Average home in the Netherlands now requires monthly income of 5.742 euros

The average rent for a private-sector home in the Netherlands has risen to a new high of 1.914 euros a month. Landlords usually require tenants to earn three times the rent, meaning a gross monthly income of 5.742 euros is now necessary.

Private-sector rents reach new average of 1.914 euros a month

According to housing platforms Huurwoningen.nl and Pararius, private-sector rents have risen by 2,4 percent compared to last year.

During the same period, rent per square metre increased by 4,4 percent, outpacing inflation and the prices of bought homes, ultimately leading to tenants paying an average of 20,92 euros per square metre.

Landlords of private-sector homes can set rent prices freely, meaning houses and apartments are often rented above the legal rent limit of 1.228,07 euros a month. Dutch law sets rent caps for homes below the legal limit, based on a points system that rates a home's size, quality and facilities. 

Cheaper rental homes disappearing as landlords choose to sell

The rental market in the Netherlands remained competitive in the third quarter of 2026, with about 1.585 more homes rented out than came onto the market, the largest gap since 2024. The decline in the number of available homes to rent was most pronounced among cheaper private-sector homes, which fell 23 percent compared with the third quarter of 2025.

Many landlords have sold their properties since the Affordable Rent Act began capping mid-priced rents in July 2024. "The law was meant to deliver more affordable rental homes, but achieves the opposite," says Pararius director Jasper de Groot, noting that more than 76.000 rental homes have left the market since it took effect. 

The trend of selling off properties has expanded into higher price tiers too, as 32,7 percent of previously leased residences sold during 2026's third quarter had a monthly rent above 2.000 euros, up from 21,3 percent the year before.

Can expats still afford to rent in the Netherlands?

Residents in the Netherlands now need an average yearly income of 68.900 euros before tax to cover rent, and while this isn't a legal requirement, landlords may ask for more or less, even though average salaries are around 40.800 euros.

This means internationals on a single salary, or those starting a new job in the Netherlands, may find fewer homes within reach, as the cheaper ones are disappearing fastest. Even the lowest private-sector rent of 1.228,07 euros would likely require a monthly income of about 3.684 euros, based on Pararius's analysis. 

It remains unclear whether the supply of cheaper rentals will recover and become easier for locals to rent; only when the new figures for the next quarter are released can it be assessed.