Visit Amsterdam without breaking the bank!

Here are our best tips for exploring Amsterdam on a budget. Smart tips to discover Amsterdam while supporting local businesses. A win-win!

  • These tips are focused on group outings in Amsterdam.
  • An unforgettable day with friends without breaking the bank.
  • Explore not only the city center but also hidden gems elsewhere in the city!

Many people use sites like Groupon and Social Deal to visit the city at a low price. It’s fun to see the city from a different angle, but few visitors know that these platforms give little or nothing back to local businesses, as they have to pay a large portion of the money you spend to Groupon.

Want to visit our beautiful city without breaking your budget? We’ve gathered some tips so you can make the most of your day in Amsterdam in a sustainable and affordable way!

A day in Amsterdam for less than 100 euros per person.

1. Get a group ticket from NS from any station in the Netherlands to Amsterdam

  • From 7,- euros per person

Few people know that an NS group ticket already offers great benefits, even for very small groups. This is available during off-peak hours. Weekends and public holidays are considered off-peak, so perfect! On weekdays, you can travel between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM and after 6:30 PM. Not bad either. Other travelers can join you at the same time or at a next station on the route, as long as they travel at the same time.

Example of prices & group discounts for your train trip, our source is the NS website, January 2023:

The larger the group, the greater the group discount:

  • 36 € for 2 people (18 € per person)
  • 36 € for 3 people (12 € per person)
  • 40.25 € for 4 people (10.06 € per person)
  • 44.50 € for 5 people (8.90 € per person)
  • 48.75 € for 6 people (8.12 € per person)
  • 53 € for 7 people (7.57 € per person)

Read more on the NS website.

No, we’re not partners with NS..

2. Book a tour with Yellow Bike 😉

Yes, we are Yellow Bike, so you probably guessed it.

With us, you can already rent a bike near the station for 12 euros for 3 hours. Very convenient! But we recommend our tours even more because for 31 euros, you can explore a large part of the city in 2 hours. For example, a small 11 AM tour for 31 euros, and by 1 PM, you’ll have seen so many things that you can go have lunch without guilt. Or go shopping, of course. After the tour, you get a 25% discount on bike rental, and you can rent a bike for 3 hours for just 9 euros. If you plan a trip to the East (very trendy), the North (also very trendy), or the Pijp, a bike is essential. You can return it near Central Station.

Rent a bike

3. Enter museums for free with a museum card for just over 6 euros per month

You can say what you want, but it’s still cheaper than a Netflix subscription. Maybe you already have a museum card. Well, Amsterdam is the perfect place to use it. You can spend the day going in and out of museums for free. A museum card currently costs 75 € per year. But a pleasant day in Amsterdam almost becomes free, and you’ll never need an umbrella again, and did we mention that dates with this card also become much cheaper and more original?

Keep reading to discover our tips for cheap lunches!

4. All-in-one solution – a full day for 60 euros

If you don’t have a museum card, consider a Citycard. With the Amsterdam City Card, you get 24 hours of free bike rental, our North tour, access to all the major attractions and over 70 museums, public transport (!), a cruise (!!), and – did we mention – our bike rental. A City Card costs 65 euros. After that, you only pay for food. Which you can also bring yourself.

5. Affordable and delicious lunch for 5 euros per person

Here are our best tips for an affordable lunch in Amsterdam…

  1. Center, Spuistraat: Caldi e Freddi – These prices are (among other things, due to high rents here in the center) unbeatable in central Amsterdam. You get a well-filled and delicious Italian ciabatta for 5 euros. And it’s 100 times better and more authentic than supermarket sandwiches (the other cheap alternative). We go there often. – Of course, with these prices, you can’t sit down, but you can just go to the corner and sit by the canals. We’re telling you, your sandwich will probably be finished before you even get there. You can also buy a good dinner for cheap (from 5,- euros). – http://www.caldiefreddi.nl/
  2. Thirsty? There are a lot of free water points in Amsterdam (map). You can refill your water bottle there. The tap water here is said to be just as good as spring water.
  3. Baarsjes: Ten Kate Market (see: 6. Shopping) It’s a market, so it’s obvious! Ideal for a spontaneous lunch.
  4. North/NDSM: Kebec Where you’ll find the best pizza in town, lunch possible from 5,- euros? It’s definitely Kebec, a must if you’re visiting the city on a weekend when the IJhallen is also on, Europe’s largest indoor flea market.

Do you have a tip that should definitely be included here? Send us an email!

6. Stay away from Nieuwendijk/Kalverstraat for affordable and sustainable shopping

Although there are many good vintage spots in Amsterdam, some neighborhoods are more concentrated with vintage stores than others. And you can easily access them… by bike 😉

The Oude Hoogstraat also has some nice shops, although it has changed in recent years, so feel free to take a look yourself. But it’s very central, between the Dam and Nieuwmarkt, so it’s easy to pass by. It’s also next to Waterlooplein, which is full of stores – not to mention Waterlooplein itself, which is legendary. There’s a Kiloshop, where the price per kilo determines how much an item costs. Warning: not all vintage stores are cheap! So stay alert.

The Kinker area is also a great place for affordable shopping, without attracting too many tourists. Most of the shops are frequented by locals. Think of Tutti Frutti (brand clothes), Jutka en Riska (an international chain) (Bilderdijkstraat), very well-known, but also less known vintage shops here. Kinkerstraat and Bilderdijkstraat are the two main busy streets, intersecting with several vintage shops. You’ll also find the ‘Foodhallen’ in an old tram station. You’ll probably meet a lot of people there. It’s fun to stroll. Go to the Ten Kate market for a cheap lunch! This market is also extremely popular with locals.

Looking for more activities? Let us know!