City living: The Netherlands’ big five places to live

Working from home is very much a part of life in the Netherlands these days, and that has had an impact on the housing market, as people move to bigger places with a garden or space for a home office. Have you got one of those jobs that allows you to work largely from home, are you curious about the rest of the country or have you simply had enough of where you are living now? The Netherlands is small enough to let you travel easily and quickly between cities, especially if you only have to commute a couple of times a week. But, it's still big enough to feel very different, depending on where you are. 

Amsterdam

Who can blame you if you are considering buying a house in Amsterdam? It is the capital city, with plenty going on and a stunning city centre to boot. The downside, of course, is that so many people want to live there you will need a lot of your own capital, or a massive salary, to be able to buy a house here – particularly if you want to live on a canal.

There are many good options outside the ring road – a flat with a view over the lake in Slotermeer could cost as little as 375.000 euros – as long as you don’t mind the 30-minute cycle ride into town.

You can get that great canal view, café terraces and easy living just a short train trip away as well. Check out Weesp – now officially part of the Amsterdam municipality – where you can buy a pretty terraced cottage for under 500.000 euros or a family-sized waterfront apartment for 550.000 euros.

Rotterdam

Buying an apartment in Rotterdam means big, light, modern housing, and stunning views if you go for a waterfront block. The port city has been climbing up international city rankings for years – Time Out put the Witte de Withstraat in 6th place in its ranking of the best streets in the world - and it has built up quite a reputation as a great place to eat, shop and have fun, with festivals galore. And that is not to mention its museums and excellent public transport system.

Plus, you are only 45 minutes away from the wonderful beaches of Zuid-Holland and Zeeland and a handy airport that has escaped the problems Schiphol has had to deal with all summer. What more could you want as a first-time buyer?

Expect to pay around 550.000 euros for a large apartment on the water, much less for a terraced house in one of the city’s up-and-coming neighbourhoods.

The Hague

The Hague has a reputation for being a bit stuffy and boring but, if it is art and culture you are after, and a swim in the sea after work, there is nowhere better to be. Buying a house in The Hague means modern apartments, splendid old mansions and older neighbourhoods that are being upgraded with all the modern facilities you could need, such as shared cars.

The public transport links are excellent, with two main railway stations, so you can travel all over the country quickly and easily. The Hague has a fine theatre, an English language theatre group and some fantastic museums; Kunst Museum is a particular favourite.

The city centre, close to the courts and the diplomatic district, is expensive by Dutch standards. Instead, head for the outskirts, or to the seaside town of Scheveningen, where, for less than 350.000 euros, you can pick up a modern apartment with a view of the sea.

Utrecht

Utrecht is a student city; that means plenty of bars, restaurants and quirky places to go out. Utrecht also means a small but extremely charming city centre, the tallest church spire in the country and a city council which is doing its best to show off its green credentials.

Utrecht, for example, is home to the Netherlands’ first bus stops with green, living roofs. It is also the centre of the railway network, so travelling around is quick and easy.

If you want to buy a house in Utrecht, you can pick up a city centre cottage filled with period details for around 600.000 euros, while a modern out-of-town apartment will cost upwards of 275.000 euros. Utrecht is very big on bikes – it has the world’s biggest underground bike park – so you can whizz to the centre in minutes.

Eindhoven

We’ve written about Eindhoven before, but it is worth reiterating that, as the fifth biggest city in the Netherlands, Eindhoven is definitely growing in popularity amongst the international community, thanks to its design-driven, high-tech industry.

At the same time, you can still pick up a brick terraced home in a family-friendly street for under 450.000 euros, or a spacious starter flat not far from the High Tech Campus for under 300.000 euros.

Eindhoven is also surrounded by pretty towns and villages such as Waalre and Son en Breugel, so you have plenty of choices when looking for more rural charm. It’s also only around an hour away from Rotterdam and Amsterdam by train.