Students in the Netherlands pay 6 percent more for rooms as shortage continues
By Simone Jacobs
Based on figures from Kamernet, average rents for student rooms in the Netherlands have gone up by more than 6 percent. While there was also a slight increase in the number of rooms available, a significant shortage in student housing persists.
Students in the Netherlands pay average of 683 euros for rooms
Students in the Netherlands paid an average of 683 euros per month to rent a room in the first three months of 2025, up 6,2 percent compared to the same period last year. According to one of the largest rental platforms in the Netherlands, Kamernet, Wageningen (19,7 percent) and Leiden (18,4 percent) saw the greatest rent increases, while Tilburg was the only Dutch city to see rents go down, by 2,4 percent.
The supply of student housing also went up by 2 percent since 2024, but there is still a major shortage. “Room prices continue to rise, while supply is barely increasing,” said Kamernet COO Jim Bijwaard. “Our platform only lists a few hundred more rooms online than last year, while the National Student Housing Monitor predicts a shortage of over 23.000 rooms. For many students, this means little choice and higher costs. We advise tenants to start looking early, because finding a suitable room takes time.”
Introduced in 2024, the Affordable Rent Act is behind the drop in student housing supply. “Legislation, such as the Affordable Rent Act and Box 3, can prevent landlords from continuing to rent out their properties, because the tax burden and regulations make it financially less attractive to continue renting out,” claimed Bijwaard.
Amsterdam student rooms reaching almost 1000 euros per month
It’s no surprise that Amsterdam remains the most expensive city for student housing, considering the housing shortages and rising house prices that are currently gripping the capital. In Q1 of 2025, the going rate for student rooms in Amsterdam was 979 euros - 3,2 percent more than a year earlier.
The picture isn’t much better in other Dutch cities. Students in Utrecht now have to pay 1,4 percent more for an average of 803 euros per month, while in Haarlem student rooms cost around 770 euros - 4,2 percent more than last year.
Most affordable cities for students see rising prices
Even cities that have more affordable rents for student rooms are seeing significant price rises. While Wageningen and Leeuwarden have some of the cheapest student housing (between 450 and 460 euros), rents here have increased by 19,7 percent and 14,1 percent respectively.
The most affordable city for students when it comes to rooms is Enschede at just 397 euros per month. However, even here the rent rose by 4,2 percent in the first quarter.
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training. Read more