Money and costs
The Dutch currency is the Euro (EUR). ATMs are abundant throughout the country. Credit card payments are common everywhere. The Netherlands has a much higher cost of living than the Portuguese and that, in cities and other tourist towns, is greatly inflated by the invasion of visitors during the high season months.
ACCOMMODATION
It abounds in all shapes and sizes, especially in the most touristic cities and towns in the country. The cheapest are Dutch Youth Hostels (known as Stay Okay) and Bed & Breakfast. The first have prices starting at around €15 per night per person in the most spartan rooms, with shared bathroom. Bed & Breakfasts are common both in cities and in the countryside and can cost from €35 to €150 per night, per person, depending on location and time of year.
The short-term rental of apartments or houses to private individuals via specialized websites has also become popular. This practice is very popular in the Netherlands and, as such, it includes all kinds of prices and conditions. Cyclists or those exploring the Netherlands on foot can also rely on a network of accommodation in private houses with more than 4000 addresses. In this network called Vrienden op de Fiets, each night of stay costs from €20.
FOOD
The Netherlands is not exactly known for the excellence of its national cuisine, but many traditional dishes are interesting enough to surprise the most curious visitors. In the biggest cities and towns you will find plenty of restaurants with specialties from Europe and around the world, including Indonesians – Indonesia was a Dutch colony – and the Dutch territories and former territories of the Caribbean.
At the base of culinary excellence are Febo-style automatic ready-to-eat snack chains where for a few euros you can eat a fried meal, almost always too oily. On the opposite pole are the best sophisticated restaurants in Amsterdam and other major cities where a meal can cost several hundred euros.
INTERNET
As a country always at the forefront in terms of technology, the Netherlands has an abundant, reliable and extremely fast Internet. Unlike other technologically advanced countries – for example Japan – almost all private and business networks are closed to password holders. Your guest-house, inn, hotel or private apartment will certainly have a network for your use, otherwise you can use a Smart Phone, Tablet or laptop in a cafe or in strategic areas that municipalities have public networks. Even so, there are still several cybercafés in cities with average navigation costs of €1 to €2 per hour.
Alternatively, buy a SIM card from one of the many Dutch telecommunications operators and associate it with a suitable tariff for your length of stay and the Dutch territory visited. SIMs are usually free. The tariffs are many and change all the time, but they can be considered on a par with what is practiced all over Western Europe.