What’s up with the prices in Amsterdam? A beer on a nice terrace will cost no more than €2,70, but the price of a glass of wine is at least €4,50. And having dinner with a bottle of wine in that same place will set you back some €40 per person. Here’s a list of some of the going prices in Amsterdam in 2017. I added some cost of living in Amsterdam as well.
Prices of drinks 2017
Beer draught: € 2,80
Special beer from € 5,50
Beer pint: € 6,50
Glass of wine: € 4,75
Coke/sprite: € 2,50
Coffee/tea: € 2,50
Restaurants prices in Amsterdam 2017
A main course can be €10 (very cheap), €15 (cheap) to €25 (normal) or €30+ (high end). Look at this article on cheap restaurants in Amsterdam. Expect to pay about €30 per person for a 2-course menu without drinks in a mid-range restaurant. Bottle of wine: from €12
Lunch prices Amsterdam.
Menu
It is not common to have a set menu, like a French or Spanish ‘house menu’, that includes a starter and a desert. You just order off the list. Some tourist restaurants however do offer the possibility of a fixed price for a combination menu.
Service and tipping in Amsterdam
In Holland, it doesn’t matter if you order the drinks at the bar or if you’re getting service at your table. Prices will still be the same. It is common to tip the waiter in a bar in Amsterdam. For tipping the service, just round up the number. Don’t leave the tip on the table. Give it directly to the waiter, or tell him or her to ‘keep the change’.
Transportation, train & taxi 2017
If you plan to use the tram, bus or metro in Amsterdam in 2017 (mind you, the centre of the city is walkable), you need a public transport chip card. For a one time ride, you can buy a disposable chip card in the tram, in the bus and at the metro stations, valid for 2 hour for € 2,80. A Day Card is valid for 24 hours and costs € 7,50. You can buy this also at the bus driver or tram conductor or at the machines in metro stations. Some hotels have them as well. More special GVB Cards prices.
Public transport in Amsterdam
If you plan to use the public transport in Amsterdam more often, you can choose to buy an anonymous travel card. The anonymous OV Chip Card costs € 7,50. You can buy the anonymous public transport chip card at tobacco shops, supermarkets and at the Tickets & Info shops of the public transport company (GVB) at metro stations (like Central Station, Waterlooplein etcetera).
Read more about Amsterdam City Passes that give discounts on museums and public transport.
The Amsterdam Public Transport (OV) Chip Card
With the anonymous OV Chip Card (like the London ‘Oyster’ System) you first add money on the OV Chip Card. Every time you ride the public transport, you check in and check out. The cost of the public transport in Amsterdam is € 0,87 per trip added with € 0,148 per kilometer. Traveling with the OV Chip Card is much cheaper than buying tickets.
Buying a Day Card or the Chip Card?
If you plan to stay for more than 3 days and you want to visit other parts of Amsterdam than just the red light district, Dam Square, Leidseplein and Jordaan, I advise you to buy the anonymous OV Card and travel to different areas of Amsterdam. Simple and cheap. The OV chip card stays valid for 5 years, so don’t throw it away, give it to the next tourist or keep it for your next visit.
Click here for Tram & Metro maps of Amsterdam 2017.
Trains to and from Amsterdam Central Station
- Trains from Schiphol Airport to Central Station take about 20 minutes and costs € 3,90
- A train from Amsterdam to Utrecht (30 minutes), return ticket is € 14,00.
- A train from Amsterdam to Haarlem (20 minutes), return tickets is € 7,80.
Trains from Amsterdam to most Dutch cities leave every 15- 30 minutes. Find your times and trains at NS Journey Planner.
Buying a train ticket in The Netherlands
Train tickets in The Netherlands can be bought at the vending machines at the train station. It’s not necessary to reserve a seat.
International train travel from Amsterdam
International train travels can be planned at the NS Hispeed website.
