Cheap Room in Amsterdam: Where to Rent Under €700
How to find a cheap room in Amsterdam: the most affordable neighbourhoods, what €700 gets you, smart ways to lower your rent and the traps to avoid.
"Affordable" and "Amsterdam" in the same sentence almost feels like a contradiction. But it is doable. You just need to know where to look and what you are willing to compromise on. This article is not about finding a €300 bargain in the Centre (that does not exist), but about realistic strategies to lower your housing costs.
The cheapest neighbourhoods
Rent is largely determined by location. Here are the neighbourhoods ranked from cheapest to most expensive, as an indication for a regular room in a shared house:
- Nieuw-West (Slotervaart, Geuzenveld, Osdorp): €500 to €700
- Zuidoost (Bijlmer, Gaasperdam): €500 to €700
- Noord (Buikslotermeer, Tuindorp Oostzaan): €500 to €700
- IJburg / Zeeburgereiland: €550 to €750
- Bos en Lommer / De Baarsjes: €550 to €800
- Oost: €600 to €850
- Oud-West: €650 to €900
- De Pijp / Zuid: €700 to €950
- Centre / Jordaan: €750 to €1,050
The difference between the cheapest and most expensive neighbourhood can easily be €300 per month. Over a year, that is €3,600. Always ask whether a price includes service charges and utilities; our complete cost guide for renting a room in Amsterdam shows what those typically add.
Where can you still find a room under €700?
Noord: across the IJ
Noord remains one of the most realistic options for staying under €700. Areas like Vogelbuurt, Tuindorp Oostzaan and Banne Buiksloot still have private landlords offering reasonably priced rooms, often in row houses or housing-corporation flats. The trade-off is that everything runs via the ferry or the Noord-Zuidlijn metro. Close to the water you are at Centraal Station in minutes; from the northern edges of Noord the trip takes noticeably longer.
Bos en Lommer: changing fast, still affordable
Bos en Lommer has changed a lot in recent years, but room prices have not fully caught up everywhere. Near De Hallen prices climb quickly. Westerpark is a short bike ride away, and rooms here often appear via Facebook groups and small private landlords rather than the big platforms.
Nieuw-West: the most supply within the city
Slotermeer, Geuzenveld and Osdorp are full of post-war flats where private owners rent out rooms, and supply is relatively large. The price you pay is travel time: from Osdorp, getting to the centre by tram or metro takes a while. If you rarely need to be in the centre, Nieuw-West is a smart pick.
Zuidoost: among the cheapest in the city
In the Bijlmer, Reigersbos, Gein and Holendrecht, rooms in corporation flats are among the cheapest in Amsterdam. The area has transformed in recent years, but prices have not fully followed. The metro takes you to Centraal Station and to station Zuid, which is handy if you study at the VU or work at the Zuidas.
Where a room under €700 is rare
In the Centre, Jordaan, De Pijp and Oud-Zuid, a regular room under €700 is the exception. You will occasionally see ads far below market price there, but almost always with a catch: no BRP registration, a stay of only a few months, or outright fraud. Read how to recognise and avoid rental scams before you transfer any money.
What do you get for €700?
A realistic expectation for a €700 room in Amsterdam:
- Roughly 12 to 16 m² in a shared house
- Your own room, with a shared kitchen and bathroom
- Usually 3 to 6 housemates
- A location outside the ring (Noord, Bos en Lommer, Nieuw-West, Zuidoost) or just outside the city
- Sometimes furnished, more often semi-furnished
- BRP registration usually possible
What you usually do not get for that price: your own bathroom or kitchen, a location inside the canal ring, or a lot of space.
Strategies for living more cheaply
1. Pick a larger house
Rooms in houses with more residents are on average cheaper per person. The reason is simple: fixed costs (rent, gas, water, internet) are spread across more people. A room in a five-person house is often €50 to €100 cheaper than the same room in a two-person house.
2. Accept a smaller room
The price difference between a 10 m² room and an 18 m² room can be €150 to €200 per month. If you are out at university or work during the day and only really use your room to sleep and study, a smaller room is fine.
3. Check the points system
A room always falls under the Dutch rent rules: the maximum rent follows from the points system (puntensysteem), and the WOZ value of the building does not count for rooms. Rooms in Amsterdam are regularly rented out above that maximum. You can have your starting rent assessed by the Huurcommissie (Rent Tribunal) within six months after your tenancy starts. Our guide to the points system and maximum rent explains how it works.
4. Anti-squat (leegstandsbeheer)
Vacancy management, known as anti-kraak in Dutch, is the cheapest way to live in Amsterdam. The monthly fee typically ranges from €100 to €350. The downside: very little security. The notice period is short (sometimes two weeks) and you have limited tenant rights.
Even so, for many students and starters, it is a workable temporary solution. Agencies like Camelot, Villex, and Ad Hoc regularly offer placements.
