Apartments & Rooms for Rent in Utrecht
With beautiful churches, scenic canals, an ancient sunken wharf and the UNESCO World Heritage Site designated Rietveld Schröder House, the Dutch city of Utrecht is well known for its picturesque elegance and rich historical record. What’s less well known, however, is the city’s youthful alter-ego: a vibrant student town that exudes an exuberant, multicultural flavour. Combining a great nightlife scene, a cute café culture and an active cultural life that’s second only to Amsterdam, unsung Utrecht is much more than meets the eye.
Unfortunately, finding somewhere to live can be difficult if you’re a recent arrival to the city. In fact, it’s often customary for both tenants and landlords to be quite picky with new people – especially if you try to find a place via sites like Facebook or Gumtree.
Looking to rent an apartment in Utrecht? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Here at Nestpick our extensive collection of fantastic Utrecht apartments will significantly increase your chances of finding your ideal place; getting your Dutch adventure off to the best possible start.
If you’d rather rent a room in Utrecht, you’re in even more luck. Flat shares are the most common accommodation option, and our online catalogue will allow you to tailor the search to a price, style and location that suits you.
Furnished & Serviced Apartments in Utrecht
For an furnished and serviced apartment in Utrecht, you should expect to pay more than for a standard apartment. Serviced apartments in Utrecht share many of the amenities, and carry a similarly upmarket price tag. Many serviced apartments can be found around the city centre, as well as in the outer suburbs if peace and quiet is what you desire. If premium accommodation is what you’re after, browse our selection of furnished serviced apartments now.
Types of Accommodations in Utrecht
- Rooms for Rent in Utrecht
- Student Accommodation in Utrecht
- Studio Apartments in Utrecht
Rent a Room in Utrecht
Rather than splashing out on an entire apartment, why not rent a room in Utrecht? This is a great way to save on your monthly costs, allowing you to live in Utrecht on a smaller budget or give you more money to spend on other things. This is a popular option among young expats relocating to Utrecht as well as students attending Utrecht University or any of the city’s other institutions.
When you rent a room in Utrecht, you have certain spaces like the kitchen and living room that are shared amongst however many people live in that apartment. This is typically anywhere between two and six people, but can be more. You then have your own bedroom space to yourself. Bills may or may not be included in the cost of renting the room. Check out the listings on Nestpick to find a room that suits your budget.
Utrecht Apartments by District
Arguably the Netherlands’ most charming city, Utrecht is a fantastic place to live. With one of the best universities in the country and a thriving international community, most expats find the transition to Dutch life a seamless one.
While the city has a wide range of neighbourhoods that accommodate a number of lifestyles and budgets, the process of finding somewhere to live can be quite daunting if you’re unfamiliar with the city’s geography or rental prices. Not sure where to begin? Well we’ve handily created a concise list of the best areas of Utrecht for expats or new arrivals to the city.
Once you’ve familiarised yourself with the city, our extensive database will allow you to narrow your search to look for furnished accommodation within a price and size range that suits you. This will help you pick out down the best candidates and choose great accommodation without having to compromise.
With a little help from Nestpick, Holland’s fourth-largest settlement will soon feel like a home from home.
More Attractive Areas for Utrecht Apartments
Lombok Apartments
The traditionally working-class inner city district of Lombok is the bustling heart of multicultural Utrecht. Since its regeneration in the 1980s and 1990s, this effervescent neighbourhood has continually drawn in scores of students and ‘yuppen’ (young professionals) looking to join in the fun. With trendy coffee stalls, delicious eateries, specialist stores and a host of shopping opportunities, Lombok is Utrecht at its liveliest. It’s also within walking distance of the newly-refurbished Central Station and the city’s main plaza, Dom Square, so you’ll feel right in the thick of the action.
Lombok really is a melting pot. Look above you’ll see a skyline dominated by the neon-illuminated Utrecht Central Mosque, the 18th-century Molen de Ster windmill and the Italian-style Antoniuskerk church. At the street level, you’ll be greeted with the sights, smells and sounds of the neighbourhood’s main thoroughfare: the colourful and vibrant Kanaalstraat. Here you’ll find Moroccan grocery stores, Indian restaurants and local bakeries in all their glorious abundance. And be sure to grab a Turkish döner after a night out!
Cementing Utrecht’s place as a leading cultural hub, the eclectic Lombok Festival is held every November. From Syrian techno to Rwandan food to Sufi poetry , this international jamboree will enrapture all your senses and help warm you up during the chilly Dutch winter.
