The cost of renting a home outside the rent controlled sector rose 3.6% in the third quarter, but there are wide regional variations, according to housing rental platform Pararius.

In Amsterdam, prices rose just 2.6% but a 75 square meter apartment in the Dutch capital would still cost new tenants around €1,760. The same apartment would cost €1,463 in Haarlem and €1,320 in nearby Hoofddorp.

‘The high rents in Noord-Holland are partly due to big, expensive cities such as Amsterdam and Haarlem distorting the market,’ Pararius director Jasper de Groot said. ‘In addition, there are more semi-furnished apartments for rent in Noord-Holland and they are more expensive.’

In Rotterdam, there was a slight drop in rents for new contracts, with tenants paying 3.4% less than a year ago, or an average of just under €1,200 for a 75 square meter flat.

In The Hague, by contrast, rents rose 2.1%, taking the average price of a new rental home to €1,258 a month. And in Delft, situated between both cities, rents soared over 10% €1,245.

‘This increase is due to the busy expat market in Delft and the reduction in the number of rent-controlled properties,’ said Caroline Steijger of Björnd Makelaardij.