Neighborhoods in Amsterdam

The most coveted address in Amsterdam and one of the most sought-after urban neighborhoods in the Netherlands. The Jordaan was built in the 17th century for artisans and canal workers and is now home to some of the most expensive real estate in the country. Narrow cobbled streets, independent galleries, the Nine Streets shopping area, exceptional cafes and restaurants, and canal-side houses that photograph beautifully from every angle. It is genuinely one of the finest places to live in any European city, and priced accordingly. A one-bedroom starts at around 1,800 euros and rises quickly. Most expats who end up here are senior professionals or have been in Amsterdam long enough to know someone with a good deal. If budget is not the constraint, there is nowhere better.

The UNESCO World Heritage canal ring is the most architecturally spectacular address in Amsterdam. Living on or immediately behind the three main canals means narrow houses with steep stairs, views across the water, and the most prestigious postcode in the city. Apartments are often awkwardly laid out because the historic buildings were designed for 17th-century merchants rather than modern tenants, but the setting is unmatched anywhere in the Netherlands. This is where Amsterdam’s wealthiest residents, senior diplomats and international executives live. Availability is consistently low and rents are among the highest in the city. Not a neighborhood in the living sense so much as an address.

Amsterdam’s most energetic and internationally mixed neighborhood, built in the 19th century for the working class and now home to a young, creative, highly international population. The Albert Cuyp market runs through its heart six days a week. The restaurant and bar scene is exceptional and notably less tourist-oriented than the Jordaan. De Pijp is where the city’s food culture is most alive: independent places opened by chefs who actually live in the neighborhood, not operators targeting visitors. It is the natural first landing zone for expats who want to be embedded in Amsterdam’s social fabric from day one. Rents are high but slightly below the Jordaan for comparable space. The neighborhood has changed significantly in the last decade and is still changing.

The neighborhood where many expats end up once they have done the sums on rent versus space versus quality of life. Oud-West is practical, pleasant and genuinely livable in a way that the more iconic areas sometimes are not. Good schools, the Ten Kate Markt, independent shops on Overtoom and Kinkerstraat, a growing restaurant scene and a cycling distance of around 10 minutes to anywhere in the centre. The architecture is a mix of late 19th-century housing, larger apartments and some modern infill. Rents are lower than the Jordaan for comparable space. It is not as immediately photogenic as the canal ring but it is where people who intend to stay in Amsterdam for more than a year tend to gravitate. A genuine neighborhood where locals and expats coexist without too much friction.

The most rapidly changing neighborhood in Amsterdam and the best value of any area with genuine character. Noord was industrial and largely ignored a decade ago. Now it has the EYE Film Institute, the A’DAM Tower, the NDSM creative wharf, Pllek beach bar, an increasing number of good restaurants and the most affordable rents of any desirable area close to the centre. The free GVB ferry from Amsterdam Centraal takes five minutes and runs 24 hours. Noord attracts artists, musicians, young families priced out of the south and a growing international crowd who have done the research. The gap between what you pay and what you get is the largest of any Amsterdam neighborhood. The main limitation is that the ferry is the only direct connection; non-cyclists may find it feels slightly disconnected.

A large, diverse and underestimated part of the city that is significantly more affordable than the west side while still being genuinely well-connected. Amsterdam Oost covers several sub-neighborhoods: the leafy Plantage with Artis zoo and the Hortus Botanicus; the Dappermarkt area, which has one of the best daily markets in the city and a large Surinamese and Moroccan community; and the Indische Buurt, which has gentrified noticeably and now has an independent cafe and restaurant scene. Oosterpark is one of the finest parks in Amsterdam and sits at the heart of the neighborhood. Popular with families, longer-term residents and expats who have moved beyond the initial instinct toward the Jordaan or De Pijp. More space for the money and a more local character.

Immediately west of the Jordaan and noticeably more affordable, De Baarsjes and the adjacent Bos en Lommer have gentrified significantly over the last decade. Jan Pieter Heijestraat has a growing independent restaurant and bar scene that increasingly rivals the Jordaan without the Jordaan prices. The housing stock is similar in period and character to Oud-West. Cycling to the Jordaan takes five minutes; cycling to the centre takes ten. Rents are meaningfully lower than Oud-West for similar apartments, making it one of the shrewdest choices for expats who want to be close to the city’s most desirable area without paying its prices. A sensible, underrated option that rewards those willing to look one neighborhood west of where most people look.

