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life expenses in amsterdam and cologne (urgent please!!)
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| 1. |
22 Mar 2007 Thu 11:39 pm |
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hi people..the thing i need to learn is how much money do i need for one month to live a standart student life in cologne and amsterdam? do 400 euros enough without rent? (i am smoking a packet of cigaratte every day..)
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| 2. |
23 Mar 2007 Fri 07:37 am |
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Very simple said, in Amsterdam? No. The cheapest cigarettes are 3,20 euro times 30 = almost 100 euro per month. A health insurance is compulsory, cheapest about 85 euro per month. Groceries at a cheap supermarket are I guess at least 35 a week (and then you won't eat special things) times 4 = 140 euro. Only these 3 items and you already spend 325 euro. Rest: an occasional drink, transport, clothing, telephone, internet (?), other insurances, etc. And don't forget the rent, I think you consider yourself lucky when you can find a room for less than 400 euro per month.
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| 3. |
23 Mar 2007 Fri 03:46 pm |
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+1
both Amsterdam and Cologne are amazing cities which are definitely worth seeing, but .... they are quite expensive; thus, the calculation of the budget should be a priority
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| 4. |
23 Mar 2007 Fri 07:20 pm |
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Quoting Trudy: A health insurance is compulsory, cheapest about 85 euro per month. |
 I had no idea whatsoever about that! What does it cover? 
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| 5. |
23 Mar 2007 Fri 10:44 pm |
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Quoting Elisa: Quoting Trudy: A health insurance is compulsory, cheapest about 85 euro per month. |
I had no idea whatsoever about that! What does it cover?
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Basic healthcare, no dentist. Extra's like dentist, more physiotherapy than 8x a year, speach therapy, homeopathy etc you have to take additional insurances, I pay 119 euro a month. If you want to know details, just check any insurance company on their site. Mine is www.menzis.nl
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| 6. |
24 Mar 2007 Sat 02:41 am |
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thank you very much for ur replies..i was feeling bad now i am horrible.. rent is 160 euros for sure..i ll stay in a student apartment..it seems i have to find some more money..so do u think 600 euros is enough if i have 200 euros dinner ticket+traveling pass for daily travels+and if the company pays the rent?
i ll come there for an internship probably the company will pay for the insurance..
is there a regulation about travelling pass in cologne and amsterdam?
thank u all..
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| 7. |
24 Mar 2007 Sat 10:25 am |
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Quoting oeince: thank you very much for ur replies..i was feeling bad now i am horrible.. rent is 160 euros for sure..i ll stay in a student apartment..it seems i have to find some more money..so do u think 600 euros is enough if i have 200 euros dinner ticket+traveling pass for daily travels+and if the company pays the rent?
i ll come there for an internship probably the company will pay for the insurance..
is there a regulation about travelling pass in cologne and amsterdam?
thank u all.. |
If you have 600 per month and you do not have to pay for your rent (160? where, that's amazingly cheap, are you sure?) and health insurance because your company pays those for you, it should be possible. Dinner tickets? Just go to the supermarket! We don't have a food ticket system as far as I know. But even then, don't think of going out every day. Like Juliacernat said, Amsterdam is absolutely worth a visit but it's expensive.
About a travel pass, yes, there is something like that. It depends in what area of Amsterdam you will live and work. Holland is divided in 'zones', travelling unlimited in 1 zone is about 34 per month, 2 zones 60 and 3 zones 92. But this all will change later this year and then we get a new system where you pay per kilometre you've travelled. I don't know exactly what that will cost but I don't think it will be cheaper.
Let me know what you think you will be doing in your free time and how you want to spend your weekends and I can find information about that to give you an idea about the costs.
BTW don't you forget the visa hassle? It's absolutely not easy to come live here, even not as an intern, a student or on invitation. Most visa procedures take 3-6 months!
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| 8. |
24 Mar 2007 Sat 06:37 pm |
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thank you very much trudy..i ll have 600 euros and 160 is for rent..so to spend its 440 euros..160 euros is cheap i know however i ll share my flat with the other interns..
officially i ll work in koeln however there will be lots of amsterdam visits..
in weekends i want would like to see as much as i can..especially natural beatuties,historical places and modern centers else..i do not like to go to pubs a lot.and i dont drink alchol..but i like to go to thematic bars (rock bar,jazz bar,kareoke bar else) and i would like to participate concerts,festivals and else..soo what do i need 2000 euros??i ashame to count sports,theatre,cinema etc.
sure i ll make a self denial from my hobbies..but how much?i am trying to understand how much close will i be there to my ordinary life standarts here i have in turkey?
i plan to ask for rent pay,dinner ticket and traveling pass..lets see what will happen..
thank you for ur helps..i ll be waiting ur answer..
