Moving to Amsterdam but not sure where to live Find out which part of the city is right for you with our guide on where to live in Amsterdam By Shanthy Milne It’s no surprise that Amsterdam remains so popular for those seeking a new life abroad It’s one of Europe’s most beautiful cities; full of life The city is big enough to offer plentiful culture and entertainment whilst retaining pockets of tranquility and a laid-back pace of life it really is a city that has something for everyone Amsterdam is home to people of over 180 nationalities making it one of the most diverse cities in the world This is reflected in the vibrancy of its seven districts To help newcomers get to grips with Amsterdam and decide which area suits them best we take a look at what each district can offer for you Simplify finding a home abroad with HousingAnywhere Their easy-to-use platform lets landlords and tenants connect offering a popular service for anyone moving internationally find your new home when relocating abroad quickly and easily with HousingAnywhere Originally founded as a 13th-century fishing village around a dam on the Amstel River (hence the name) breathing museum that celebrates life on and around the water It’s not just bikes that are welcome in Amsterdam. The Dutch pride themselves on their tolerance, but the capital goes one step further, welcoming and celebrating diversity. Unsurprisingly, it’s ranked the second most LGBTQ-friendly city in the world Amsterdam is a popular destination for expats and students. Alongside the demand for housing from the local population, this makes for a highly competitive property market. It can be a challenge to find the perfect home in Amsterdam There are a number of expat-friendly estate agents (makelaars). Through the MVA (professional association of expat brokers in Amsterdam) expats can identify certified estate agents with expertise in housing internationals in the city Should you choose to search for housing yourself you can find up-to-date rental listings throughout the Netherlands on websites like: Amsterdam is a city of vertical living, embodied by its iconic canal-side townhouses which are typically four stories high. On average, Amsterdammers have around 49 square meters of living space – well below the national average of 65m2 Compact living is embraced by Amsterdammers it’s also possible to find larger apartments spanning multiple floors and many ground-floor properties have small gardens Depending on the location of your apartment you may even have access to a shared courtyard garden Anyone planning on staying in Amsterdam long-term may benefit from purchasing a property There is a lot of competition for properties and in most instances you will need to bid above the asking price Some lenders might also require you to take out homeowners’ insurance which you can find through providers such as there are tax incentives and long-term benefits attached to owning your own property in Amsterdam Officially, Amsterdam is divided into seven districts each with its own particular characteristics and charm Fanning out from Centraal Station and encompassing Amsterdam’s iconic UNESCO World Heritage canal belt Amsterdam Centrum is the beating heart of the city Its maze of canals and winding streets draws tourists from all over the world But if you turn your gaze upwards you will see that it is also home to many Amsterdammers Some of Amsterdam’s most charming (and crooked!) homes can be found in this neighborhood but if you’re lucky you may find a top-floor apartment with magical views across the rooftops The old center of De Wallen is the busiest area of Amsterdam and its 24-hour economy means it’s hard to escape the noise here Despite the constant hum of tourist activity residents of De Wallen will be rewarded with the historic charm of its tree-lined canals and picturesque townhouses families may prefer Centrum’s outer neighborhoods where tourist activity is less intense For those seeking a mix of sophistication, history, and culture, the Canal Belt has it all. As one might expect from a UNESCO World Heritage Site the price tags are justified by picture-perfect canal views This neighborhood is popular with expats looking for a typically Dutch slice of Amsterdam The Canal Belt is a stone’s throw from the city’s most famous sights and boasts plenty of chic cafes and eateries Further to the west lies the bohemian Jordaan the most famous of Amsterdam’s neighborhoods The narrow streets are lined with independent shops and hip cafes Its artistic and welcoming feel makes it popular with families and young people alike The Jordaan has lots of playgrounds tucked into its crisscrossing streets and is close to the open green spaces of Westerpark On the east of the Centrum lies the Jodenbuurt the historic Jewish neighborhood of Amsterdam The area is now a vibrant Jewish cultural quarter with many museums and cultural centers Kalverstraat, the city’s main shopping street winds its way through the heart of the Centrum. Independent