Netherlands

Cost of living

What a month costs

One of Europe's tightest rental markets, so housing is the budget killer.

The scores

How it rates for a moving family

See and do

Top 10 in Amsterdam

1. RijksmuseumThe national art palace, home to Rembrandt's Night Watch.
2. Van Gogh MuseumThe largest collection of the painter's work anywhere.
3. Anne Frank HouseThe hidden annex where the diary was written, sobering and essential.
4. JordaanNarrow lanes, brown cafes and hidden courtyards in the prettiest district.
5. VondelparkThe city's green lung, packed with joggers, picnics and open-air music.
6. Canal RingThe UNESCO-listed grachten belt, best seen slowly from a boat.
7. Dam SquareThe historic heart with the Royal Palace and the national monument.
8. Albert Cuyp MarketA long, buzzing street market for cheese, stroopwafels and haring.
9. BegijnhofA hushed medieval courtyard tucked a step off the busy center.
10. NEMO Science MuseumA green copper ship of hands-on exhibits with a rooftop city view.

Where to go

Weekend escapes

1. UtrechtHalf an hour by train to a canal city with a younger, calmer feel.
2. HaarlemFifteen minutes away with grand squares and easy dune beaches nearby.
3. Zaanse SchansWorking windmills, wooden houses and green riverside walks just north of town.
4. The HagueBeach, government quarter and world-class museums like the Mauritshuis.
5. Bruges, BelgiumA three-hour hop to medieval canals, chocolate and quiet cobbled lanes.

Coffee

Best cafes

1. Winkel 43Locals queue on Noordermarkt for what many call the best apple pie in town.
2. Cafe de JarenA vast grand cafe with a canal terrace and stacks of newspapers.
3. Cafe 't SmalleA cozy 18th-century brown cafe with a tiny waterside deck.
4. CT Coffee & CoconutsA soaring old cinema turned airy all-day coffee spot in De Pijp.
5. Screaming BeansA serious specialty roaster for people who fuss over their flat white.

Restaurants

Where to eat

1. Restaurant GreetjeModern Dutch cooking that revives old regional recipes with real care.
2. De KasA greenhouse restaurant serving what was picked in the garden that morning.
3. MoedersHomey Dutch classics under a wall of family photos, hearty and unpretentious.
4. Ciel BleuTwo-Michelin-star fine dining on the 23rd floor with a skyline view.
5. The Seafood BarBright, busy and reliable for oysters and fresh North Sea fish.
6. RijksThe Rijksmuseum's sleek restaurant, refined and worth the booking.
7. Guts & GloryA rotating story-driven tasting menu that keeps regulars coming back.

Morning

Best breakfast

1. Bakers & RoastersBrazilian-Kiwi brunch with big plates and even bigger weekend queues.
2. DignitaA social enterprise doing polished brunch while training people for work.
3. Little CollinsMelbourne-style small plates and coffee, a De Pijp brunch fixture.
4. GsThe Real Deal brunch, best known for bottomless mimosas and a canal boat.
5. Mook PancakesFluffy stacks and healthy bowls that draw a steady morning crowd.
6. The Breakfast ClubAmerican-style all-day breakfast across several bright, casual branches.
7. OmeleggA simple, cheerful spot doing exactly one thing: proper omelettes.
8. Staring at JacobWarm neighborhood brunch famous for its towering buttermilk pancakes.
9. Buffet van OdetteA calm canal-side kitchen with quiches, eggs and good bread.