A studio as a home, have you ever thought of that?
Most people prefer to separate their living room from their sleeping area, but there are plenty of people who choose to live in a studio. Why do they do so, and what is the definition of a studio anyway? How many are there, and what do they cost? All questions you obviously want answers to if you are interested in renting a studio apartment.
What is a studio apartment
A studio is actually no different from a house with only 1 room. It is therefore sometimes called a one-bedroom apartment. It is really different from a room though, because you don’t have to share anything with other residents, it is an independent residence. So you have your own kitchen, bathroom and toilet. The only thing is that you don’t have a separate sleeping area. Studio flats are often very small, so you shouldn’t be claustrophobic, but at the same time it’s nice not to have to empty your entire wallet to furnish it. Most studios are between 15 and 35 square meters in size.
Why would you rent a studio
Often, renting a studio is not necessarily the first choice, but more the only option. The main issue then is the available budget. But, sometimes it is also just a first step to finally be able to live on your own, or be closer to your work.
Low costs
So if a two-bedroom house or apartment is too expensive, a studio can be a good alternative. The rent is usually lower, but also your heating costs are a lot lower because you only need to heat 1 room. This is often a reason for starters to choose a studio. Starters often don’t have the budget for a bigger house.
Privacy
It sounds crazy to say, but in a studio you have privacy, at least, if you are going to live there by yourself of course. It is a way of finally not having to share with others. So for all the sharers who want privacy and for all the (former) students who no longer want to live in rooms because they are totally fed up with sharing with fellow roommates, renting a studio is a great alternative. The same of course applies to anyone who is completely done with living in and wants to take a big step towards independence/adulthood.
Location
Sometimes it is location that makes a studio attractive. If you live far away from your work and your employer does not allow you to work from home, going back and forth by car or public transport every day can be hell. If you have enough budget to rent a studio apart from your home, much closer to the office, then very nice. You save a huge amount of time, and if you subtract all the travel costs, it might not even be very expensive. In fairness, though, we should mention that by doing so, you are only adding to the tightness of the housing market…
Is there a lot of supply of studios?
Across the Netherlands, there are thousands of studios for rent. But this information is of little use to you. So below is the number of studios offered for rent in 2022 in the 4 major cities.
| Amsterdam stadsdelen | Studio’s |
|---|---|
| Amstelveen | 18 |
| Centrum | 135 |
| Diemen | 7 |
| Duivendrecht | 4 |
| Nieuw-West | 34 |
| Noord | 24 |
| Oost | 61 |
| West | 91 |
| Westpoort | 4 |
| Zuid | 101 |
| Zuidoost | 14 |
| Rotterdam Stadsdelen | Studio’s |
|---|---|
| Centrum | 45 |
| Charlois | 45 |
| Delfshaven | 53 |
| Feijenoord | 26 |
| Hillegersberg-Schiebroek | 17 |
| Hoek van Holland | 0 |
| Hoogvliet | 1 |
| Ijsselmonde | 6 |
| Kralingen-Crooswijk | 45 |
| Noord | 44 |
| Overschie | 4 |
| Pernis | 0 |
| Prins Alexander | 12 |
| Utrecht stadsdelen | Studio’s |
|---|---|
| Binnenstad | 113 |
| Leidsche Rijn | 11 |
| Noordoost | 76 |
| Noordwest | 85 |
| Oost | 71 |
| Overvecht | 14 |
| West | 65 |
| Zuid | 12 |
| Zuidwest | 71 |
| Den Haag stadsdelen | Studio’s |
|---|---|
| Centrum | 121 |
| Escamp | 25 |
| Haagse Hout | 21 |
| Laak | 49 |
| Leidschenveen-Ypenburg | 11 |
| Loosduinen | 31 |
| Scheveningen | 91 |
| Segbroek | 89 |
How much does a studio apartment cost to rent?
Ok, nice that we now know they are cheaper, but what exactly do they cost? Prices obviously vary a lot from city to city, but also definitely from neighbourhood to neighbourhood. Limiting ourselves again to the 4 big cities, in the free sector it ranges from €880 to €1600 per month. On average, most studios cost between €900 and €1200 per month. The outliers upwards are usually right in the centre, and sometimes even spacious in size.
Conclusion: will you rent a studio or not?
Of course, whether a studio is a good option depends entirely on your wants and needs. If they fit somewhat into what we have outlined above, then I would definitely consider including studios or one-bedroom flats in your search. If you really want to live bigger, have enough budget or can’t possibly sleep in your living room, then don’t rent a studio but at least a two-bedroom flat. Whatever you do, with a search at RentSlam you will have rented your home much sooner. So register now!