boutiques and craft stores can also be found tucked away throughout the Centrum, particularly around De 9 Straatjes (the nine streets) Whatever your tastes or interests, from music and art, to theatres, nightlife, and museums, Centrum has something for everyone. It’s home to some of Amsterdam’s most important cultural sites, including the Anne Frank Museum Despite its small size, there are two hospitals (in Dutch) located within the Centrum area and numerous schools One thing the Centrum does not easily accommodate is cars Limited space means there is a long waiting list for permits (sometimes several years) properties in the Centrum tend to be amongst the smallest in the city and Jewish Quarter may offer a little more space than in De Wallen you will certainly get more bang for your buck beyond the Jordaan and outside of the Centrum area Many small businesses and creative start-ups are based in the Centrum. There are lots of co-working spaces and the city has a good support system for entrepreneurs and businesses in their early stages There are also lots of job opportunities in the centrum, particularly in retail, catering, and hospitality. The iAmsterdam job search portal lists jobs for English speakers It’s also worth walking around the neighborhood as many restaurants and independent stores post job vacancies in their windows Amsterdam Centrum is the cultural and historic heart of the city It offers the postcard-perfect experience of Amsterdam and even the constant throng of tourists can’t detract from its wow factor Take a short (free) ferry ride across the water from Centraal Station and you will find yourself in Amsterdam Noord creative area of experimental art and modern living centered on the former industrial areas along the IJ there are plenty of open rural areas further out that are dotted with picturesque villages All this gives Amsterdam-Noord a truly unique feel. The repurposed dockyard area is a hub of cultural activity with exciting events This area is at the forefront of eco and experimental living and is also home to a number of start-ups and creative enterprises visitors can explore exhibitions by international visual artists Multiple free ferry routes run across the IJ, making it an easy commute to and from Centraal Station and beyond. There are six ferry routes The most popular one from Centraal Station to Buiksloterweg is so frequent that you rarely need to wait for more than a few minutes to board It’s possible to take bikes and mopeds on the ferries for easy onward travel The Centraal Station to Buiksloterweg route also runs through the night Noord is home to beautiful Dutch family homes in its old fishing villages There are also lots of newly built houses and apartments in Noord Prices are more affordable than in the center and surrounding areas Noord is ideal for those seeking family homes close to the city center It boasts a wonderful sense of community within each of its village-like areas and also has a prospering cultural scene Combined with the tranquility of its open spaces and good transport links to the center you can see why so many expats chose to live here Oost is one of the city’s most vibrant and ethnically diverse districts along the Eastern Docklands and its chic waterside apartments towards the multicultural Indische buurt Its many different communities give Oost an eclectic feel More and more hip bars and restaurants are popping up in Oost and the diversity of cultural activity and events on offer draw a young There are a number of parks and green spaces which alongside good schools and slightly more spacious homes Oost has historically been a green refuge for the city of Amsterdam. Amsterdam’s oldest park can be found in Oost. It’s also home to ARTIS In contrast to the pricier Watergraafsmeer and Oosterpark neighborhoods Dapperbuurt and Indische buurt were built for the working classes you’ll find the streets here lined with Turkish bakeries an increasingly younger demographic has also brought trendy bars The growth of new communities in Oost is ongoing on its newly formed islands. The newest of these is IJburg These islands are home to some of Amsterdam’s most prized real estate – and there are more in the pipeline Cultural hotspots in Oost include gems like NedPhO-Koepel, home of the Netherlands Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras; Framer Framed, where contemporary art meets progressive debate and Mezrab where storytelling and spoken word are brought to life The OLVG hospital has one of its largest sites in Amsterdam Oost and the area is well set up for families with good schools and playgrounds Two of Amsterdam’s university campuses are located in the district resulting in a young demographic and numerous facilities Oost is well-connected to the rest of the city by public transport Services to the east of the Netherlands run from Amstel and Science Park stations but cycling remains the most popular form of transport there are traditional townhouse apartments