Daily budget in Amsterdam: three levels
The table below gives rough figures per person per day, based on two people sharing a room. It includes tourist tax, local transport, one paid visit a day and three meals. Your flight or train to Amsterdam is not included.
| Cost (per person per day) | Budget | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (room shared by two, taxes included) | €45 to €70 (dorm bed or hotel outside the centre) | €100 to €150 | €200 and up |
| Local transport | €0 to €10 (walking, free ferries) | €10 to €16 | €16 or the odd taxi |
| Museums and visits | €0 to €17 | €25 | €25 to €50 |
| Meals | €30 to €40 | €55 to €80 | €100 and up |
| Indicative total | €80 to €135 | €190 to €270 | €340 and up |
Prices observed in October 2026. Accommodation prices vary a great deal with the season: they rise in spring (tulip season, King's Day on 27 April) and in summer, and fall from November to March, except over Christmas and New Year. To choose your dates, see the best time to visit Amsterdam.
Accommodation: the biggest expense
Accommodation often accounts for half the budget. Book early, especially for a spring or summer weekend: supply in the centre is limited and prices climb as the date approaches. To compare areas, read our guide on where to stay in Amsterdam.
Tourist tax and VAT in 2026
Amsterdam's tourist tax (toeristenbelasting) in 2026 is 12.5% of the room price excluding VAT. It applies to hotels, hostels, B&Bs, holiday lets, short-stay rentals and campsites. Most booking sites show it separately, and it is often paid on arrival.
VAT on accommodation has been 21% since 1 January 2026, up from 9%. Example: for a room charged at €200 before tax, expect €25 in tourist tax and €42 in VAT, making €267 a night. Always check whether the price shown includes taxes before comparing two offers.
How to pay less
- Stay in Amsterdam-Noord, Oost or West, which are well linked to the centre by metro, tram or ferry.
- Choose Sunday to Thursday nights, which are often cheaper than Friday and Saturday.
- Hostels offer dorm beds and private rooms; they remain the most reliable way to stick to a tight budget.
Transport: GVB tickets and visitor passes
Central Amsterdam is easy to explore on foot. The GVB ferries that cross the IJ behind Central Station are free for pedestrians and cyclists. For trams, buses and the metro, there are three options. How the network works is explained in our guide to getting around Amsterdam.
- Contactless bank card (OVpay): you tap in when you board and tap out when you get off. A journey costs a €1.16 base fare plus €0.217 per kilometre, about €1.80 for a 3 km trip.
- GVB 1-hour ticket: €3.40, sold in the GVB app, at ticket machines in metro stations and from the conductor on trams that have one (card payment only).
- GVB 24 to 168-hour pass: unlimited travel on GVB trams, buses, metro and night buses, from your first check-in.
| Ticket | 2026 price |
|---|---|
| GVB 1-hour ticket | €3.40 |
| GVB 24-hour pass | €10 |
| GVB 48-hour pass | €16 |
| GVB 72-hour pass | €21.50 |
| GVB 96-hour pass | €27.50 |
| GVB 120-hour pass | €34 |
| GVB 144-hour pass | €39 |
| GVB 168-hour pass | €43 |
| Amsterdam Travel Ticket 1, 2 or 3 days | €20, €27, €34 |
| Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket 1, 2 or 3 days | €23, €34, €44 |
Prices observed in October 2026. The Amsterdam Travel Ticket adds second-class train travel between Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam's stations to the GVB network: it is worth it if you fly in or out while it is valid (see getting from Schiphol to central Amsterdam). The Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket also covers regional buses and trains: Zaanse Schans, Volendam, Muiden. Both passes run on calendar days, from midnight to 4am the next morning, not in 24-hour blocks.
If you expect fewer than three journeys a day, paying per trip with your card works out cheaper than a 24-hour pass.
Museums: admission prices and discount cards
Amsterdam's major museums can only be visited with a time slot booked online, and they are free for under-18s. Make your bookings before you travel.
| Museum or card | Adult | Under 18 | With a Museumkaart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rijksmuseum | €25 | free | free (booking required) |
| Van Gogh Museum | €25 | free | free (booking required) |
| Anne Frank House | €16.50 | €7 (ages 10-17), €1 (ages 0-9) | €1 |
| I amsterdam City Card 24 to 120 hours | €67 to €140 | reduced rate (ages 4-17), check iamsterdam.com | not applicable |
| Museumkaart | €75 | €39 | not applicable |
Prices observed in October 2026. Anne Frank House tickets, including a €1 booking fee, are sold online only; they are released every Tuesday at 10am for visits six weeks later.
I amsterdam City Card or Museumkaart?
The I amsterdam City Card costs €67 for 24 hours, €94 for 48 hours, €115 for 72 hours, €130 for 96 hours and €140 for 120 hours. It includes GVB transport, a canal cruise, bike hire and entry to more than 70 museums and attractions, including the Rijksmuseum. It does not give access to the Van Gogh Museum and offers no discount at the Anne Frank House. An Explorer version, without transport, gives 3, 5 or 7 activities for €44, €69 or €95.
The Museumkaart gives access to more than 500 Dutch museums for a year. Visitors from abroad can buy a temporary card at a participating museum, valid for 31 days and up to 5 visits. It pays off if you plan at least three or four paid museums: the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum already cost €50 between them.
Meals: what to allow for
The food budget depends mostly on dinner. Here is where the main savings can be made.
- Breakfast: often extra at hotels; a coffee and a pastry from a bakery or a supermarket sandwich costs less.
- Lunch: a sandwich, soup or dish of the day in a neighbourhood café; markets sell cheap snacks, such as herring or stroopwafels at the Albert Cuyp Market.
- Dinner: a neighbourhood restaurant costs much less than the places on the tourist streets around Dam Square and Leidseplein.
- Drinks: tap water is safe to drink; a refillable bottle saves buying bottled water.
Supermarkets in the centre (Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Dirk) sell salads, sandwiches and ready meals. A picnic in the Vondelpark is an easy option on fine days.
Service is included in the bill in the Netherlands; tipping customs are covered in our guide to money, payments and tipping in Amsterdam.
Tips for saving money in Amsterdam
- Book museums in advance: time slots at the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House fill up quickly, and a missed visit often means paying for a more expensive replacement activity.
- Do the maths before buying a card: the City Card only pays off if you fit in several included visits every day. With three major museums and little transport, the Museumkaart or single tickets work out cheaper.
- Use the free ferries to Amsterdam-Noord and the NDSM area.
- Make the most of free outings: parks, markets, canal-side walks, the Begijnhof courtyard. Our selection of free things to do in Amsterdam lists twenty.
- Pay in euros when a card terminal offers to convert the amount into your home currency: the conversion offered on the spot is almost always more expensive than your bank's.
- Avoid restaurants with touts and menus with no prices shown on the busiest tourist streets.
Further reading
To plan the rest of your stay, see our Amsterdam in 3 days itinerary, the guide to getting around Amsterdam and our advice on paying by card and tipping. If you are staying near the Albert Cuyp Market, the guide to De Pijp has places to eat at reasonable prices.
