service number (BSN)
Key Takeaways. Approval Time Varies: Typically, apartment application approval can take from 24 hours to a few days, but complex cases may extend up to a week or more.
Generally, you'll find more apartment inventory during the summer, especially from May to September. As mentioned, more people move during these months, so there's higher turnover and more available listings to consider.
For most apartment moves, however, a typical timeline ranges from 2 to 4 weeks. This is when all the necessary steps happen, like application review, background checks, and lease signing. You'll also have to take into account the responsiveness of the landlord, apartment availability, and the volume of applications.
The best way to find housing in the Netherlands is to go through the most recognized rental websites: Funda and Pararius. On these platforms, real estate agencies have to pay to be able to advertise to home seekers. This system is made to discourage fake advertisem*nts and ensure a qualitative selection of apartments.
If you really need a number in mind for an 'average' rent in Amsterdam, you should assume you will need to budget €2000 to €3000 for renting a 2-3 bedroom apartment in a reasonably central location (within the A10 ring road). It might be less, or more, depending on location and condition.
How long does an application take for an apartment? Typically, the apartment application approval process should take between 24 and 72 hours. But, if you're dealing with any of the above delays in processing, the time to process rental applications could stretch longer.
If you need to look for accommodation yourself, our most important advice is: start as soon as possible. In many cities there is a shortage of student accommodation. Check at the institution the housing situation of your city.
Here's an indication of the average monthly rent in Amsterdam based on the HousingAnywhere Rent Index. Studio (best for singles, couples, or new graduates): €1,529. Apartment (best for couples or families): €2,100.
For most apartment moves, however, a typical timeline ranges from 2 to 4 weeks. This is when all the necessary steps happen, like application review, background checks, and lease signing. You'll also have to take into account the responsiveness of the landlord, apartment availability, and the volume of applications.
Introduction: My name is Dean Jakubowski Ret, I am a enthusiastic, friendly, homely, handsome, zealous, brainy, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