there are also modern apartment buildings offering more spacious accommodation If you’re lucky you may even find yourself overlooking the zoo Further east towards Dapperbuurt and Indische buurt the housing gets more affordable Most of the accommodation in this area was built as social housing though the demographic now is more diverse traditional Dutch-style homes offer more space for families The islands offer modern apartments and newly built houses Many are modern reimaginings of traditional Amsterdam homes with their own unique appeal Many residents of Oost also opt to live in houseboats on the water itself Oost is best for those who wish to live in a culturally diverse part of the city with plentiful parks Its proximity to open water areas also makes it ideal for fans of watersports Zuidoost may be the Amsterdam district most overlooked by expats It may be a far cry from Amsterdam’s iconic canals and townhouses Zuidoost is a cultural melting pot with a lot to offer Everything in the district is large-scale, from its high-rise apartments and megastores through to the gigantic Johan Cruijff ArenA, home of Amsterdam’s celebrated football team, Ajax Around the stadium is a large entertainment complex of restaurants and shops the district also offers vast green spaces and picturesque waterways born in the 1950s and 1960s in response to a need for more housing in Amsterdam This need resulted in the tall high-rises that populate the district Within the district are the notable residential neighborhoods Bijlmermeer (also called Bijlmer) and Gein The Bijlmer became home to a large Surinamese community when the country gained independence in 1974 The eclectic backgrounds of its residents, combined with the large event spaces located in Zuid-Oost have made the district a hotbed of cultural activity. The highlight is the annual Kwaku Festival with live performances Food lovers will enjoy living in close proximity to the World of Food where 25 kitchens offer international cuisines from all over the globe Cycling from Zuidoost into the center of Amsterdam takes about 45 minutes to an hour There is ample space for parking and a lot of people living in Zuidoost travel by car Most residents in the district live in high-rise apartments. Housing in Zuidoost is cheaper than in other districts in the city, particularly the further out from the center you live. However, the area around the Johan Cruijff ArenA is a little more expensive Amsterdam Zuid is perhaps the most elegant and bourgeois district of the city which is home to Amsterdam’s most iconic museums Zuid also takes in the once working-class De Pijp neighborhood that’s now one of the city’s coolest areas On the western side of the district beyond the southern end of Vondelpark the area is characterized by wide boulevards and the distinctive staircases of its houses It’s a very popular neighborhood with expat families Zuid is the most geared toward expat families Most of Amsterdam’s international schools and businesses are located here Whilst younger internationals may prefer the edginess of De Pijp family-friendly neighborhoods like Apollobuurt and Rivierenbuurt offering woodland areas and plenty of activities the chicest shopping street in Amsterdam where even if your budget won’t allow you to buy The majority of Amsterdam’s international schools and daycare facilities are located in Zuid. It’s also home to the Zuidas Business District where a number of international companies and institutions are based International schools in the district include: Zuid is a mix of grand townhouses, mansions, and distinctive apartment blocks built as part of the 1917 Plan Zuid. These sweeping long blocks are emblematic of the Amsterdamse School of architecture Prices are more reasonable the further towards the ring road you go Zuid is perfect for expat families and young internationals The grandiose streets around Vondelpark and Museumplein might be out of reach for most but Zuid has a great family-friendly feel that blends with its distinctive heritage Cozy and welcoming West roughly lies between three of Amsterdam’s most popular green spaces: Vondelpark the striking buildings of the city’s former gasworks have been transformed into a vibrant cultural hotspot The district encompasses several lively neighborhoods including the lively Oud-West with its many restaurants and independent stores and the culturally diverse Bos en Lommer and De Baarsjes Amsterdam West is historically a residential area and it retains a peaceful vibe Traces of its history remain evident in the mix of architectural styles and repurposing of old buildings particularly around Westerpark and the Oud-West Amsterdam West is incredibly popular with families. In addition to the parks mentioned above, there is also the smaller yet perfectly formed Erasmuspark. Parents can sip a beer at the park’s child-friendly cafe and enjoy tasty food whilst watching their kids play and (for those warmer days) paddling pools are located in West The district