Amsterdam alone is home to roughly 180,000 international residents — nearly 20% of the city (Gemeente Amsterdam / OpenResearch, 2025). Yet most of them face the same question in their first month: how do you actually move your stuff across a Dutch city without overpaying or getting stuck on a narrow street?
However, the answer isn't one company — it's picking the right type of move for your home, your budget, and your city. This guide compares the real options for expats in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag, Utrecht, and Eindhoven, with the city-specific traps that catch newcomers.
By the end, you'll know which moving option fits your situation and roughly what it costs in 2026.
Key Takeaways
- A man-with-a-van studio move runs about €90–€150; full-service averages €900–€1,600 (iamexpat, 2026).
- Amsterdam needs a paid moving parking permit (RVV/TVM) — roughly €277–€500, applied for 6–7 working days ahead (Professional Moving Company, 2026).
- For canal houses, a furniture lift (~€145/hour) hoists items through the window — a separate service from street-level transport.
- Match the option to the move: van for a room, crew for an apartment, full-service for a family home.
What Moving Options Do Expats Actually Have?
Expats in the Netherlands choose from four main options: DIY van rental, a man-with-a-van, a two-person crew with a truck, or a full-service mover (iamexpat, 2026). Each suits a different home size and budget. Notably, the gap between the cheapest and priciest is large.
A man-with-a-van is a driver plus a van, hired by the hour, who handles transport and street-level loading. Full-service means a crew that packs, loads, transports, unloads, and unpacks. In our experience, most expats overpay by defaulting to full-service when a van would have done the job.
Here's the quick decision rule. Moving a room or studio? A van wins. A one- or two-bedroom apartment with furniture? A two-person crew. A whole family home with a packing service? Full-service earns its price.
For a room or studio move, our man-with-a-van service is quoted at €49/hour with a 1.5-hour minimum and fuel billed separately — no full-crew premium for a job that doesn't need a crew.
How Much Does Each Moving Option Cost in 2026?
In 2026, moving costs range from about €60 for a DIY van rental to €1,600 or more for a full-service family move (iamexpat, 2026). The single biggest cost driver is how much labour you buy, not the distance.
For example, a DIY self-drive van is cheapest on paper — roughly €60–€120 for a day plus fuel — but you carry everything, and there's rarely English-speaking support. In addition, a man-with-a-van studio move lands at €90–€150. A two-person crew move for an apartment runs €300–€500, while full-service averages €900–€1,600.
Our team compared quotes across these tiers and found the same pattern every time: the labour, not the kilometres, sets the price. For the full budget picture, see our 2026 Netherlands moving costs guide.
What Does an Hourly Rate Actually Buy?
Hourly rates scale with crew size: a van and driver is about €49/hour, a two-person crew €80–€120, and a three-person crew around €155 (iamexpat, 2026). Meanwhile, more hands means faster loading, but you pay for every pair.
That said, the trap is booking more crew than the job needs. A well-packed studio doesn't move faster with three movers — it just costs more per hour. Therefore, the hourly model rewards expats who pack their own boxes and stage them by the door before the van arrives.
Not sure which service level fits? Our guide on how to get an accurate moving quote breaks down exactly what a quote should itemise before you compare prices.
Which Option Fits Your City?
City logistics change the math more than most expats expect. Amsterdam requires a paid moving parking permit and often a furniture lift; Rotterdam and Eindhoven are far more van-friendly. As a result, the same studio move can cost more in the centre of Amsterdam than a bigger move in Rotterdam.
Let's break down the big five.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the hardest city to move in, and the most expensive. You'll need an RVV exemption and a TVM parking permit — together roughly €277–€500 — applied for at least 6–7 working days ahead. In particular, narrow canal houses with steep stairs often need a furniture lift at about €145/hour to hoist items through the window.
Our finding: Across the moves we handled in the centre, we discovered the permit and lift — not the transport — were the line items expats never budgeted for. Ask about both before you book.
Because street-level access matters most here, our Amsterdam moving service focuses on kerbside loading, with the lift arranged separately when a canal house needs it.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is a van-mover's dream by comparison. Specifically, wider post-war streets, more loading space, and easier parking make a man-with-a-van the default choice for most apartments (iamexpat, 2026). Our Rotterdam moving service works well for the city's many high-rise expat rentals.
