Topping the list of most expensive cities is Amsterdam – students eyeing a room in the Dutch capital should expect to shell out an average of 611 euros per month.
In 2017, the average rent for a room in the Netherlands was 385 euros per month (including utilities). This amount increased to 434 euros in the first half of 2019, according to a report published by Kamernet.nl, a housing intermediary that connects private individuals offering rooms for rent with potential tenants.
Rents are expected to rise a further 2.6 percent in the coming months, Kamernet.nl estimates, which means the average rent at the end of 2019 will be about 445 euros.
Fewer square metres
At the same time, rooms are shrinking. The average living area has shrunk from 17.9 square metres in 2017 to 17.1 square metres in the first half of 2019. As a result, students now pay 25.40 euros per square metre compared to 21.50 in 2017.
Following Amsterdam (611 euros), on the list of most expensive students cities are Rotterdam (515 euros), Haarlem (488 euros) and Utrecht 474 euros). For comparison: in Enschede, one of the cheapest student cities, the average room costs 329 euros per month.
Internationals
Demand from international students also continues to increase. The share of non-Dutch room seekers on Kamernet.nl has grown from 15 percent in 2017 to almost 25 percent in the first half of 2019.
According to the website, international students often beat out their Dutch peers: ‘International students often have a different perception of distance. They don’t mind travelling between 30 and 60 minutes to get to class – commuting times which would deter many Dutch students. This increases their search area and hence their chance of success.’ Dutch students prefer to live closer to the city centre, where rents are higher.