also offers plenty of good Dutch schools many of which are popular with expat families The many bars and restaurants of Oud-West attract a vibrant, largely local crowd to their terraces. Meanwhile, every taste and need is catered for at De Hallen Amsterdam’s former tram shed turned food hall and cultural hotspot which also includes a cinema Many expat families happily make use of the many local Dutch schools in the area. To find a local Dutch school with a strong international community, parents can consult the Amsterdam Mama’s Facebook group. Located in De Baarsjes, families can also find De Visserschool For municipal affairs, residents of West can arrange an appointment at the local city office on Bos en Lommerplein The many bars, restaurants, and independent stores of Oud-West’s shopping streets attract a young and vibrant crowd. De Hallen, draws tourists and locals alike for its many culinary and cultural offerings. Just next to the tram shed building is the popular Ten Katemarkt which has an international allure At Westergas, the city’s 19th-century former gasworks, residents and visitors will find trendy bars, restaurants, and pop-up stores. It’s also home to the Ketelhuis (in Dutch) one of Amsterdam West’s many independent cinemas For those who prefer not to cycle, tram and bus routes provide easy connections to the Centrum and around Amsterdam. Amsterdam Sloterdijk station, in the northwest of the district, offers connections to Schiphol, The Hague, and Haarlem though in some areas there are waiting lists there is a good chance you will find a suitable home in West though it’s possible to find a range of sizes to meet your needs being closer to the Centrum and the cultural buzz of Amsterdam are more costly than the largely residential areas of Bos en Lommer and De Baarsjes West offers a cozy and homely slice of Amsterdam life without the inconvenience of the tourist throng and many family activities make it ideal for expat families and young people alike – particularly given its close proximity to the center of town Several waves of construction during the 1950s led to the creation of Amsterdam’s Nieuw-West district Stretching west from Rembrandtpark through the neighborhoods of Osdorp the district is notable for its open green spaces and lakeside tranquility Purpose-built residencies and innovative high-rises were built with the creation of a new community in mind The district is also home to two of the city’s largest lakes (Sloterplas and Nieuwe Meer) and even has its own nature reserves Its green spaces combined with its proximity to the center make the Nieuw-West popular amongst families and sports enthusiasts Limited international stores can be found at Osdorpplein and Akerpoort residents will find plentiful international produce along Burgemeester de Vlugtlaan There are a number of good schools in the district, including the DENISE International School which offers bilingual learning, and the Japanese International School Residents of Nieuw-West can enjoy reliable and frequent transport connections to the rest of Amsterdam. Lelylaan station also offers fast train connections to Schiphol, Rotterdam, and The Hague Many newer properties include parking facilities and there are also on-street parking options cycling to the city center can take up to an hour It’s possible to find more affordable apartments and even houses in Nieuw-West particularly as you travel further away from the center Living in Nieuw-West is ideal for nature lovers and those who prefer quieter and more affordable living whilst still being within a reasonable distance of the city center It’s also a good option for anyone needing fast connections to Schiphol and cities in the west Amsterdam is recognized as the second safest city in Europe by the 2021 Safe Cities Index It is virtually free from violent crime and there is little need for expats to consider crime rates when choosing a neighborhood in Amsterdam there are also fewer traffic accidents in Amsterdam than in other cities all neighborhoods in the Amsterdam area enjoy good transport connections making them suitable options for most families As a city with 881,000 bikes it’s no surprise that the most common crime in Amsterdam is bike theft this happens throughout the city and isn’t exclusive to any particular neighborhood Expats contemplating which neighborhoods to avoid needn’t consider safety issues as a deciding factor and the general feel of a neighborhood are more appropriate considerations Expats who have secured jobs prior to arriving in Amsterdam may benefit from discussing places to live with their colleagues proximity to the workplace may be a guiding factor For families with children, the Amsterdam Mamas website is an invaluable resource. There is an endless amount of information available on this site. Their Facebook page also contains many live discussions over schools in each neighborhood with a particular focus on the needs of expat families Shanthy is a writer and documentary producer