How much spending money do you need in Amsterdam?
A budget trip to Amsterdam costs between €40 and €90 per day, including accommodation, food, and transport. You can keep costs down by using the OVpay daily transit cap of €10.00, eating fresh supermarket meals from Albert Heijn or Jumbo, and exploring free attractions like Vondelpark and the NDSM Wharf. Mid-range travellers who want private rooms, restaurant meals, and a couple of museum visits should plan on €130–170 per day.
| Budget tier | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra-budget | €40–50 | Hostel dorm, supermarket meals, walking + free attractions |
| Moderate | €70–90 | Budget hotel, market lunches + restaurant dinner, 1–2 museums |
| Mid-range | €130–170 | Private room, restaurant meals, multiple attractions + canal cruise |
Tax note (2026): Amsterdam charges 12.5% tourist tax plus 21% VAT on accommodation — a combined 33.5% tax burden since January 2026. A room advertised at €200/night costs approximately €267 after taxes. Always check whether a listed price includes or excludes tax.
Daily cost breakdown
| Category | Ultra-budget (€40–50/day) | Moderate (€70–90/day) |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | Hostel dorm, €25–30/night, shared facilities | Budget hotel or private room, €45–60/night |
| Food | Supermarket + market meals, €15–20/day (Albert Heijn sandwiches €2–4, market food €4–8) | Market lunches + restaurant dinner, €25–35/day |
| Transport | Walking + occasional tram, €3–5/day (OVpay cap €10.00 when needed) | Unlimited GVB transport via the €10.00 OVpay daily cap |
| Activities | Free attractions + parks, €0–5/day | 1–2 museums or attractions, €20–30/day (Van Gogh Museum €27, canal cruise €15+) |
Free things to do
Amsterdam has 165 canals totalling over 100 km — exploring them costs nothing. These are the free experiences locals actually rate, split into parks, historic sites, and markets. Browse more no-cost ideas in our local gems directory and curated lists.
- Vondelpark — Amsterdam’s Central Park, with free concerts in summer (June–August)
- Westerpark — local favourite with cultural events
- Oosterpark — diverse neighbourhood park, less touristy
- Begijnhof — hidden medieval courtyard in the city centre
- Amsterdam School architecture — self-guided walking tour
- Zuiderkerk — historic church where Rembrandt is buried
- Free GVB ferry to Amsterdam Noord — doubles as a scenic harbour tour, with NDSM Wharf street art on the far shore
- Albert Cuyp Market — daily except Sunday, great for people watching
- Noordermarkt — Saturday antiques, Monday textiles; plus Nieuwmarkt’s Saturday organic market
Cheap food under €10
Albert Cuyp Market and neighbourhood supermarkets (Albert Heijn, Jumbo) are the best value. Fresh sandwiches cost €2–4 at supermarket counters and hot meals €4–6, while discount chains like ALDI and Lidl sell €1–3 meals. Student areas like De Pijp have budget eateries with mains under €10, and Surinamese and Turkish restaurants serve large portions at low prices. Happy hours at local brown cafés run 17:00–19:00 with €2–3 beers. Avoid restaurants near Damrak and Central Station.
| Cheap eat | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Stroopwafels | Fresh from Albert Cuyp Market | €2–3 |
| Herring sandwich | Traditional street food stands | €3–5 |
| Market falafel | Various markets | €4–6 |
| Turkish pizza (lahmacun) | Local Turkish places | €3–5 |
| Vietnamese pho | Restaurant De Pho, large bowls | €8–9 |
| Fries | Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx | €3–5 |
| Gourmet fried chicken | Bird Snackbar | €6–10 |
| Pakistani cuisine | Restaurant Sarkars | €7–9 |
| Dutch comfort food | Café Restaurant Amsterdam | €8–12 |
Save on transport
Walking is free, and Amsterdam is highly walkable — most attractions are within 20 minutes on foot. For longer distances, public transport beats taxis every time. See our full Amsterdam transportation guide for routes, tickets, and the March 2026 tram changes.
- OVpay GVB Max — €10.00/day cap for unlimited trams, buses, and metro
- Single tram/bus ride — €3.40 (1-hour ticket)
- Free ferry — to Amsterdam Noord, with harbour views
- Night bus — cheaper than taxis after midnight
How the OVpay daily cap works
The OVpay daily cap is an automatic fare limit that ensures you never pay more than €10.00 per day for GVB public transit within Amsterdam. Instead of buying paper tickets, you simply tap your contactless debit card, credit card, or phone to ride GVB trams, buses, and metros.
- Use one card: choose one contactless bank card or mobile wallet (Apple Pay or Google Wallet) and use it for the entire day.
- Always tap in and tap out: tap the card reader when you board, and tap the exact same card when you exit.
- Hit the cap automatically: once your individual trips add up to €10.00 in a single day, you ride free for the rest of the day.
Local tip: the cap only applies to GVB transit (the blue and white trams, buses, and metros) inside the city. It does not cover the NS train from Schiphol Airport, GVB night buses, or regional Connexxion buses. And do not tap in with your phone and tap out with your physical card — the system registers two incomplete journeys and charges you twice.