Taxi from Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Central Station
Taking a taxi from Schiphol International Airport to Amsterdam centre (15 minutes) costs € 30 – 50 per car, depending on the taxi company. Warning! Go outside to the taxi stand to take a taxi. The people who offer taxis inside the airport are illegal taxi drivers and you end up paying a lot of money.
Taxi prices in Amsterdam
Taking a taxi in the Amsterdam centre costs around € 15 (for 3-5 km).
Renting a car in Amsterdam
Car rental costs around € 30 per day. It’s always cheaper to book online.
Parking fees in Amsterdam
Parking is very expensive in Amsterdam. The city is divided into different sections that have different fees. Everything inside the canal belt ring is the most expensive. You pay €5 an hour for parking fee in Amsterdam center of town, also at night. The parking fees in Amsterdam outside the canal belt go down from €4 to €3 an hour.
Free parking in Amsterdam
Free parking in Amsterdam is harder to find every year. Most parts of Amsterdam North and outside the A10 are still free to park in the street. Look the official map of the Amsterdam parking fees to find free areas to park.
Park & Ride
It’s best to parking at a special Park & Ride parking in Amsterdam. The parking fee is very cheap, it’s €8 for the first 24 hours, added with €1 for every extra 24 hours. You also get a public transport ride to get to the center. More info in the article about Car parking in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam club prices 2017
Amsterdam club prices 2017 vary from € 5 to € 10 on weekdays to € 10 to € 20 on weekends. Drinks can be much more expensive when you go clubbing in Amsterdam in more ‘trendy’ discotheques, such as Escape and Jimmi Woo.
To calculate the price of a mixed drink, you have to add up the two drinks: coke 3,00 + rum € 6= € 9. They even give you the drinks separate. Wardrobe in Dutch clubs is generally obligated (€ 1) and to go to the toilet costs another € 1.
Amsterdam museum prices 2017
Entrance fee to museums in Amsterdam ranges from € 9,00 for the Anne Frank Museum to € 17  for the Van Gogh Museum. It is recommend to buy your tickets to Amsterdam museums, to avoid long lines at the most popular museums (like Van Gogh or Anne Frank).
Hotel prices
Hotels in Amsterdam are among the most expensive of Europe (together with Italy). The average price of a hotel room in Amsterdam is € 115. It’s best to compare hotel prices or to book in advance to get a good deal. Hostels are available from € 15, but to have a bunk bed in a shared room for that price, you have to reserve a bed months in advance. Optionally you can stay at a local’s via AirBnB.
Tobacco and cigarette prices 2017
Cigarettes (Marlboro) €6,00
Tobacco (Drum, 40 gram): €7,50
Cigarette vending machines are risky
You can buy tobacco and cigarettes at newspaper shops, gas stations and vending machines. The prices of the products are the same everywhere. Vending machines are in many restaurants and bars.
Age coin
You need a special age coin for the cigarette vending machine to work. You can ask for the age coin at the bar. The age coins were introduced to make sure only people over 16 years of age can buy cigarettes. Put in the age coin first, then choose the product, then put in the money. Generally, there is no change available.
Also, many vending machines are problematic and they refuse to give you your product after you paid.
This is very common. The bar doesn’t own the vending machine and cannot give you your money back. Getting cigarettes from a vending machine in the Netherlands is risky business.
Amsterdam weed prices 2017
The price of hash in a Amsterdam coffee shop ranges from €4 to €35 per gram. Normal price is about 8 Euro. Amsterdam prices 2017 of weed, marijuana, pot, range from €5 to €42 per gram.
Menu of coffee shop Boerejongens in Amsterdam. Weed prices per gram.
Coffee shops in the centre will only sell you 2 grams of weed at once and charge you €25 for it. Only buy weed and such at a coffee shop and NEVER in the street. That’s what coffee shops are there for.
Prices Amsterdam 2017 Red Light
For prices in the Amsterdam Red Light area, in 2017, you can expect to pay about € 50 for 15 minutes of oral sex and intercourse with a prostitute behind a window in the Amsterdam red light district.