with ten years of experience making films for the BBC and Channel 4 Born in London to Sri Lankan/Malaysian parents She also writes fiction and was a finalist on Penguin’s Write Now scheme We explain the complex secondary school system in the Netherlands including the three public streams and various international options You can claim different types of child benefits in the Netherlands Confused by the primary school system in the Netherlands from educational approaches to international options Officers’ union then deploys its own observers to monitor the civilian observers after feeling insulted A policy of randomly frisking people on the streets of Amsterdam is being trialled by police in response to a rise in youth gun crime but the police union has objected to the involvement of civilian observers To assuage fears that the searches will involve ethnic profiling a team of civilian monitors has been deployed tasked with reporting on any suspicious patterns But the police union – irritated by what they regard as an insult to their professionalism – has deployed their own observers to observe the civilian observers “We do not find it acceptable that there are civilian observers”, said Jan Struijs, the chairman of the Dutch Police Association after a meeting with the mayor of Amsterdam “That feeds mistrust and there is no reason to doubt the trust of the police “We as police unions will send professional observers from our own ranks,” Struijs added “We will also make our own report because we have no confidence in these civilian observers.” the police is conducting “preventative frisking” in five parts of the city where there is evidence of an increase in gun ownership: Bijlmer-Centrum The plan had been criticised by Amnesty International which insisted on the use of monitors as a safeguard against racial profiling In a survey conducted in 2020 by the local authorities more than half of the respondents said they believed that such profiling played a role in their contact with the police a spokesperson for Amnesty said steps had been taken in the right direction in response to its concerns about the policy with 45 civilians being used to supervise the police every umpteenth passerby is checked,” the Amnesty spokesperson said “In this way ethnic profiling could be prevented we will continue to look critically at the radical actions that will take place in the coming days.” Halsema has faced the opposition of a majority of Amsterdam’s city council over the initiative but she has said it is necessary given an increase of crimes involving guns Participation is mandatory if requested by a police officer families and people over 65 will not be subject to searches As rush hour came to a close Monday morning in the Dapperbuurt the Amsterdam Oost neighborhood largely felt like it had returned to business as usual the regulars streamed into Cafe Kuijper for their 9 a.m coffee even as renovation crews were hard at work repairing the damage in the neighborhood from a weekend explosion The blast happened at around 5:10 a.m. on Sunday in front of the Smoke Palace a local coffeeshop that was also targeted in an attack in mid January NL Times screened security camera footage from one local business that showed a sudden burst of light followed seconds later by large clouds of smoke that reduced visibility to nil the local residents and business owners seemed to feel like the apparent bombing was more of an irritant than terrifying It doesn’t make me afraid; there seems to be a lot of violence in the soft drugs trade,” said area resident Anne-Marieke Samson but it’s a separate world that doesn’t involve you.” She said she was at home at the time of the incident but she had not heard the blast when it took place and was finishing setting up the terrace and opening up the cozy cafe for her customers the restaurant had no visible damage unlike the neighboring pharmacy The former Dapperbuurt resident was friendly and jovial with her clientele and moved around the bar and seating area completely unaffected by the weekend incident is that this time the explosive was left closer to the sidewalk where innocent passers-by were much more likely to be injured For that reason alone she said it was a bit frightening She added that she would like to see access to drugs in The Netherlands become more legalized and regulated in the hope it would cut down on the violence and extortion practices that affect higher-risk businesses like coffeeshops “That’s why you should actually legalize any drug,” she said “Weed not being legal just doesn’t make any sense Local resident Erhan was live on streaming service Twitch when the explosion happened His viewers therefore heard the blast on his channel Padisha Erhan nearly had a heart attack when the blast happened The sound of the blast can clearly be heard on Pardisha's stream He went outside and filmed the damage and the first police cars arriving That video can be seen at the bottom of this article “I can imagine it must be scary