We’ve been to Amsterdam a few times now and we know how it compares to other places we’ve visited such as Thailand and Greece. One of the questions we get the most is, “Is Amsterdam expensive?”. It’s a good question to be fair and it varies year on year. I have heard people ask a few times why Amsterdam is so expensive and there’s a few reasons for this, especially as a tourist!
Hopefully, this will be a good guide when you’re thinking about how much money to take to Amsterdam and different Amsterdam prices that you’re going to find you need to pay.
Why Is Amsterdam So Expensive?
There are various reasons as to why Amsterdam is so expensive. Like how much does it cost to eat in Amsterdam or how much is Amsterdam city tax? These two are things you really need to factor in if you’re going to be visiting Amsterdam and staying at hotels or even hostels.
How Much Is Amsterdam City Tax?
Amsterdam city tax is something all visitors have to pay if they’re going to stay in Amsterdam for any amount of time. Netherlands city tax can be quite a bit depending on how long you stay for. If you’re looking for a nifty Amsterdam city tax calculator then I’d suggest this one as it helped us, although if you’re booking through hotels.com for example it will tell you how much the Amsterdam city tax hotel cost is, so it’s always important to check when you book!
So remember next time you visit Amsterdam you might need to pay city tax in Amsterdam when you get to the hotel! It’s also important to note Amsterdam city tax increase will happen every year, so just because you visited last year, doesn’t mean it’ll be the same this year!
You might also like: How To Save Money With The iAmsterdam Card!
How Much Are Amsterdam Hotels?
Now there are loads of cheap hotels in Amsterdam, the problem being is you have to find them! The hotels Amsterdam centrally located are going to cost a lot more over hotels that are located outside of Amsterdam. If you’re not fussed on a mile walk into Amsterdam or think you can catch an Amsterdam tram then book a hotel outside of the city, however, the hotels in Amsterdam city centre will cost a lot more.
Cheap hotels in Amsterdam city centre are few and far between, I’d suggest looking on hotels.com as we’ve found a few cheap ones through there, most times you won’t get a decent price going direct which is a shame! I can’t speak about the best cheap hotels in Amsterdam as I’ve not stayed at them but if you’re looking for a good priced hotel in Amsterdam look at our The Conscious Tire Station Hotel Review because we just love it there!
How Much Is Food In Amsterdam?
Now when it comes to “Is Amsterdam expensive to eat and drink?” the answer is yes, well in most places anyway! We visited a vegan junk food bar Amsterdam and have to say the price was a little on the high side, almost £40 for a meal for the two of us, which in comparison to Thailand is way overpriced. The Amsterdam eating out prices are on par with UK eating out prices, with the euro and pound being pretty much the same these days, you just don’t notice any savings!
If you don’t mind paying out on good food in Amsterdam I’d suggest checking out Foodhallen, it’s got loads of independent stalls and loads of different food for all occasions! One thing we have to say is that they do NOT take cash, only card payments, so remember this if you plan on going to check out Foodhallen.
How Much Are Attractions In Amsterdam?
Amsterdam ticket prices can be very expensive, even more so if you book them directly with the venue. If you want cheap Amsterdam attraction tickets then go to a ticket shop, you can even get deals thrown in! We got Amsterdam ice bar tickets at a ticket shop and we paid less than buying them directly, it was only 5 euros saving per ticket but that soon adds up when you’re doing more than one Amsterdam tourist attraction which I’m sure you will be!
How Much Money To Take To Amsterdam?
The amount of euros you take to Amsterdam depends on how long you’re going to be there and how much you want to do. If you intend on visiting Amsterdam tourist destinations then you might want to take even more as entry costs are going to be a factor. We on average take 1,000 euros a week to Amsterdam, which seems like a lot of money but we eat out every day, visit a lot of attractions and get a lot of gifts for loved ones back home.
However, you can do Amsterdam on a budget, look at cheaper Amsterdam hotels outside of the city, visit an Amsterdam supermarket to buy food instead of eating out every single night and find cheap Amsterdam tickets for attractions you want to go on. The most important part is to set daily allowances and stick to them! One way to save some money in Amsterdam and still be able to visit a number of attractions is with the iAmsterdam card, which means you can travel on the tram and get free or discounted entry into certain attractions.
You might also like: Small Amsterdam Museums You Must Visit!
Saving Money In Amsterdam
If you’re looking at saving money visiting Amsterdam but don’t want to lose that holiday feeling, well there are a few ways you can do this! I’d suggest checking out free museums and attractions. The Amsterdam Cheese Museum is totally free (June 2020) and you get free cheese tasters as well, although you’ll find it difficult leaving the museum without buying some yummy cheese!
Go for an Amsterdam apartment! This is something we only just decided to do so we’re new at it that’s for sure. We got an apartment/hotel and decided to cook a lot of our meals so that we saved a fortune eating out in Amsterdam because it can cost us up to 60 euros a time! Instead, we save our money and go out for big meals like when we visit the Amsterdam Hard Rock Cafe!
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