Knowing how much you’ll spend when you start studying in Groningen can be difficult. To help you prepare, we’ve put together an overview of some of the expenses you can expect. Let’s go through them!
Tuition fees and study costs
Tuition fees vary depending on where you’re from. Check carefully with the institution where you’ll be studying to find out how much you’ll need to pay and avoid any surprises when you start your studies.
The average annual tuition fee is around €2,700 for EU/EEA students and €17,000 for non-EU/EEA students. Additional study costs are around €80 per month, or approximately €957 per year, according to the University of Groningen.
Housing
You can expect to pay around €450 to €650 per month for a room in a shared house, including electricity, gas and water. Rent varies depending on the location, the size of the room and the number of housemates. If you’d prefer an apartment or studio of your own, you should expect to pay more.
Be aware of scammers when looking for housing! If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Telephone
A Dutch phone number can be useful for arranging everyday things such as banking, housing and other services. A phone plan costs around €26 per month on average.
Food and drinks
Depending on where you shop and what you buy, groceries should cost around €200 to €300 per month. You can keep costs down by following the tips on our page, Groningen on a budget.
Bikes
Cycling is the main way to get around Groningen. A decent second-hand bike costs around €80 to €110. You can find one on Marktplaats, Facebook Marketplace or at a local bike shop.
Travel expenses
Some students are eligible for a student travel product, which allows them to travel for free or at a discount. Students without one can expect to spend around €70 to €80 per month on travel. To save money, check the travel subscriptions and discount options available on the Arriva or NS websites.
Insurance
In the Netherlands, you’ll need to consider several types of insurance, including health, third-party liability, fire and theft insurance. These can cost around €100 to €200 per month in total.
Additional costs
Playing sports at ACLO, buying clothes, pursuing hobbies and going out can cost around €160 per month.
Language courses (optional)
Exchange students need to pay if they want to take a language course, while full-time international students are eligible for 50 hours of free language classes. Paid courses cost around €160 to €310 per course on average.
Conclusion
You can expect to spend around €1,000 to €1,500 per month on living expenses, excluding tuition fees.