5. Share a room
It may sound extreme, but some people share a larger room with a partner or friend. A 25 m² room for €800 split between two is €400 per person. Not ideal, but if you have no other option, it is a way in.
6. Live just outside Amsterdam
If you study or work in Amsterdam but are flexible about where you live, surrounding municipalities like Amstelveen, Zaandam, Diemen, and Weesp are often noticeably cheaper. By public transport, you reach the centre in 15 to 30 minutes. Diemen and Duivendrecht border the city and still have rooms from around €600; Amstelveen is pricier but convenient for VU students and Zuidas workers.
7. Housing allowance (huurtoeslag)
Housing allowance is mainly meant for self-contained accommodation with its own kitchen and toilet. For most rooms with a shared kitchen or bathroom you are not eligible. If you rent a self-contained studio, check the conditions and run the test calculation on the Belastingdienst website before you sign: you need a rental contract in your own name, BRP registration at the address, and an income below the threshold.
Search beyond the big platforms
Rooms under €700 rarely come from a single channel. Use several at the same time:
- Private landlords and existing housemates. Rooms offered via Facebook groups, Marktplaats or word of mouth are often priced more realistically.
- Viewing nights. In houses where the residents choose their next housemate themselves, they are looking for a good match rather than the highest possible rent. Prepare well, because these evenings are competitive.
- Student housing. If you are a student, register with student housing providers as early as possible (see the questions below).
- Your network. Tell everyone you are looking: many rooms are passed on before they are ever advertised.
- Subletting, with care. A sublet can be cheap, but without written permission from the main landlord you risk losing the room. Always ask for proof of permission.
On Huismaatje you can filter by maximum rent and set alerts for your target neighbourhoods, so you only see rooms within your budget. For a complete overview of every search channel, see our room search guide for Amsterdam.
Where you should not save money
Saving is good, but there are limits:
Do not skip BRP registration. A room without BRP might save you €50 in rent, but it can cost you far more in missed allowances and practical problems.
Do not skip a written contract. Without a written contract, you have no legal standing. Do not accept a verbal agreement, even if the price is attractive.
Do not compromise on safety. A room in a poorly maintained building or an illegally converted attic can be dangerous. Always check that the property meets basic standards.
Creative thinking
There are also less obvious ways to live cheaply:
Care-for-housing arrangements. Some older Amsterdammers offer a room in exchange for help around the house, groceries, or company.
Live-in with a family. Some families rent out a room at a low price, often in exchange for occasional babysitting or help.
Temporary rentals. Subletters who are temporarily abroad sometimes offer their room at a reduced price.
Do not forget allowances
Many students and starters leave money on the table by not applying for allowances. Check whether you are entitled to:
- Healthcare allowance (zorgtoeslag, via Belastingdienst)
- Housing allowance (huurtoeslag, via Belastingdienst), mainly for self-contained accommodation
- Supplementary student finance (via DUO)
- Local minimum-income schemes from the municipality
For someone on a low income, allowances can make a real difference in what you can afford to spend on rent.
Frequently asked questions
What is the absolute minimum I will spend on rent for a room in Amsterdam?
Realistically, the floor for a legal room with BRP registration in Amsterdam sits around €500 per month (Nieuw-West, Zuidoost). Rooms under €600 do exist, but rarely: almost always in Zuidoost or Nieuw-West, via student housing, or in a special situation such as anti-squat or a room with a hospita. Anything far below that is either illegal or anti-squat without tenant rights. Be especially alert to fraud in listings under €500.
Can I ask for a lower rent if my room is too expensive?
Yes, if your rent exceeds the maximum under the points system. Because a room always falls under the rent rules, the points system sets the legal maximum. You can ask the Huurcommissie to assess your starting rent within six months after your tenancy begins.
Are there student housing options in Amsterdam that are cheaper than the open market?
Yes. Student housing providers such as DUWO and De Key offer student rooms with campus contracts, sometimes for €300 to €500 per month all-in. Waiting times vary from a few months to over a year. Register as soon as you know you might study in Amsterdam, because your registration time counts towards your ranking.
Is living outside Amsterdam and commuting a serious option for saving money?
Absolutely. From Zaandam, Haarlem, Diemen, or Amstelveen, you reach Amsterdam Centraal by public transport in 20 to 30 minutes. For many people, the extra travel time is a fair trade for €150 to €200 less rent per month.
Can I get housing allowance for a room?
Usually not. Housing allowance (huurtoeslag) is mainly for self-contained accommodation with its own kitchen and toilet, so most rooms with shared facilities do not qualify. For a self-contained studio you may be eligible, depending on your income and rent. Run the test calculation on the Belastingdienst website before you accept a place.
Can I register at the BRP at any address, including a cheap sublet?
Not always. BRP registration is only possible at an address where you are officially allowed to live according to the main landlord and the municipality. With anti-squat and unauthorised subletting it is often impossible. Ask before signing whether registration is allowed: you need it for your BSN, health insurance, allowances and almost every official process.
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