Minimum cost of living per month in Amsterdam, 2017
The price of renting a 1 bedroom apartment in Amsterdam centre in the ‘free market’ is about € 1200. Expect to pay for an apartment outside the centre € 850. Double that for a 3-bedroom apartment.
Prices of electricity, gas, water plus local taxes: €150
Basic wifi internet & cable television: €40
Dutch health insurance (obligated!) from €85
iPhone or Samsung, always online: € 40 for a 2-year contract (includes the phone).
37 comments
Hi Friends,
Iam Raghavan ,I have planned for doing masters at university of amsterdam NL .It would be much appreciated if eople here can guide me regarding the university ranking and other details such as netherlands economy ,visa permits and career opportunities ,cost of living .Thanks in advance
Can you help to tell if I can buy Old Holborn (tobacco) in Amsterdam and how much does it cost? I would like to take a day trip from Southend to stock up some in Amsterdam or just airport 🙂 thank you
Hi
I am sorry but I can’t help you. I have never heard of this brand. Maybe someone else who reads this knows?
Hey Iam a fan of old holbron as well but I haven’t found it since I left Cyprus now I’m in Norway and I can’t find it here if it’s available in Amsterdam by chance I’m traveling there next month will be a treat to get that tobacco again
I’m currently living in Los Angeles and want to relocate to Holland, want to know what is the average cost for a room to rent in Amsterdam and what are a good areas’s to live at avoiding the bad area’s
Is it better to rent a room in a flat or a house?
If live further away from the main city, is the cost going to be cheaper and expensive to travel to the city back and forth?
will be better off with the public transportation or rent a car or buy a car to get around?
Is the parking very expensive to park the car around?
Dear Alex
Average prices in Amsterddam are named on this website, around 1200 in the ‘free sector’ for a house, around €600 for a room. There is a big shortage. There are no ‘bad areas’ in Amsterdam.
You can find a place in another city and travel by train and bus to and from Amsterdam. A car in Amsterdam is not useful. In Amsterdam and the enire Netherlands, they travel by bike or public transport. Parking fee is very high and finding a parking space. Try to talk to expats or other Americans in Amsterdam to give you a full picture. Good luck!
Tanja
Also what are the bad area’s (city or provinces to avoid living in) in the Nederlands
I November going to be very hard for a person to be looking or to find a place to live in?
what is the weather like in the month of November and is it very very cold to get around?
When you arive in Amsterdam for a few days, go to the nearest tourist information. located near the bus stop( central train station). There you can buy a bus/tram/metro pass, valid for a week,two weeks or a month you wil have unlimited traveling in public transport for a very reduced price.
All our cities are pretty save( but have some streets you should not go to). I recommend Groningen city. A lot of students. and the main streets are safe at night Even walking alone at night in the main streets is save, Always people around. Most of them are students. robbery is not common. The homeless people are very polite, they sometimes sell magazines. Just go to the nearest bar, most people are proud to tell you the best places in town.
In November we have rain, sunshine and it is windy. just above freezing point. At night it can be cold, wear a coat. In winter tempratures down to 14F in summer up to 95F (colder and hotter is very possible)
You need a bike 😉 for sale secondhand at most stores, Don’t buy them on the streets.
Hello, ive read that foreign tourists cant buy & smoke weed in the coffee shops longer ?
No, that’s old news….
Hi could you tell me what could be the rates of Private house sex like Jan Bik , Park 118 , CLub Bianca
Depends why you are in Amsterdam when you enquire about prices. For the RLD, try theamsterdamdiaries. Just a thought!
I’m visiting namely Amsterdam next week and was wondering how smoothly coffee shops are allowed to operate at the moment and if there’s any general tips you’d suggest. Thanks!
Coffeeshops are operating as smoothly as usual. Only tip I have: take it easy on the Dutch weed as it can be pretty overwhelming! Enjoy your stay in Amsterdam next weekend.
