# Rental apartment and living cost in Amsterdam



## yag6hz (Apr 4, 2014)

I'm working for a foreign company in Shanghai usually. And My company plan to relocate me to Amsterdam and give me a local hire offer for 3 years as below:

1. 80,000 euro annual package(gross, will apply for 30% ruling).

2. Additional 2,500 euro/month renting allowance,(net, company pay the tax)

3. Pension paid by company

4. Health insurance paid by company.

5. Family travelling not paid as local hire

I would like to know what's the level of this salary in Amsterdam? If I move by myself, what's the net salary i can get?

Can I rent a good apartment in Amsterdam in Zuid area? I only need 1 or 2 bedroom as I'm single.

as I already earn around gross 70,000 euro in China, I don't know whether I should move as only 10% increase, but I have to leave my family.(I need to pay for air ticket for 3 times round trip)


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## cschrd2 (Oct 31, 2011)

For that money you can have a good life in Amsterdam and the environment is much better then China.
2500 housing/month is also enough to get a nice place. Question would be if you have kids that have to go to an international school as that cost is high. For the rest it seems a good package. 
The home trip cost depends on time of booking and destination but generally its not exceeding 750€pp for remote trips (Asia,us) if your flexible on airlines and book early


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## yag6hz (Apr 4, 2014)

cschrd2 said:


> For that money you can have a good life in Amsterdam and the environment is much better then China.
> 2500 housing/month is also enough to get a nice place. Question would be if you have kids that have to go to an international school as that cost is high. For the rest it seems a good package.
> The home trip cost depends on time of booking and destination but generally its not exceeding 750€pp for remote trips (Asia,us) if your flexible on airlines and book early


Hi:

Thank you for your quick reply. the kids for international school is really a problem, but only for the cost, but also he not speak any English.

As my working location will be WTC in Zuid Amsterdam, which area you would like to suggest for rent a apartment?


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## cschrd2 (Oct 31, 2011)

I think for the kids there ESL programs in the international school but those only work when they are younger (less then 10 yrs old works in my personal experience). Kids are in that way much more flexible then elderly. Living area is really a personal choice. City life means troubled parking and noise but all live around you, country side live is very relaxed but you may need a car and are bothered by traffic. I would propose you have a look around during a fact finding. In all area there will be places available within your budget, just downtown will be an apartment, outskirts or neighboring cities you can get a nice house. WTC is well connected by train so you don't have to live in Amsterdam itself. Also. The Hague has an international school (less then 45 min by train).


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## yag6hz (Apr 4, 2014)

cschrd2 said:


> I think for the kids there ESL programs in the international school but those only work when they are younger (less then 10 yrs old works in my personal experience). Kids are in that way much more flexible then elderly. Living area is really a personal choice. City life means troubled parking and noise but all live around you, country side live is very relaxed but you may need a car and are bothered by traffic. I would propose you have a look around during a fact finding. In all area there will be places available within your budget, just downtown will be an apartment, outskirts or neighboring cities you can get a nice house. WTC is well connected by train so you don't have to live in Amsterdam itself. Also. The Hague has an international school (less then 45 min by train).


Tks, I already appoint with Agency to looking for apartment next Friday. Amsterdam is really a nice city, my 1st impression.


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## cschrd2 (Oct 31, 2011)

It is indeed as long as your not around the railway station which is the main tourist entry area hence overpriced and more criminal then the "standard" in Amsterdam. Enjoy the city!


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## rronald_25 (Apr 6, 2014)

yag6hz said:


> I'm working for a foreign company in Shanghai usually. And My company plan to relocate me to Amsterdam and give me a local hire offer for 3 years as below:
> 
> 1. 80,000 euro annual package(gross, will apply for 30% ruling).
> 2. Additional 2,500 euro/month renting allowance,(net, company pay the tax)
> ...



€80.000 gross is quite big in my opinion as the minimum salary for highly skilled migrant for over 30 is around €50.000/year

If you are single, only need 1-2 rooms, for €2500 you can even get centrum area.

I live just in the border of Amsterdam zuid - Amstelveen, depending on your preference I think Apollo neighborhood is the most expensive one. If your office around Zuid Wtc, with €2500 you can get nice flat around *Buitenveldert / de Boelelaan*, and you can walk or bike for 5-10min to your office.

Around de Boelelaan / WTC (I dont know where to be exact), theres also British school if Im not mistaken. I know that because there are lots of Indian expat kids go to school there, you can see bus 199 (from WTC to Amstelveen) around 3-4ish always full with Indian kids going back from school

In my opinion, if you already earn €70.000 in China, you deserve more than 10% raise.

Return ticket from Amsterdam to Shanghai depending on the season could be €400-700ish the cheapest, I think thats cheap (at least its reasonable)


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## rronald_25 (Apr 6, 2014)

Unfortunately I am not allowed to link picture yet, but you can go to google maps and see my description or pm me and I will email you the picture

*Picture description:*
*Blue circle:* Very expensive neighborhood
*Pink box:* Reasonable to expensive, but not as expensive as Apollo, and I believe you can have that for €2.500/month
*Red box:* your office area
VU medisch centrum is a very good hospital and has complete department, also VU (vrije universiteit) is a big university
From the pink area you can go learn Dutch at night or in the weekend at VU university or Volksuniversiteit amstelveen
Uilenstede is a student housing area + big gym/ fitness, and it has fair amount of Chinese students living here

I know you are Chinese, but just in case you like Japanese / Korean food, there are plenty (and they are good) around Van Boshuizenstraat / Amstelveen, unfortunately for decent / good Chinese food you have to go to China town in Amsterdam central


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## rronald_25 (Apr 6, 2014)

Finally i have at least 5 post so I am able to post link








Picture description:
Blue circle: Very expensive neighborhood
Pink box: Reasonable to expensive, but not as expensive as Apollo, and I believe you can have that for €2.500/month
Red box: your office area
VU medisch centrum is a very good hospital and has complete department, also VU (vrije universiteit) is a big university
From the pink area you can go learn Dutch at night or in the weekend at VU university or Volksuniversiteit amstelveen
Uilenstede is a student housing area + big gym/ fitness, and it has fair amount of Chinese students living here

I know you are Chinese, but just in case you like Japanese / Korean food, there are plenty (and they are good) around Van Boshuizenstraat / Amstelveen.


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## namivan (Nov 17, 2014)

Just a quick one about location:
You can pretty much pick anywhere if you don't go for the outskirts or Noord, you can easily bike to WTC in 20-30 minutes from anywhere. So I'd suggest to look for something that will be closer to you kid's school, that might be more important. 

Good luck!


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