for [expats] when explaining why the incident did not have an impact on her two different repairmen were removing shards of shattered plate glass from a storefront and preparing to re-install new window panes a crew was assessing how to fix the doorway of an apartment building that was blown out over the weekend maybe I got too used to it,” she added with a laugh before cycling away Despite starting construction on over 5,000 homes in 2023 Amsterdam fell short of its ambitious goal of 7,500 new units highlighting ongoing challenges in addressing the city's chronic housing shortage "These are tough times for housing construction and we notice that," admitted Housing Construction Alderman Reinier van Dantzig we're doing well thanks to hard work by all parties." the shortfall underscores the difficulties posed by rising inflation combined with uncertainties surrounding rental market legislation and high interest rates especially in the mid-priced rental segment where construction lagged behind expectations The construction of mid-priced rental units crucial for young professionals and middle-income families Builders started work on 314 new rental homes in the middle segment with monthly rental rates between 808.06 and 1,175.72 euros Construction also started on 731 expensive rental homes The city said construction started on about 1,300 owner-occupied homes 45 were intended to have a price tag below 355,000 euros Furthermore, Van Dantzig warned that the upcoming year "will also be a difficult year for housing construction." The city needs tens of thousands of new housing units by 2030, while the Netherlands as a whole was grappling with a shortage of about 390,000 homes in mid-2022 To tackle this, the country wanted to stimulate the construction of 100,000 units per year, but fell well short of that total last year. About 73,000 homes were built last year Amsterdam's political leadership remains determined to "vigorously" increase construction Van Dantzig announced the extension of several measures aimed at stimulating development including a scheme to moderate price indexation into 2024 a program offering a 10% discount on land prices for projects transforming existing properties into housing and the possibility of reducing land prices for other projects that haven't yet begun construction "The municipality is dependent on market parties private individuals and housing associations for the construction of homes In-depth consultations were held with investors in the city about stimulating housing construction," resulting in an agreement last year where parties agreed to use their influence to urgently address the Amsterdam housing crisis A fire broke out in an apartment building on Roomtuintjes in Amsterdam on Thursday evening Seven people were treated for smoke inhalation The authorities believe the fire started in a kitchen on the third floor of the building A bystander told the Amsterdam broadcaster that the home was completely destroyed The residents of the building were evacuated and checked over by paramedics A second explosion at coffeeshop Smoke Palace on Linnaeusstraat in Amsterdam Oost on Sunday Het Parool reports based on information from sources is on an underworld death list and his own company was targeted in the past it seems obvious that the family relationship may be the motive for two recent bombings at the coffeeshop one on Sunday and one during the early hours of January 13th Especially given the fact that Mohamed el Y Mustapha el Y.'s car rental company on Zeeburg was already the target of arson "several reliable sources" told the newspaper The man was warned multiple times that rivals wanted to kill him The reason seems to be a conflict in soft drug trafficking the city of Amsterdam did not close the Smoke Palace This partly had to do with the fact that the business was undergoing renovations at the time Sunday's explosion happened at around 5:10 a.m The blast blew the doors off two buildings next to the coffeeshop smashed holes in facades and window frames and shattered windows hundreds of meters away The police are still investigating what type of explosive was involved Investigators call on witnesses to come forward Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema visited the site of the explosion on Sunday afternoon Fortunately it only involved material damage but you do see that there is real havoc in the homes The mayor could not tell the broadcaster whether the coffeeshop will be closed after this second blast "So far it is a coffee shop that is well regarded And that is also the image that residents give They are all really very fond of the owner and the coffeeshop." But she added: "Two explosions really are too many." While the explosion shook local residents on Sunday, the Dapperbuurt was pretty much back to normal on Monday morning. Renovation crews were still clearing away debris and repairing the damage, but residents of the Amsterdam Oost neighborhood largely went about their business as usual.