Netherlands
Money in Netherlands: currency, ATMs, cards and tipping
The Netherlands uses the euro (EUR). Pay by contactless card or phone almost everywhere, keep €20–40 in cash for the rare card-only or cash-only spot, and tip only for sit-down service: round up or add 5–10%. Bring a debit card as well as a credit card, since a few supermarkets and machines reject some credit cards.
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GuideNetherlands
Key facts
- Currency
- Euro (EUR), €1 = 100 cents
- Cards
- Contactless debit and credit accepted almost everywhere; some places are card-only
- Cash you need
- Low: €20–40 for small stalls, lockers and the odd cash-only café
- Tipping
- Not expected. Sit-down service: round up or 5–10%
- ATMs
- Widely available; use bank-branded machines, not standalone currency kiosks
- Tourist taxcheck
- Amsterdam adds 12.5% on the room price; hotel VAT 21% in 2026
- Daily budget
- €80–110 budget, €170–260 mid-range, €350–550 comfort (2026 estimate)
Summary table: by card, cash and month
The Netherlands is close to cashless. The table below shows what to carry and what changes by season or city.
| Situation | What to use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday cafés, shops, museums | Contactless card or phone | Debit and credit both work; PIN may be asked for larger amounts |
| Supermarkets and station machines | Debit card first | Some machines reject certain credit cards; carry a debit card too |
| Markets, small snack stalls, lockers | Cash €20–40 | Most take cards, but a few small vendors are cash-only |
| Tipping at a sit-down restaurant | Card or cash | Round up or add 5–10%; say the total you want to pay |
| Tipping in bars, cafés, taxis | Optional | Rounding up to the next euro is enough |
| April–May and July–August | Same cards, higher prices | Peak season raises hotel rates 30–50% in Amsterdam (2026 estimate) |
| November–March | Same cards, lower prices | Fewer crowds; some small seasonal businesses close |
Step by step: money on the ground
Step 1 — Know the currency. The Netherlands uses the euro, the same as most of its neighbours, so leftover coins work in Belgium, Germany and France. Prices are shown with a comma as the decimal mark: €4,50 means four euros fifty.
Step 2 — Set up a card that avoids fees. A contactless debit or credit card with no foreign transaction fee is the cheapest way to pay. Your bank's exchange rate is normally better than a currency kiosk at the airport or on Damrak. If your card charges 3% per purchase, take out fewer, larger ATM withdrawals instead.
Step 3 — Carry a small cash float. €20–40 in mixed notes covers a market stall, a locker, a tip or a café whose card machine is down. You will rarely need more, and carrying large amounts is unnecessary.
Step 4 — Use the right ATM. Bank-branded machines (the ones attached to a branch) give the best rates. Decline the machine's own conversion if it offers to charge you in your home currency — that is dynamic currency conversion, and it usually costs 3–6% more. Choose to be charged in euros.
Step 5 — Pay the way locals do. Tap your card or phone at the reader, enter your PIN when asked, and take the receipt. In restaurants, tell the server the total you want to pay, or hand over cash and say 'keep the change'.
Step 6 — Handle the tourist tax. Amsterdam adds 12.5% on the room price, and hotel VAT rose to 21% in 2026 (check). It is usually included in the price you booked, but confirm before you arrive so the bill matches your budget.
- Check your card's foreign transaction fee before you fly.
- Save a screenshot of your bank's phone number in case a card is blocked.
- Keep one card separate from the rest of your money.
Notes and pitfalls
Cards dominate, but 'card-only' is real: some cafés and shops no longer take cash at all, so a traveller with only notes can be stuck. The reverse also exists — a handful of small vendors take cash only. Carrying both solves it.
Some Dutch supermarkets and ticket machines accept Dutch debit cards (PIN) but not all foreign credit cards. If a machine rejects your credit card, try a debit card or pay at a staffed counter.
Interrail and Eurail pass holders can use Dutch trains, but for short trips tapping a contactless card at the gate is usually simpler and often cheaper than a paper ticket. Remember to tap out as well as in, or you pay the maximum fare.
Currency exchange offices at Schiphol and in central Amsterdam charge wide spreads. Withdraw from an ATM or pay by card instead.
If you are visiting in April–May or July–August, book accommodation early: peak pricing in Amsterdam is the single biggest money decision on a Netherlands trip.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What currency is used in Netherlands?
The euro (EUR), written € and divided into 100 cents. It is the same currency used in Belgium, Germany, France and most of the Netherlands' neighbours, so coins and notes carry over between countries.
Should I use cash or a card in Netherlands?
Use a contactless card or phone for almost everything. Carry €20–40 in cash for small stalls, lockers and the occasional cash-only café, and bring a debit card as well as a credit card because some machines reject certain credit cards.
How much should I tip in Netherlands?
Tipping is not expected. For sit-down service, round up or add 5–10% and tell the server the total you want to pay. In bars, cafés and taxis, rounding up to the next euro is enough.
Can I use my credit card everywhere in the Netherlands?
Almost everywhere, but not quite. Some supermarkets and ticket machines accept debit cards but not all foreign credit cards, and a few small vendors are cash-only. Carrying both a debit and a credit card covers nearly every case.
Are ATMs easy to find in the Netherlands?
Yes. Bank-branded ATMs are common in cities, at stations and at Schiphol. Use those rather than standalone exchange kiosks, and always choose to be charged in euros rather than your home currency.
How much cash should I bring to the Netherlands?
Very little. €20–40 per person is plenty for a short trip; withdraw more from an ATM if you need it. Most daily spending — cafés, museums, trains, hotels — goes on a card.
Is the Netherlands expensive?
Mid-range travel runs about €170–260 per person per day in 2026, with budget around €80–110. Amsterdam beds cost 30–50% more than the rest of the country, and the city adds a 12.5% tourist tax on the room price.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialNetherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC)
- officialEuropean Central Bank – euro
- officialNS (Dutch Railways)
- secondaryWikivoyage – Netherlands