Everyday Life in The Netherlands

Your Budget

A recent  EIU Worldwide Cost of Living Survey showed that the cost of living in Amsterdam, one of Holland’s more expensive cities, is modest compared with cities like New York, London, Paris and Beijing. However one of the biggest problems is finding accomodation. Once you have that under control you can start to work out the rest of your budget.

Overall the Dutch suggest that to live and study in Holland for one year a student between 700 and 1,000 euro a month but this usually assuming you can keep the rent in the range below €500. This estimated budget is to cover daily expenses, to pay the rent, and for registration. Tuition fees for an international student will add some thousands of euro on top of this.
You should not rely on finding a source of additional income after you arrive, you are permitted to work but there are limitations and your earning capacity it likely to only provide a supplement to your costs. Note that the Dutch institutions have very limited funds for supporting students and you cannot rely on accessing them for extra funds after you arrive.

If you have an average student income – from a scholarship for example – you should expect  that one-third of it will go towards housing. Food might cost you another third. Fortunately, most higher education institutions offer hot meals at reasonable prices. Many cities have pubs (eetcafé’s) where you can eat cheaply and well. But the cheapest way to eat is to do your own cooking. The remaining third of your money will go towards books, travel, and other expenses.

Banking

Banking in Holland is pretty straightforward and this is a good thing because you will definitely need a bank account. You will need to pay the rent, pay for utilities and for that matter to receive wages you might earn. As in Australia it is worth shopping around before choosing which bank to use and don’t be shy about asking fellow students already on the ground about which bank they have found best suits their needs.
The largest banks in the Netherlands are the ABN-AMRO, ING, Rabobank, Postbank, Fortis and SNS. The Postbank used to be state owned, it was privatised and is now owned by the ING Bank, but you still find Postbank branches in Post offices.
To open a bank account in order to deposit funds and have a credit or debit card, the following papers are necessary:

• Valid passport
• Proof of address (recent utility bill, for example)
• Some banks may also request proof of work and BSN number and proof of residence permit application
• Non-EU citizens may also have to show proof of registration with the Foreign Police

The procedure for then obtaining a card is slightly different to that in Australia. Once an account has been opened, notification will be given by post that the bankcard is available for collection. However the card itself will not be sent through the mail, you have to collect it and note that proof of identity is required doing so. The PIN (Personal Identification Number) for the card will be sent separately through the post.
Most banks offer similar services and a variety of different bank accounts. 
The most common account types are: 

• Savings accounts (spaarrakening)  
• Current accounts (betaalrekening)

Debit cards are available with both types. These can be used to withdraw money from ATM cash machines and to pay for goods and services in shops. Cheques are not widely used in the Netherlands and credit/debit cards are not accepted everywhere.
ATM machines (geldautomaten / pinautomaten) are widespread and a card from one bank can be used in another bank's ATM.