Cost of Living in Netherlands for International Students in 2024

Cost of Accommodation in Netherlands

When it comes to the cost of living in Netherlands, The Dutch capital ranks 44th in Mercer’s 2021 cost of living survey. The monthly expenses in the Netherlands depend on the city where you study, what is involved in the rent, and the pre-arrangements made by the university. The cost of accomodation in Netherlands in 2024 varies from €400-800/month.

Let’s discuss each accommodation facility in detail to live in the Netherlands.

· On Campus Accommodation

This type of accommodation is being provided by the university as the “hostel dormitory services” are usually included in the total tuition fees. The benefit of staying on campus is the closeness to the university buildings. It also ensures a safe environment for international students and benefits from accessing the library café and visiting other students and local citizens. Moreover, students living on campus can participate in various social activities, hang out in campus spaces, etc.

· Off- Campus Accommodation

Most international students in the Netherlands rent rooms in student houses, privately-owned houses intended to host 3 to 6 individuals. And the cost varies according to the type of accommodation chosen by the student. The rent in shared houses naturally runs between 300 and 450 EUR/month, reliant on three factors, location, size, and furnishing. It may even go up to 800 EUR or more in Amsterdam and lower in the smaller cities.

· University Housing

Many universities in the Netherlands don’t have campus accommodation facilities. Instead, they provide student housing through different housing organisations. Although, the price and facilities are more or less similar to privately owned ones. The benefit of this housing facility for international students is to meet other students and thus, quickly enlarge their social circle.

Dormitories	Included in Tuition fee (EUR)	Amount in INR
Private Owned Houses	€1,000/ month	₹90,000
Shared Apartments	€400 – €700/ month	₹36,000 – ₹63,000
Student Houses	€350 - €600/month	₹31,500 - ₹54,00

Suggested: Cheap Universities in Netherlands for International Students

Cost of  Transportation in the Netherlands

The country has a broad public transport system, including buses, metros trams, etc., that run throughout the city. On average, a student's travel cost would be around 88 EUR (INR 7,920) per month. It also varies depending upon the distance between your location and the university. Apart from it, you can rent a bike in town, as it is a cheap mode of transportation. In addition, there are student discounts that you can get while using these public transports by showing your student I-Card.

Estimated expenses for transportation in the Netherlands for international students are discussed below:

Factor	Average Cost	Amount in INR
Rented Bikes	€50 - 150	₹4,500 - ₹13,500
Train Ticket (Single Fare)	€4 - 5	₹360 to 450
Trams (Buses)	€3 - 13	₹270 - ₹1,170 per ticket
Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new	€26,544	₹23,89,902
1 litre (1/4 gallon) of gas	€1.74	₹156

Cost of Food & Drinks in the Netherlands

On-campus housing services usually offer food and meals consisting of the monthly charge. If you live in your own privately rented space, there will be an added expenditure of groceries and take-out meals. The costs differ by the city since some cities can be more luxurious to live in than others due to their standard of living and other facilities. Shopping and food will be considerably more costly in larger cities such as Rotterdam or Amsterdam than the smaller ones like Groningen or Eindhoven.

Take a look at some essential expenses in day-to-day life for international students in the Netherlands.

Items	Cost Price (EUR)	Amount in INR
Fast food combo meals, McDonalds	€8	₹720
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant	€10 - €30	₹900 - ₹2700
Apples (1Kg)	€2.46	₹221
Oranges (1 Kg)	€1.39	₹125
Milk (1 litre)	€0.99	₹89
Groceries (monthly)	€85/person	₹7,650
Pizza Joint	€10	₹900
Coffee	€3	₹270

Cost of Healthcare in the Netherlands

The healthcare system in the Netherlands is very high and funded by a required insurance scheme. Both EU and non-EU official residents need to take this mandatory Dutch health insurance. On average Dutch residents will recompense 125 EUR/ per month for their “base insurance,” including an annual deductible of 385 EUR. However, raising your yearly deductible to 885 EUR will cost your monthly health insurance in Netherlands costs between 85 to 91 EUR per month.