Bike rental tips
- Avoid tourist bike shops near Central Station — local neighbourhood shops charge €9–15/day versus €18+ at tourist outlets
- Some hostels include bike rental in their price
- Weekly and multi-day rates offer better value than day rates
Cheapest places to stay
Hostel dorm beds start at €25–35/night in the off-season (January–February) and rise to €50–70 in peak summer. Budget hotels outside the canal ring cost €80–120/night. Staying in Haarlem (15 minutes by train, €5.50) or Zaandam cuts accommodation costs by 20–30%. Book at least 4–6 weeks ahead for summer stays, and compare areas in our neighbourhood guide.
- Book directly — often cheaper than booking sites, with no platform service fees
- Weekday stays — significantly cheaper than weekends
- Shared facilities — kitchen access saves restaurant costs
- Alternative options — nearby towns (Haarlem, Leiden, 15–30 min by train), house sitting, or summer university housing
Budget hotels and hostels
Amsterdam has several well-rated budget hostels and hotels where you can keep accommodation costs under €50/night (before the 33.5% tax). These properties consistently score well with budget travellers.
| Property | Type & location | Price |
|---|---|---|
| ClinkNOORD | Modern hostel in Amsterdam Noord — free ferry from Centraal (5 min), bar + café on-site | €30–50/night dorm |
| Generator Amsterdam | Oosterpark location, lively atmosphere, near Tropenmuseum | €28–45/night dorm |
| Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark | Inside Vondelpark, Museum Quarter access, family rooms available | €32–55/night dorm |
| Hans Brinker Hostel | Leidseplein area, walkable to everything, budget-famous since 1970 | €35–60/night dorm |
| MEININGER Amsterdam City West | Hotel-hostel hybrid near Sloterdijk, kitchen access, good transit links | €65–95/night private |
| Hotels near Sloterdijk Station | Chains like ibis budget, 10 min to centre by train, airport-accessible | €70–100/night private |
Money-saving apps
- Too Good To Go — discounted food from restaurants and bakeries; save 50–70% on meals after closing hours
- 9292 — public transport planning with real-time schedules and price comparisons
- Foursquare/Yelp — find happy hour deals and specials with price filters
- Meetup — free social events, language exchanges, walking tours, and local meetups
Sample budget day: free Amsterdam for about €10
- 09:00 — Jordaan neighbourhood walk (2 hours, free): explore authentic local streets and canals
- 12:00 — Lunch in Vondelpark (1 hour, €3–5): supermarket sandwich and people watching
- 14:00 — Begijnhof + Nine Streets (3 hours, free): hidden courtyard and window shopping
- 17:00 — Albert Cuyp Market + canal walk (2 hours, free): market browsing and an evening canal stroll — use OVpay, since the daily GVB cap is €10.00
Want a full multi-day plan built around your own interests and budget? Try our free Amsterdam itinerary planner.
Frequently asked questions
How much spending money do you need for Amsterdam?
Budget travellers need €40–90 per day for spending money in Amsterdam (excluding flights). This breaks down to €25–35 for a hostel dorm, €15–20 for supermarket meals, €10.00 maximum for unlimited public transport via OVpay, and €0–27 for one attraction. Mid-range travellers spending on private rooms, restaurant meals, and two museum visits typically need €130–170 per day. All accommodation prices attract a 33.5% combined tax (tourist tax + 21% VAT) since January 2026.
What’s the cheapest way to get around Amsterdam?
Walking is free and Amsterdam is highly walkable — most attractions are within 20 minutes on foot. For longer distances, tap a contactless card capped at €10.00/day via GVB Max. A single tram ride costs €3.40. Bike rental from a local shop costs €9–15/day — far cheaper than tourist-area outlets (€18+). The free GVB ferry to Amsterdam Noord doubles as a scenic harbour tour. Avoid taxis — they are expensive.
Are there any free museums in Amsterdam?
The Rijksmuseum (€27) is free for under-18s. The OBA public library on Oosterdokseiland has panoramic city views from the 7th floor for free. Begijnhof, many churches, and some galleries have no admission fee. STRAAT Museum at NDSM sometimes offers free entry days. The I amsterdam City Card covers 70+ museums — but excludes the Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House (since June 2022).
Is the I amsterdam City Card worth it for budget travellers?
The I amsterdam City Card costs €65/day or €85 for two days. It covers unlimited GVB transit plus free entry to 70+ museums — including the Rijksmuseum (normally €27). However, it excludes the Van Gogh Museum (€27) and Anne Frank House (€16). It breaks even after four paid attractions in a single day; otherwise individual tickets are cheaper. Run the numbers for your own trip with our city card calculator.
What changed about Amsterdam accommodation taxes in 2026?
From 1 January 2026, Dutch VAT on accommodation rose from 9% to 21%. Combined with Amsterdam’s existing 12.5% tourist tax, the total effective tax burden is now approximately 33.5% — making Amsterdam one of the most taxed destinations in Europe. A room advertised at €200/night costs approximately €267 after taxes. Additionally, from April 2026, eight central neighbourhoods (including Jordaan and Oude Pijp) face a reduced short-term rental cap of 15 nights per year, down from 30 — which may further reduce affordable supply in popular areas.
What’s the cheapest time of year to visit Amsterdam?
January and February are the most affordable months: hotel rates drop 30–40% below summer peak, canal cruise queues are short, and museums have no waiting lines. The main drawbacks are shorter daylight hours and cold, rainy weather. April (tulip season, Keukenhof) and September–October offer a balance of mild weather, manageable crowds, and mid-range pricing. Check monthly conditions in our Amsterdam weather guide.