One of Amsterdam’s most underrated neighborhoods for expats: leafy, quiet, well-located and with a character that feels genuinely residential rather than transitional. The Plantage was built in the 19th century as a prosperous, tree-lined area and still has that quality. Wide streets, large apartments by Amsterdam standards, and immediate proximity to Artis zoo, the Hortus Botanicus, the Jewish Historical Museum and the Hermitage (see our attractions guide). Wertheimpark is a quiet neighborhood green space. The area is calm without being dull and attracts professionals and academics who prioritize quality of life over proximity to nightlife. Rents are comparable to De Pijp but the apartments tend to be larger and less sought-after by the younger demographic, which means less competition.

The most affluent residential neighborhood in Amsterdam, south of the canal ring and wrapping around Vondelpark. Amsterdam Zuid is where the city’s old money lives: large apartment buildings with high ceilings and proper staircases, the Concertgebouw, the Rijksmuseum at one end and the Vondelpark stretching through the middle. PC Hooftstraat is the luxury shopping street. It is a quieter and more formal neighborhood than De Pijp or the Jordaan, popular with senior professionals, families with school-age children and diplomats. Rents are high and the character is restrained. For expats arriving with families and wanting proximity to the International School of Amsterdam, it is a natural fit.

An increasingly popular area for expats who have identified that the blocks immediately around Westerpark offer Jordaan-adjacent character at noticeably lower rents. The Staatsliedenbuurt is dense and urban with good independent shops and cafes along the main streets. Westerpark itself, with the Westergasfabriek festival venue, is a strong daily amenity. The neighborhood connects naturally into the Jordaan to the south and into Amsterdam West. It lacks the immediate charm of the canal ring but offers solid livability at a fairer price than its neighbors. Popular with a slightly older creative demographic: designers, architects, people in media and film who work from home and want proximity to both the Jordaan and Noord without committing to either.

A calm, spacious neighborhood immediately south of De Pijp with a very different character: wider streets, larger apartments, more green space and a quieter daily pace. The Rivierenbuurt was built in the 1920s and 1930s in the Amsterdam School architectural style and has a distinctive, cohesive look. Martin Luther King Park and the Amstel river are both nearby. It is popular with families who want De Pijp’s location without De Pijp’s density and noise. The RAI convention centre is on its western edge, which can bring conference traffic but also excellent public transport links. Rents are comparable to De Pijp but apartments are consistently larger. A neighborhood that rewards expats willing to look one stop further south on the tram.

Amsterdam has one of the tightest rental markets in Europe. Good apartments go within hours of being listed, often within the same morning. Use Funda and Pararius for listings. Most expats work with a rental agent (makelaar) who charges one month’s rent as a fee but provides access to listings before they go public and moves faster through the process than private tenants searching alone. Budget for at least two months’ deposit plus the first month’s rent upfront. Furnished apartments are widely available for expats but carry a significant premium over unfurnished. Start your search at least six weeks before your planned move date.

Dutch housing is divided between sociale huurwoningen (social housing with regulated rents below roughly 900 euros per month) and the vrije sector (free market). Social housing in Amsterdam has waiting lists of 10 to 15 years and is not a realistic option for expats. Almost all international residents rent in the vrije sector. Since 2024, a new mid-rental category (middenhuur) caps rents on some properties below around 1,100 euros per month. This category is worth looking for if you qualify and are willing to be flexible on location. Any landlord offering a central one-bedroom for under 1,100 euros in the free market should be viewed with scepticism.

Amsterdam is small and flat. Most neighborhoods in this guide are 10 to 20 minutes from the centre by bicycle. Almost everyone in Amsterdam cycles; your real commute time is measured by bike, not by public transport or car. Do not over-optimise for a prestigious address at the cost of space or budget. A larger apartment in Noord or Oost will almost always provide a better quality of life than a small one in the Jordaan. The neighborhoods that represent the best value (Noord, De Baarsjes, Oost) are not a long way from anything that matters.

Expats moving with school-age children face an additional constraint: proximity to international schools. The main English-language options are the International School of Amsterdam (ISA) in Amstelveen, the British School of Amsterdam in Amsterdam Zuid, and the Amsterdam International Community School in Amsterdam West. Most families in these schools cluster in Amsterdam Zuid, Oud-West, the Rivierenbuurt and De Pijp. Amsterdam Noord and the Indische Buurt are less commonly chosen by families with young children attending international schools, though the commutes are manageable by bike or public transport. School places, particularly at ISA, should be secured well in advance of the move.