Hi I was wondering if I could buy 1 ounce of weed anywhere in Amsterdam
yes you can buy.. not in coffeshop max 5 gram
You can buy 4g of Thai weed for 8Euro in the Hague 😀 Im so happy Im here!
truly, that sounds like a dream! i’m so excited to visit, thank you so much for the helpful post.
This is a very helpful article, but i was wondering.. how easy is it for a student to get a job in Amsterdam? Maybe as a waiter, either at a restaurant or a cafeteria. How much is a monthly payment for a 6-7 days a week, 8 hours shift?
I find prostitution is always a good bet
i will be in amsterdam next week and would like to try some weed but dont smoke and am unable to inhale.any suggestions?
Am going to Amsterdam for three days with granddaughter. Have boomed Anne Frank House, theatre and Hard Rock Cafe. What else would you advise where we can take a 16 year old with her grandparents.
I been in Amsterdam many times,first time,I been in 91 year,last time I been in 2002 year,and before EU,Amsterdam it was great and free city,I mean this year 2002 year,many things is changed in Amsterdam,it,s not good as before,but for some people Amsterdam always will be good city,this is my opinion,regards,ivica from Croatia
Today it was 2,90 for the tram and it was only good for one hour. This was printed at the ticket collector both.
Hey, I’m going to Amsterdam next summer and I’m wondering how much shrooms are?
Hi Zack, Unfortunately, magic mushrooms are no longer available in Amsterdam since they were banned. There are substitues like magic truffles available at the smart shops though. Read more about it: https://www.whatsupwithamsterdam.com/amsterdam-smart-shops/
the tram is one of the cheapest things in amsterdam in three days i spent £400 pounds on food and transport wont be back too expensiveirene sept 2016
in shop was charged 5euros for a litre of water smal coca cola 2 euros everything was overpriced also no public toilets no ramps for wheelchairs i could go on suffice to say never again
I’ve run out of Golden Virginia! So the primary reason for my 3 day visit next week is return with 3K of GV and fond memories of local herb participation. I have been to Amsterdam many times but long ago. So…any suggestions please on interesting alternatives? I land at Schipol and can take a train to anywhere there’s a nice coffee shop with a supermarket next door selling GV!!! Oh, and a nearby hotel..grateful for your suggestions. ..
If Golden Virginia is tobacco, you’d best check a tobacco shop. Check out this map with tabakswinkel Amsterdam: http://bit.ly/2dcNHiN. The centre of Amsterdam is filled with coffee shops and supermarkets and hotels. Can be pretty busy though, best book a hotel online first. Good luck!
Hi All
We are hoping to visit for the night in the new year.
We have been to Amsterdam about 8 times and never leave the centre.
My husband likes a drink and i like a smoke.
People say there are cheaper places to smoke and drink but we have no idea where.
can anyone point us in the right direction please.
We may only be there about 7 hours on a mini cruise unless we book the 1 nights stay.
Thanks Emma
Hi emma, how did u get on with the mini cruise? We have one booked for the 12th march and will be our 1st time over in dam. Any suggestions as to where the best smoke is? Or what to do with our limited time there?
Hi I am coming to Amsterdam on Tuesday, if I buy an ov card will I be able to get from airport to Amsterdam with this card?
Hi can you get from aiport to Amsterdam with an ov card?
Hi. You need to charge the OV card first. Then you can take a train to Central Station. The trains are down the stairs, near the exit. You ‘check in’ with the OV Chipcard and when you arrive at C.S check out, so the amount is taken from the card. There are many trains to Amsterdam, so make sure you get one to CENTRAL STATION. But I wouldn’t worry, cause usually they have special people to guide you to right train. There is also an information stand. It’s easy. Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip! -Tanja
Hi me and my friend want to go to Amsterdam and we want to know how safe is it, what is the best time to come and where should we stay like the best place
thank you for your help jill