Treatment	Cost (EUR)	Amount in INR
Health Screening	€1,000 - €1,600	₹90,000 - ₹1,44,008
Average inpatient treatment	€500 - €1,200	₹45,000 - ₹1,08,000
Simple onsite treatment (bandaging, vaccination etc)	€40 - €80	₹3,600 - ₹7,200
Childbirth	€3,190	₹2,87,115

Important Note:

If you are working in the Netherlands during your studies, whether it is a paid internship, part-time job, or volunteer work for which you are salaried, you will be covered by the Wlz scheme, which means you will need to purchase Dutch health insurance.

Tips to Manage Cost of Living in Netherlands

Some simple tips can help international students manage their living expenses in the Netherlands. The following pointers are:

• Rent

An essential thing for international students is housing accommodation because it takes up the biggest part of their budget. While renting a private space, don’t forget to check whether the apartment is furnished or unfurnished and how much money you need to pay for additional utilities every month. Rent in the Netherlands averages 400-600 EUR/ per month in a shared apartment or a student housing building.

• Transportation

When travelling in the Netherlands, you can purchase a ticket for a few hours or a day. For example, a 1-hour ticket in Amsterdam costs 3.20 EUR, while a day ticket costs 8.50 EUR. However, the best way to save costs when travelling is to buy a public transport card. This will permit you to travel on all modes of public transport in the Netherlands. You can buy a modified or anonymous card for 7.50 EUR. The modified card will let you use additional products, such as public hire bikes at every Dutch station and discounts outside rush hour.

• Groceries

Apart from your rent, the most important factor is food & groceries that you need to pay monthly. To save the cost of groceries, you can go to farmer’s markets, discount supermarkets, and many others. And if you are not so fond of cooking, the best option is to grab a meal from the university cafeteria as they offer food that ranges between 5 - 8 EUR.

• Scholarships in Netherlands

Scholarships are available for international students from diverse backgrounds, considering their country of origin, financial situation, and academic qualifications. There are various scholarship programs in the Netherlands, which are offered by both Government and universities. The cost of living in the Netherlands for students can become easy if one obtains any scholarship to fund and support their studies and stay in Holland.

• Student ID Card

Your University ID card is an acceptable form of identification. You can avail many discounts by showing the ID card at museums, restaurants, etc. Aside from savings, searching for a part-time job or an internship will also support you in handling the cost of living in the Netherlands.

Suggested: Know about Education System in Netherlands for International Students

Cost of Living in Netherlands: A Comparison of Cities

It’s vital to consider these differences when choosing where to study & live in this beautiful country. The Netherlands is a small state, but it’s one of the most densely occupied globally. With that comes lots of diverse people and cities rich in culture. The following different cities in the Netherlands for international students are:

City	Average Cost of living (EUR)	Amount in INR
The Hague	€800 - €1,200 per month	₹72,000 - ₹1,08,000
Tilburg	€715 - €1,215 per month	₹64,353 - ₹1,09,356
Amsterdam	€1000 - €1,500 per month	₹90,000 - ₹1,35,000
Delft	€780 - €1,200 per month	₹65,300 - ₹1,08,000
Utrecht	€800 - €1,400 per month	₹70,200 - ₹1,26,000
Rotterdam	€760 - €1,250 per month	68,400 - 1,12,500

To manage the cost of living in the Netherlands for Indian students, one should calculate the expected expenses to spend and live in the Netherlands. And the type of lifestyle you want before moving into the country. So, for any further guidance on living & studying in the Netherlands as an international student, you can connect with our Yocket Counsellors and know all the required details for residing in the Netherlands.

Ques. What is the Netherlands living cost for an Indian?

Ans. Compared to India, the cost of living in the Netherlands is way different. Let’s take a look:

• Food in the Netherlands is 151% more exclusive than in India
• Transportation is 198% more expensive as compared to India
• Housing accommodation is 333% more luxurious than in India
• Entertainment in the Netherlands is 117% more costly than in India