Den Haag, Utrecht, and Eindhoven
The Hague is roughly a quarter international, Utrecht hosts 170 nationalities, and Eindhoven draws about 37,000 knowledge migrants to firms like ASML (Dispatches Europe, 2025). Similarly, all three sit between Amsterdam and Rotterdam on difficulty: some permit zones, but rarely canal-house lifts. A van or a two-person crew covers most moves.
Do You Need an English-Speaking Mover?
For most expats, yes — an English-speaking mover removes the biggest friction point in a Dutch move. Additionally, Amsterdam represents over 180 nationalities, and clear communication on access, timing, and what's included prevents costly misunderstandings (DutchAmsterdam, 2025). A cheap Dutch-only quote can cost more if instructions get lost.
Specifically, English support matters most for the details: which items go, where the van can park, and whether stairs are involved. In our experience, the moves that go wrong aren't about muscle — they're about a mistranslated address or an unspoken assumption about who carries what.
What Should Expats Watch Out For?
The costs that surprise expats aren't the hourly rate — they're access, permits, and stairs. Total cost is driven by time, distance, and access: parking, walking distance, and floors without a lift (iamexpat, 2026). For instance, a €49/hour van can still run up a bill on a fourth-floor walk-up.
Watch these four:
- Parking permits — mandatory in Amsterdam and parts of other centres; apply a week ahead.
- Stairs and lifts — most man-with-a-van services handle street-level loading, not stair carrying; a furniture lift is a separate cost.
- Fuel and travel time — often billed on top of the hourly rate; confirm before booking.
- Minimum booking — most vans have a 1.5–2 hour minimum, so tiny moves still hit a floor price.
Moving between cities rather than within one? Our intercity moving service is built for long-distance man-with-a-van runs across the Netherlands.
Ready to Move?
For most expats in the big five cities, the best moving option is a man-with-a-van for a room or studio, a two-person crew for an apartment, and full-service only for a family home. Get a fixed, no-surprises quote from MoverMate's man-with-a-van service — €49/hour, fuel separate, English-speaking, and built for street-level city moves.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way for an expat to move in the Netherlands?
A DIY self-drive van is cheapest at about €60–€120 plus fuel, but you carry everything yourself (iamexpat, 2026). For a room or studio with help included, a man-with-a-van at €90–€150 is usually the best value.
Do I need a parking permit to move in Amsterdam?
Yes. Amsterdam requires an RVV exemption and a TVM parking permit, together roughly €277–€500, applied for at least 6–7 working days ahead (Professional Moving Company, 2026). Without it, the van risks a parking fine during loading.
Are there English-speaking movers in the Netherlands?
Yes, many movers serve the expat market in English. With Amsterdam alone home to about 180,000 internationals, English-speaking movers are standard in the big cities (Gemeente Amsterdam, 2025). Confirm language support when you request a quote.
Do movers carry furniture up the stairs?
Not always. Many man-with-a-van services handle street-level loading only, while stair carrying or a canal-house furniture lift (about €145/hour) is a separate service (iamexpat, 2026). Always confirm what's included before booking.
How far ahead should I book a mover?
Book at least one to two weeks ahead, and earlier in busy Amsterdam. Moving permits alone need 6–7 working days' notice so last-minute moves in the centre are hard to arrange.
Conclusion
In short, the best moving option depends on your home and your city, not on one "best" company. A man-with-a-van covers most room and apartment moves for €90–€500, full-service handles family homes from €900, and DIY only pays off if you're happy to do the heavy lifting. Consequently, the expats who move cheaply are the ones who match the service to the move — and budget for permits and stairs before booking.
Sort the transport with a fixed man-with-a-van quote.
About us: MoverMate is a Netherlands-based man-with-a-van service moving expats across Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag, Utrecht, and Eindhoven. This guide was reviewed by our editorial team for 2026 accuracy. Questions? Contact us.
Sources
All sources retrieved 2026-09-03.
- iamexpat, Moving companies in the Netherlands, link
- Gemeente Amsterdam / OpenResearch, Population in figures, link
- Professional Moving Company, Parking permit for moving in Amsterdam (RVV, TVM and costs), link
- DutchAmsterdam, More citizens and more nationalities in Amsterdam, link
- Dispatches Europe, Expat Essentials: Utrecht, link