Lombok apartments come in a range of sizes, styles and prices - from purpose-built complexes to old-fashioned terraced houses. Accommodation in the area is in high demand, so you’ll have to act quickly if there’s an apartment that catches your eye. A standard 1-bedroom apartment here costs between €750 and €1000.
Apartments in Nieuwegein
For somewhere a little quieter, the outlying town of Nieuwegein is certainly worth considering. With cheap housing, a relaxing pace of life and a host of great pubs and restaurants, Nieuwegein is a contemporary setting steeped in the Dutch culture of old. There’s also a sizeable expat presence here due to the flourishing industrial park providing plenty of work opportunities.
The area is mostly surrounded by canals and has plenty of green spaces - perfect for spot of picnicking or dog walking. Local hotspots include the Museum Wars Hoeck, the popular Dutch fusion restaurant Huis de Wiers, the old church and the picturesque Oudegein watermill. The surrounding towns and villages also contain some lovely shops, and the area holds three merchant markets a week.
Transport connections both in and out of Nieuwegein are excellent, with the Sneltram (light rail) line connecting the town to Utrecht and the wider region. You certainly won’t need a car living here!
Nieuwegein is actually a separate city and municipality, but is often considered a key part of the Utrecht metropolitan area. The town is very modern, and was founded in 1971 as a planned city. This means that the majority of accommodation here is modern, spacious and fitted with standard amenities such as air conditioning and heating.
Apartments in Nieuwegein come in a number of styles, from tidy terraces along canals to purpose-built apartment complexes in wide open spaces. Unlike Utrecht itself, Nieuwegein has a plentiful range of housing options to suit almost every taste and budget.
Apartments in De Meern
If you really want to experience a slice of archetypal Dutch living, De Meern might be the place for you. Lying 6km to the west of Utrecht city centre, residential De Meern is a charming little village that represents a pleasant retreat from the hustle and bustle of urban life.
If you’re a keen cyclist, you’ll love it here. De Meern has a fraction of the traffic that the city experiences, so you’ll be perfectly primed to explore the flat roads and rural beauty of the wider region.
If cycling isn't your thing, no worries. The village is very well connected, with regular bus and rail services getting you to Utrecht city centre in no time at all. Due to a combination such good transport connections and rising rental costs within Utrecht, expats and students are slowly starting to see the merits in moving to outlying villages like De Meern.
Apartments in De Meern are much cheaper than their counterparts in their the city, and lack of competition for places means you’ll get more bang for your buck. Options include apartment blocks, modern terraces and old-fashioned townhouses.
Student Housing Utrecht
Consistently ranked in the top 15 universities in continental Europe and the top 100 universities in the world, the University of Utrecht continues to draw in throngs of students from across the globe. With a massive student population of 70,500, Utrecht has firmly established itself as a university city.
The result of such popularity is that demand for student accommodation in Utrecht is high at the best of times. Unfortunately, the university does not own any halls of residence, meaning that most rooms are let by housing corporations like SSH or private landlords. In some cases, the competition for places means that prospective tenants can often be overcharged by landlords or agencies.
Student apartments in Utrecht cover a wide range of styles - from modern complexes to old-fashioned townhouses. Such accommodation is available throughout the city, and rent prices generally go up the closer it is to the city centre. Due to the high demand, most students who move to Utrecht opt for renting a room in shared accommodation – sharing facilities like a bathroom, kitchen and washing machine.
If you plan on finding student housing in Utrecht, look no further than Nestpick. This will help you bypass unscrupulous landlords and ensure a hassle-free start to university life.
Utrecht Public Transport
In typically Dutch fashion, by far the most common way to jaunt around Utrecht is on bicycle. However, if you need to dash from one side of town to the other in double time, you are not just limited to two wheels.
Utrecht’s public transport system is similar to that of other major cities in the Netherlands: modern, efficient, accessible, affordable and safe.
To get around Utrecht, you can take the tram, bus, train, taxi or rent a bicycle at the station. The extensive bus network serve all districts of the city, while trams run frequently from the areas of Nieuwegein and IJsselstein.
Bus and train services in the Utrecht region are operated by U-OV. You can purchases tickets online or from the many ticket vending machines at the bus stations, on the tram platforms or directly outside OV-Service Stores.
Utrecht’s central location in the Netherlands has made it an important transport hub for both rail and road transport – in turn making in a great springboard for exploring the rest of the country. Amsterdam and Schiphol Airport are just 30 minutes away by train; Rotterdam and The Hague 45 minutes.