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| 9. |
25 Mar 2007 Sun 12:35 am |
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Quoting oeince: thank you very much trudy..i ll have 600 euros and 160 is for rent..so to spend its 440 euros..160 euros is cheap i know however i ll share my flat with the other interns..
officially i ll work in koeln however there will be lots of amsterdam visits..
in weekends i want would like to see as much as i can..especially natural beatuties,historical places and modern centers else..i do not like to go to pubs a lot.and i dont drink alchol..but i like to go to thematic bars (rock bar,jazz bar,kareoke bar else) and i would like to participate concerts,festivals and else..soo what do i need 2000 euros??i ashame to count sports,theatre,cinema etc.
sure i ll make a self denial from my hobbies..but how much?i am trying to understand how much close will i be there to my ordinary life standarts here i have in turkey?
i plan to ask for rent pay,dinner ticket and traveling pass..lets see what will happen..
thank you for ur helps..i ll be waiting ur answer.. |
I didn't mean that you can live on 440! I meant 600 and someone else pays your rent. I really think 440 is not possible in Amsterdam. Thematic bars, concerts, museums etc. are expensive. A museum ticket will cost you 6-10 euro per visit. A ticket for a concert will not be less than 40-50 euro, depending of the kind of concert. The entance fee for a thematic night in a place you mentioned or a festival costs at least between 20 and 30 euro. A train ticket Amsterdam - Cologne v.v. cost 72 euro or more, depending of the type of train you use, second class (I think Cologne - Amsterdam will be about the same). A cinema ticket is about 8 euro. Do you really think 440 is enough? I don't.
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| 10. |
25 Mar 2007 Sun 11:26 am |
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Quote:
I didn't mean that you can live on 440! I meant 600 and someone else pays your rent. I really think 440 is not possible in Amsterdam. Thematic bars, concerts, museums etc. are expensive. A museum ticket will cost you 6-10 euro per visit. A ticket for a concert will not be less than 40-50 euro, depending of the kind of concert. The entance fee for a thematic night in a place you mentioned or a festival costs at least between 20 and 30 euro. A train ticket Amsterdam - Cologne v.v. cost 72 euro or more, depending of the type of train you use, second class (I think Cologne - Amsterdam will be about the same). A cinema ticket is about 8 euro. Do you really think 440 is enough? I don't. |
maybe if he only went once a month or something it would be ok?... he doesn't seem to be listening..
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| 11. |
25 Mar 2007 Sun 12:02 pm |
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Quoting robyn  : maybe if he only went once a month or something it would be ok?... he doesn't seem to be listening.. |
Well, 440 can be possible but not with the things he wants to do. If you buy food at a cheap grocery and cook yourself, if you only go to free parks, do not use public transport but walk or ride a bike (watch out for theft: every year 1 million bikes are stolen only in Amsterdam!), if you hardly go out etc, it is possible. But is that what one wants, living abroad?
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| 12. |
25 Mar 2007 Sun 12:21 pm |
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Quoting Trudy: Quoting robyn : maybe if he only went once a month or something it would be ok?... he doesn't seem to be listening.. |
Well, 440 can be possible but not with the things he wants to do. If you buy food at a cheap grocery and cook yourself, if you only go to free parks, do not use public transport but walk or ride a bike (watch out for theft: every year 1 million bikes are stolen only in Amsterdam!), if you hardly go out etc, it is possible. But is that what one wants, living abroad? |
It wouldn't be what I want no...
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| 13. |
25 Mar 2007 Sun 05:18 pm |
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Van Gogh Museum
Maybe think about giving up smoking and for three packets of cigarettes you can visit the wonderful Van Gogh museum!
But , after food and accomodation, Amsterdam can be appreciated for little money, the picturesque canals, the quaint shopping areas, the strange and intriguing architecture, nice parks to walk in. Out door cafes, sit with a cup of coffee and people watch. It is quite fascinating, the speed at which the Dutch people cycle around is frightening.
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| 14. |
25 Mar 2007 Sun 06:07 pm |
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Quoting libralady: the speed at which the Dutch people cycle around is frightening. |
 
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| 15. |
25 Mar 2007 Sun 07:58 pm |
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There are some things that costs nothing, all free. See for that and other ideas: http://goamsterdam.about.com/od/whattodoinamsterdam/a/amsterdam_free.htm
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| 16. |
25 Mar 2007 Sun 07:58 pm |
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Quoting Trudy: Quoting libralady: the speed at which the Dutch people cycle around is frightening. |
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Especıally when you are not sure whıch dırectıon they are comıng from 
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